A Cook's Collection
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    • Newspaper Article
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    • 2010 Winning Recipes >
      • First Place Apricot-Date Bars
      • First Place Banana Bread
      • Best in Show Blackberry Cobbler
    • 2011 Winning Recipe >
      • Champion Cherry Pie
    • 2012 Winning Recipes >
      • Champion Banana Sour Cream Bread
      • First Premium Golden Vanilla Pound Cake
      • First Place Lighter Than Air Angel Food Cake
      • Second Place Awesome Apple Pie
      • Second Place Blackberry Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping
      • Second Place Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate Bundt Cake
      • Second Place Death by Chocolate Muffins
    • 2013 Winning Recipes >
      • Champion Raspberry Circles
      • Champion Zucchini Bread
      • First Premium Blackberry Pie
      • First Premium Blueberry Pie
      • First Premium Chocolate Pound Cake
      • First Premium Lemon Circles
      • First Place Montana Biscuits
      • First Place Cherry Pie
    • 2014 Winning Recipes >
      • Champion Southern Pecan Pie with Praline Sauce
      • First Place Angel Food Cake
      • First Place Amaretto Cake
      • First Place Brownies
      • First Place Chocolate Stout Cake
  • Mom's Handwritten Cookbook Recipes
    • Beverages >
      • Orange Julius
    • Breakast >
      • Cowboy Coffee Cake
    • Cakes >
      • Apple Cake
      • My Favorite Carrot Cake
    • Holiday Favorites >
      • Good Relish
      • Raw Cranberry Sauce
    • Homemade Items >
      • Grandmother Wright's Apple Butter
      • Chili Sauce
      • Million Dollar Pickles
    • Ice Cream >
      • My Basic Vanilla Ice Cream
    • Main Dishes >
      • Betty's Ham Loaf
      • Enchilada Casserole
      • Mock Raviola
      • Momma May's Porcupine Balls
      • Mother's Sweet & Sour Baked Chicken
    • Party Time! >
      • Holiday Punch
      • Hot Crab Dip
    • Salads >
      • Green Pea Salad
      • Fruit Platter with Hawaiian Cream Dip
      • Zucchini Salad
  • Favorite Recipes
    • Appetizers >
      • Appetizer Meatballs
      • Bakes Brie in Bread
      • Betty White's Chicken Wings
      • Caramel Pecan Apple Cheese Dip
      • Cheesy Crab Rolls
      • Chicken Ham Pinwheels
      • Creamy Greek Olive and Feta Dip
      • Easy Vegetable Dip (Knorr)
      • Foil Wrapped Chicken
      • Fruit and Caramel Brie
      • Kalamata Olive Tapenade (Dip or Spread)
      • Knorr Spinach Dip
      • Meatballs
      • Mexican Dip
      • Olive and Goat Cheese Crostini
      • Olive Nut Spread
      • Roasted Red Pepper Dip
      • Rumaki
      • Vidalia Onion Dip
      • The Ultimate Cheeseball Recipe
      • Tuscan Cream Cheese Spread
    • Beans and Bean Dishes >
      • Beans >
        • Cowboy Beans
        • Peggy Goldwater's Arizona Ranch Style Beans *
        • Quick Southern-Style Baked Beans *
      • Bean Dishes >
        • Red Beans and Rice
        • Tempura Green Beans, Yellow Beans and Tofu
        • White Beans with Roasted Tomatoes
    • Biscuits and Breads >
      • Almond Joy Bread
      • Almond Poppy Bread
      • Apricot Bread
      • Canadian Lemon Bread
      • Cranberry Bread
      • French Onion Pan Rolls
      • Grandma Birdie's Baking Powder Biscuits
      • Lemon Tea Bread
      • Linda's Pumpkin Bread
      • Mile High Biscuits
      • Orange Bread
      • Red Lobster's Cheddar Biscuits
      • Zucchini Bread
    • Breakfast Items >
      • Amish Coffee Cake
      • Baked Eggs, Ham & Cheese Casserole
      • Breakfast Casserole - Lancaster County Recipe
      • Cheese and Bacon Frittata
      • Ham and Swiss Quiche
      • Musil
      • Raisin Breakfast Mix
      • Raisin Crunch Breakfast Bowl
      • Yummy Breakfast Casserole
      • Muffins >
        • Bacon-Cheese Muffins
        • Blueberry Buttermilk Muffins
        • Rich Blueberry Muffins
      • Pancakes >
        • "Apple Pancakes" on Christmas Morning
        • Chocolate Chip Pancakes
        • Fluffiest Pancakes Ever!
        • German Pancakes
        • Ham and Potato Pancakes
        • Lumberjack Pancakes
        • Pancakes
        • Special Pancakes
      • Pies >
        • Sheppard's Breakfast Pie
    • Chili >
      • Amish Chili Recipe
      • Anna's Chili
      • Chili Con Carne
      • "Corner Grill" Chili
      • Eischen's Chili
      • Firehouse Chili
      • Full O'Beans Chili *
      • Fully Loaded Chili
      • My Favorite Chili
      • Paul's Touchdown Turkey Chili
    • Cornbreads >
      • Anguilla Cornbread
      • Broccoli Cheddar Cornbread *
      • Buttermilk Cornbread
      • Buttery Cornbread *
      • Olive and Parmesan Skillet Cornbread *
      • Special Cornbread
      • Skillet Corn Bread
      • "The King's" Cornbread
    • Desserts >
      • Bars >
        • Lemon Bars
      • Brownies >
        • Brownie Thins
        • Chocolate Chip Brownies
        • Fudgy Brownie Bars
        • Mint Chocolate Brownies
        • Katherine Hepburn's Brownies
        • SSC Brownies
      • Cakes >
        • Chocolate Ganache Cake *
        • Chocolate Cake with Frosting
        • Chocolate Loaf Cake
        • Chocolate Tweed Cake
        • Classic Pound Cake
        • Cracker Barrel's Coca Cola Cake
        • Dark Chocolate Brown Sugar Pound Cake with Chocolate Glaze *
        • Devil's Food Cake with Brown Sugar Buttercream *
        • Flourless Chocolate Cake
        • Mexican Wedding Cakes
        • Moist Yellow Cake
      • Cheesecake >
        • Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake
      • Cobblers - New! >
        • Very Best Blueberry Cobbler
        • Chocolate Cobbler
        • Fantastic Blueberry Cobbler
      • Cookies >
        • Fudge Crinkles
        • Lady Fingers
        • Sandie Cookies
        • Spritz Cookies
        • Susannah's Chocolate Chip Cookies
      • Cupcakes >
        • Black Bottom Cupcakes
        • Death by Oreo Cupcakes >
          • Untitled
        • Fudge Filled Cupcakes
        • Hot Cocoa Cupcakes
        • Rolo Cupcakes
        • Rich Double Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes *
      • Dumplings >
        • Apple Dumplings
      • Pies >
        • Apple Crumb Pie
        • Berry Berry Cool Pie
        • Cherry Vanilla Ribbon Pie
        • Chocolate Chiffon Pie
        • Chocolate Satin Pie (Cooked) with Homemade Chocolate Curls
        • Door County Cherry Pie
        • Fresh Peach Pie
        • Frozen Lemonade Pie
        • Key Lime Pie
        • Pecan Pie
        • Three Berry Pie
    • Entrees >
      • Amish Chicken Casserole
      • Amish Oven Fried Chicken
      • Anna's Macaroni and Cheese
      • Barbeque Style Brisket (Tri-tip)
      • Beef Stroganoff
      • Chicken Enchiladas
      • Chicken Marsala
      • Crunchy Smokey Park Chops
      • Dixie Gulf Shrimp & Rice
      • 15-Minute Marinated Chicken
      • Flavorful Lasagna
      • Savory Pot Roast
      • Shrimp and Grits
      • Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder *
      • Stuffed Peppers
      • Tender and Flaky Salmon
      • Teriyaki Chicken
      • Winter Beef Stew
    • Holiday and Party Drinks >
      • Anna's Starlight Punch
      • Creamy Egg Nog
      • Gramm's Christmas Punch
      • Cranberry Burst
      • Holiday Celebration Punch
      • Hot Chocolate Mix
      • Hot Cranberry Cider
      • Irish Coffee
      • Peg's Cooling Limeade Slush
      • Perfect Party Punch
      • Rudolph's Reward Punch (non-alcoholic)
      • Throw A Party Punch
      • White Cranberry Wine Spritzer
    • Marinara & Spaghetti Sauces >
      • Marinara Sauce by Anne Burrell
      • Marinara Sauce by Giada De Laurentiis
      • Marinara Sauce by Ina Garten
      • My Favorite Spaghetti Sauce with Meat
      • Spaghetti-Italian Sauce
    • Meatloaf and Ham Loaf >
      • Ann Lander's Meatloaf
      • Bacon Wrapped Bison Meat Loaf
      • Lancaster Ham Loaf
      • Something Special Meatloaf
    • On the Grill >
      • Campfire Potatoes
      • Grilled Brats
      • Grilled Cobblers - New! *
      • Juicy Grilled Hamburgers
      • Rob's Grilled Hamburgers
      • Stafford Burgers
      • Yummy Grilled Hamburgers
    • Pickles >
      • Fresh Vegetable Pickles
      • Refrigerated Bread & Butter Pickles
      • Salt and Sugar Pickles
      • Shaker Pickles
      • Summer Squash Bread and Butter Pickles
      • Watermelon Rind Pickles
    • Pizza >
      • Pillsbury Mini Pizzas *
    • Rice >
      • Brown and Wild Rice Pilaf with Porcini and Parsley * >
        • Untitled
      • Buttery Rice Pilaf *
      • Chinese Style Rice *
      • Fragrant Rice Pilaf *
      • Fried Rice
      • Lemon Rice
      • Wild Rice and Toasted Almond Pilaf *
    • Salads >
      • Awesome Ambrosia Salad
      • Apple, Onion, Gorgonzola, and Pecan Salad
      • Chicken Cranberry Almond Salad
      • Cranberry Spinach Salad with Warm Honey Dijon Bacon Dressing
      • Mom's Fruit Cup
      • Orzo Salad
      • Potato Salad
    • Sauces >
      • Gribiche Sauce *
      • Quick Tartar Sauce *
      • Tasty Tartar Sauce *
      • The Best BBQ Sauce on 66
      • Tzatziki Sauce
    • Side Dishes >
      • Carmelized Sweet Potatoes
      • Egg Noodles with Peas and Mushrooms *
      • Garlic Mashed Potatoes
      • Hoppin' John (Black-Eyed Peas with Kielbasa) *
      • Lemon-Parmesan Linguine *
      • Orzo with Artichokes and Pine Nuts *
      • Orzo with Brown Butter and Parsley *
      • Penne with Butter and Fontina *
      • Toasted Orzo with Peas, Onion and Bacon *
      • Vegetarian Cassoulet *
    • Snacks >
      • Amish Cashew Crunch
      • Caramel Corn & Craisin Snack Mix
      • Oatmeal Bars with Craisins and Chocolate Chips
      • Reindeer Snack
      • Sweet & Spicy Trail Mix
      • 3-Cheese Pizza Snack Mix
    • Soups >
      • Anderson's Split Pea Soup
      • Aunt Bee's Lentil Soup
      • Bennigan's Onion Soup
      • Gazpacho
      • Light Pasta e Fagioli
      • Midwest Gumbo
      • Pinto Bean, Tomato and Butternut Squash Soup *
      • Navy Bean Soup
      • Pot Sticker Soup
      • Potato Corn Chowder
      • Spiral Ham & Potato Soup
      • Split Pea Soup
      • Tony Roma's Baked Potato Soup
      • Tortilla Soup
      • Tuscan Bean Soup with Prosciutto and Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano *
      • Tuscan Bean and Swiss Chard Soup *
      • Virginia Peanut Soup
      • Cornbread Croutons
    • Stews >
      • Beef and Beer Stew
      • Betty Crocker's Classic Beef Stew
      • Burt Reynolds' Beef Stew
      • Easy Seafood Stew
      • Hearty Beef Stew
      • Irish Stew
      • Low Fat Crockpot Vegetarian Stew
      • Old Fashioned Beef Stew
      • Pork Stew
    • Vegetables >
      • Best Roasted Vegetables
      • Creamed Peas and Potatoes
      • Glazed Baby Carrots
      • Grilled Broccoli Parma Style
      • Roasted Mushrooms
      • Scalloped Corn
  • White House Recipes
    • Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower >
      • Corn Relish
      • Double Chocolate Pie
      • German Potato Salad
      • Gettysburg Farm Beef Stew
      • Pennsylvania Dutch Potato Pancakes
      • Quail Hash
      • President Eisenhower's French Salad Dressing
    • John and Jacqueline Kennedy >
      • Asparagus Parmesan: White House
      • Beef Bourguignon: White House
      • Beef Stroganoff
      • Boston Baked Beans
      • Boston Clam Chowder: White House
      • Chicken in White Wine
      • Chicken Kiev: White House
      • Veal Chasseur
      • Mrs. John F. Kennedy's Baked Seafood Casserole
      • Mrs. John F. Kennedy's Hot Cheese Corn Bread
      • Jacqueline Kennedy's International Coffee Cake
      • Mrs. John F. Kennedy's Lemon Ice
      • Mrs. John F. Kennedy's Lobster Cardinale
      • Mrs. John F. Kennedy's Mushrooms with Herbs
      • Mrs. John F. Kennedy's Potatoes Suzette
      • Mrs. John F. Kennedy's Salad Mimosa
      • Mrs. John F. Kennedy's Souffle Froid Au Chocolat
    • Lyndon and Lady Bird Johnson >
      • Corn Chowder
      • Creole Crab Gumbo
      • Pedernales River Chili
      • Southern Fried Chicken
      • Mrs. Lyndon Johnson's Popovers
      • Mrs. Lyndon Johnson's Spoon Bread
      • Mrs. Lyndon Johnson's Spinach Souffle
      • Mrs. Lyndon Johnson's Turkey Dressing
    • Richard and Pat Nixon >
      • Apricot Coconut Balls
      • Manhattan Clam Chowder
      • Stuffed Celery
      • Pat Nixon's Meatloaf
      • Pat Nixon's White House Punch
    • Gerald and Betty Ford >
      • Breasts of Chicken with Ham
      • Chocolate Walnut Fudge
      • Gazapacho
      • Lobster Thermidor: White House
      • Indian Pudding
      • Ruby Red Grapefruit Chicken
      • Rum Cake: White House
    • Jimmy and Roslyn Carter >
      • Chili Barbeque Sauce
      • Herbed Green Salad
      • Hush Puppies
      • Mexican Corn Casserole
      • Mexican Menudo Soup
      • Peanut Brittle
      • Peanut Stuffing
      • Polenta (Corn Aplenty)
      • Spoon Bread
    • Ronald and Nancy Reagan >
      • Apple Brown Betty
      • Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
      • Easy Party Chocolate Cake
      • Hamburger Soup
      • Nancy Reagan's Brownies
      • President Reagan's Favorite Homemade Chili
      • President Reagan's Favorite Macaroni and Cheese
      • Osso Bucco
      • Vienna Chocolate Bars
    • George and Barbara Bush >
      • Chinese Style Boiled Rice
      • Green Peppers with Crab Meat
      • Oyster Poulette
      • Roasted Fresh Ham
      • Roast Pheasant with Brandy and Cream
      • Rum Custard Cream
      • Salmon White House
      • Szechuan Noodles
      • White House Muffins
    • Bill and Hillary Clinton >
      • Beef Bourguignon A La White House
      • Cheese and Chili Burgers
      • Chicken Kiev Imperial A La White House
      • Chicken Roll Sandwich
      • Chocolate Rolls
      • Corned Beef Hash
      • Deviled Crab A La White House
      • Hot Barbeque Sauce
      • Jambalaya
      • Oysters Florentine
      • Risotto with Pork
      • Shrimp Fried Rice
      • Shrimp A La White House
    • George and Laura Bush >
      • Baked Potato Soup
      • Cowboy Cookies
      • Meat Pie A La White House
      • Pressed Duck: White House
      • Rum Pudding
    • Barack and Michelle Obama >
      • Beef Rolls
      • Fish Fillets in Cream Sauce
      • Guacamole
      • Roast Lamb with Artichokes
      • Roast Pork with Dumplings and Sour Cabbage
      • Spinach Soup
      • The President's Famous Chili Recipe
      • Yellow Pea Soup, Smoked Ham
  • Easter
    • Ham with Honey Mustard Glaze
    • Carmeled Sweet Potatoes
    • Green Beans with Bacon & Onions
    • Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake
  • St Patrick's Day
  • Thanksgiving
    • Cranberry Sauce >
      • Raw Cranberry Sauce
    • Entrees >
      • Turkey
      • Spiral Sliced Ham with Honey Mustard Glaze
    • Desserts >
      • Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake
      • Chocolate Cobbler
      • Pumpkin Pie
    • Baked Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, or Stuffing >
      • Mrs. Cubbison's Seasoned Stuffing
      • Baked Potatoes
      • Carmeled Sweet Potatoes
    • Vegetables >
      • Baby Peas with Butter
      • Green Beans with Applewood Smoked Bacon & Onions
  • Valentine's Day
    • Olive Garden Salad
    • Flavorful Lasagna
    • Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake
  • Casual Parties
    • Appetizers >
      • Boneless Buffalo Wings with Spicy Blue Cheese Dip
      • French Onion Dip
      • Guacamole
      • Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip
      • Jo-Jo's Party Mix
      • Mini Beef and Provolone Crescents
      • Old Bay Hot Wings
      • Potato Skins
      • Pretzels with Sweet Spicy Mustard
    • Fun Fare >
      • BBQ Pork Sandwiches
      • Deep Dish Pizza
      • Chili-Cheese Dog Crescent Casserole
      • Hattie's Southern Fried Chicken
      • Kick-Butt Chili
      • Texas Brisket
    • Sweet Treats >
      • Fudge Crinkle Cookies
      • Guinness Sundaes
      • Ice Cream Sundae Sandwiches
      • S'mores Pizza
      • So-Easy Lemon Bars
      • Outrageous Brownies
      • Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Party Ideas
    • Appetizers >
      • Apricot and Chicken Bruschetta
      • Bacon Wrapped Bread Sticks
      • Beef Pops with Pineapple and Parsley Sauce
      • Crab and Cream Cheese Dip
      • Crab Appetizer Napoleans
      • Crab Stuffed Mushrooms En Croute
      • Crostini Alla Romana
      • Gorgonzola Spinach Artichoke Dip
      • Smoked Salmon Dip
      • Spinach Artichoke Dip
      • Zesty Cheese Straws
    • Drinks >
      • Champagne Punch
      • Chocolate Velvet
      • Frozen Peach Champagne
      • French 75
      • Grand Champagne Cocktail
      • Mimosa's
      • Kentucky 95
    • Non-Alcoholic Drinks >
      • Holiday Celebration Punch
      • Virgin Pomegranate Cranberry Bellinis
  • Special Parties
    • "Anytime" Open House >
      • Crispy Olives Stuffed with Sausage
      • Emeril's Champagne Punch
      • Grilled Beef Tenderloin on Focaccia Toasts >
        • Untitled
      • Prosciutto-Wrapped Crudite
      • Spitfire Shrimp
      • Winter Fruit Compote With Selection of Cheese
    • Buffet Dinner Party >
      • Caesar Salad
      • Braised Hoison Beer Short Ribs
      • Creamy Mashed Yukons
      • Sesame Snow Peas
      • Garlic Bread
      • Chocolate Tiramisu
    • Just Desserts Buffet >
      • Chocolate-Pistachio Canneloni
      • Goat Cheese Cheesecake
      • Horchata Rice Pudding
      • Mini Espresso Cakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
      • Old Fashioned Gingerbread
      • Raspberry and Sherry Trifle
    • Death by Chocolate Party >
      • Chocolate Cobbler >
        • Chocolate Loaf Cake
      • Chocolate Fondue with Fruit
      • Decadent Chocolate Cake
      • Chocolate Drinks
  • Comments Form
By Peggy O'Neill
Helena Independent Record
October 27, 2010

Judi Harris’s favorite cookbook belonged to her mother. The pages of the black, hardcover book called “America’s Cook Book” are stained and loose. The binding is cracked. Notes are scribbled in the margins. It’s a book that looks well-used and well-loved.

Inside the front cover are two inscriptions. Harris’s mother, Betty May Vehrs, wrote her name in the book, along with the date she received it — Sept. 30, 1941. Vehrs also wrote the name of her sorority at Oregon State University, where she majored in home economics.

Vehrs wrote the second inscription 55 years later. It says: “To Judi — I know you’ll enjoy this textbook as much as I. Much love, Mother.”

By habit, the book falls open to Harris’s comfort foods — banana bread, fruit cobbler and apricot-date bars.

“I grew up with these recipes,” Harris said. “These are my three favorite things.”

Administrative assistant by day, phenomenal cook by night, Harris recently swept the Jefferson County Fair baking contests with her interpretation of these recipes.

Her blackberry cobbler won “Best in Show,” and her banana bread and apricot-date bars won first-place ribbons. It was the first time Harris had ever entered anything in a fair.

“I was not expecting to win,” Harris said. “I was really just in it to share the recipes. I was shocked that the cobbler won best in show.”

Harris’s fiance, Doug Nulle — also an avid cook and an appreciator of most things Harris creates in the kitchen, was not surprised.

“Her cobbler wins with me, hands down,” Nulle said. “I was really stoked when I saw she got best in show.”

It’s a gracious compliment considering he also entered his own creation in the fair — apple jelly — which was eliminated from judging because of a faulty canning process.

The couple have a friendly rivalry when it comes to cooking. Harris and Nulle competed against each other at the Montana Wild West Chili Cookoff at the Montana Wild West Fest in August at the Kleffner Ranch.

Nulle entered a time-honored Nulle family recipe; Harris entered her version of a recipe she found online. Out of four entrants, Harris placed third and Nulle didn’t place.

But cooking won’t come between these two high school sweethearts who spent 27 years apart before reconnecting a few years ago over the Internet. One six-hour phone conversation and one plane flight later, Nulle proposed.

Harris rattles off the dates like ingredients in a recipe: “On Feb. 19, he called. Two weeks later, on March 6, he flew out. On March 7, we got engaged.” 

Harris, 55, and Nulle, 57, left their respective homes in Idaho and California and moved together to Clancy. They’ve been cooking together ever since.

Harris says she dreams of one day having a cooking show. She is working on launching a website that will feature her recipes and cooking tips. Her mom has passed away and “America’s Cook Book” is out of print, but Harris wants to continue a tradition.

“I just really want to share my recipes — my mom’s tried and true recipes,” Harris said. “I got my love of cooking from her.”



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