Lemon Meringue Pie

*Update*

Papa loved lemon meringue…. It was such a big deal to make it so it was mostly a treat… living with no electricity made making certain foods a challenge, I still look at a egg beater with distaste..

I love my mixers..

I recently added a option that you can search amongst my blogs… not that I have a lot but wanted to feel bigtime about it.. I realized I use the word “fat” a lot.. so I decided that in this blog I wont say fat.. or making any fat comments about my backside or lack of restrain from shoving my face full of fattening foods. I will not talk about how fun it is clothes shopping and the only way to console myself is to get a frosty..

Nope.. not a word of fat in this blog post.

Today we are making lemon meringue… I’ve been really enjoying making things that last year I found frustrating to even try.. I am determined that somewhere in the near future I want to make puff pastry and make a bear claw that shames Panera bread..

Gotta keep up my girlish figure…

So here is our crust ingredients.. I found a new recipe that boast of not caving in and saves you from wasting beans to keep the crusts from falling.. we shall see

Our filling ingredients

And finally our meringue ingreds.

So first off preheat your oven to 450 and then add your salt and flour together.. and then your oil and milk together..

Mix well… this looks kinda interesting.. no one is allowed to complain if it tastes like dirty jeans

Take a sheet of wax paper… actually two your gonna place the other on top as you roll out the dough…

Hey!! This looks kinda good! This might actually work!!! Place into pie plate

BAAAAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH………*distant sound of sobbing*

Patch it … and then bake it for 12 mins or until golden brown

The only thing I dislike about making lemon meringue is all the steps.. but the end result is so worth it..

Here is our stabilizer for our meringue.. we need this ready for when our filling is done because the meringue has to go right on top.. so we have here is the corn starch and sugar..

Add water and stir constantly until it comes to a boil

Let it boil for 15 seconds and then set aside until ready to use

My Mama got me one of these…  the skin remover thing not the lemon..I love it.. don’t remember what it is called but what a difference it makes when zesting citrus..

Zest two lemons then get ½ cup of lemon juice

Separate your eggs.. whites to your meringue and yolks for your filling.. ohh look! there is that lemon juice I forgot to take a picture of..

Add your sugar and cornstarch

Add your water..

Stir Constantly!!!  Add a cup of the boiling sugar mixture to your eggs and mix.. then add that back to your pot and wisk.. ( yes that is more than four egg yolks.. I am making two pies)

Add your lemon juice and zest.. it should be thick by now and if not let it thicken while on low heat..

Stir… don’t forget STIR!! Then add your butter.

Now lets get the egg whites, sugar and cream of tarter…

Beat to death

Remember that stuff we made earlier?? Now that our egg whites are stiff take about a tablespoon at a time add this to the meringue

Done!!

Filling in pie…

Carefully dollop your meringue on filling and bring it to the sides making sure it all touches the crust… otherwise it shrinks back and looks crappy.

Bake for 8 mins or until tops are brown..

Perfect.. now I have to keep the kids out of them.. James is so disappointed that he has to wait till after church.. Gabriel keeps asking if both of the pies have to wait.. if the day continues any more like it has been everyone is gonna find me face down in one of these nawing away.

The crust tasted like old jeans.... fell apart even worse than before it was cooked.. will use this one  instead. but if you like the taste of old shoe leather and dirty jeans I will include it.

Print Recipe

Recipe

Crust
1 1/3 cups (5 3/4 ounces) King Arthur   Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup (2 3/8 ounces) vegetable oil
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) cold milk (nonfat is fine)

Filling
1 1/4 cups (10 1/2 ounces) sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cups cold water
4 large eggs yolks (reserve the whites)
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) butter
Grated peel of 1 large lemon (2 to 3 teaspoons)
1/2 cup (4 ounces) lemon juice (juice of about 2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Meringue
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup water
mix well bring to a boil while stirring, boil 15 seconds add to 4 large egg whites (reserved from egg yolks above)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

To make the crust: Whisk together the flour and salt. Whisk together the oil and milk, and add to the dry ingredients, stirring till cohesive. Roll the crust on a silicone rolling mat with a piece of plastic wrap on top (between crust and rolling pin); or between two sheets of parchment or waxed paper. Roll it about 12" wide, and drape it carefully into a 9" pie pan. Don’t worry if it tears a bit as you work with it; this is a very easy crust to patch, and no one will ever see your mistakes! Press the edges gently with the tines of a fork, to flatten. Prick the bottom of the crust 6 to 8 times with the fork, to keep it from puffing as it bakes.

Bake the crust (no need for pie weights) for 12 to 15 minutes, until it’s beginning to brown. Remove it from the oven. Reduce the oven heat to 400°F. While the crust is baking, prepare the filling.

To make the filling: Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Stir in the water. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, then constantly as it gets hotter, until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Boil, stirring, for 1 minute.

Put the egg yolks in a small bowl. Stir about 1 cup of the boiling sugar mixture into the yolks. Return the hot yolk mixture to the saucepan, and boil gently, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, and add the butter, grated peel, juice, and vanilla, stirring till the butter melts. Spoon the filling into the crust.

To make the meringue: Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl, and beat till foamy. With the beater going, gradually add the sugar, beating until the mixture holds a stiff peak; when you lift the beater out of the meringue, the meringue will stand straight up, with just its top curling over. add your stablizer one tablespoon at a time then add the vanilla at the end.

Spoon the meringue atop the hot pie filling, bringing it all the way to the edge of the pan (and covering the crust). Bake the pie for 8 to 10 minutes, until the meringue is as golden brown as you like it. Remove it from the oven, and allow the pie to cool for several hours before serving. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Adventures in food blogging...

I love to do pan snacks.. meaning.. mix this beat that scream at this and bake all in one pan..  so I have been trying out new recipes to make the perfect lunch treat for the DH and kids..

So today we are going to make snickerdoddle bars

Get our ingredients

Mix your butter and sugar

Add your egg and vanilla and then add your dry ingredients…

Pour into pan… wait.. pour?? Reread the recipe.. yes.. all ingredients are in..  pour? This is stiffer than my cookie dough!!  Ahhh cookie dough..

Make one giant cookie and bake for too little of time..

Decide on the fudge cake that always works…

First clean the kitchen from the bar attempt

Decided to change course and make a fudge birthday cake..

Forget to take pictures so you just give up and finish the pouring into pans..

Over bake.. because your computer freezes up and you think by banging on the keyboard will unfreeze it.. anny minute now it will unfreeze… annnnyy minute.. meanwhile your cakes are getting toasty..

Go with your first plan of cake and make the fudge…

Watch it split in front of you as you put it on the cake pan…. Hold back unlady like words..

Thinking that if you pour frosting over it the cavernous crack will be covered up…

Nope.. let loose on the unbecoming jargon…

So this is what happens in my kitchen more than I want to admit..  maybe because the moon is full or not full things haven’t been flowing very well in there!!

Thought everyone would enjoy my blunders today.

Being a Mama....

I drew this picture after going somewhere with the kids….

 When the first three were little I would go some place and the whole time be mothering.. don’t do this.. don’t do that.. They got to be great outside kids.. We could go to the store and they knew NOT to put things in the cart that wasn’t allowed or wander off.. Sure there was many moments of complete break downs but over all I had some pretty nice town kids.  I got used to three.. three I could handle.. three was manageable .. Three was all that I thought I could handle.. I was so scared when Gabe came along that I didn’t take him anywhere for two years.. so he became that “cereal aisle kid”..  

Let me explain what a Cereal aisle kid is.. Ever been down the cereal aisle and seen one of those kids on the flour kicking and screaming because they didn’t get the name brand sugar pops? Those are cereal isle kids.. You can’t take them anywhere with out them on the floor kicking and screaming and demanding you to do what they want… every kid has a cereal aisle moment…. Even I have those moments.

I got him over that.. It took till he was old enough to understand that you don’t act like that with out getting in trouble.  That and he seen a few kids on the floor kicking and screaming and me hissing in his ear… “ THAT’S WHAT YOU’RE ACTING LIKE”   to get him to realize how silly he looked.  I try to not look down my nose when I see those kids.. Most moms don’t stay home anymore and daycare and school raise their kids..  So the guilt complex takes over and the fit is allowed..

A few years ago there was a mom wailing on her kid out in the car because she was being a horrid little brat in the store.. I am not sure if she got jail time but it got a lot of media attention.. yeah I think it was a wee bit over the top she should have waiting till she got home to spank the kid and all of this wouldn’t have happened but  I have had those moments where I am so angry at the little brat .. They know full well they can act like that and we can’t haul off and spank them like we can at home.. it is those teaching moments for us parents that are sometimes hard to learn.. I have never spanked them in public.. I got really good at pinching.. Layla was the one who would then yell out.. OUCH!! YOUR HURTING ME!!!!! OOOOOOOWWWWW..   

Now that they are old I enjoy going out with the older ones.. James is at the age where everything is a tool to torment everyone.. but he knows when to turn it off when Mama is stressed.. Zoe is understanding of what food we need.. Layla  too but she still spends the whole time asking if Pea is a good name for a dog and when is she getting the dog and she cant wait till we get a  house and and and why why why .. usually one glare shuts her up for a few minutes so I can figure out what is cheaper.. frozen broccoli or fresh. Once when I thought these kids REALLY got it and was such helpful angels I found out it was a game.. Say the least amount of words in Aldi’s, who ever loses gets punched by the winner in the car..

Layla lost.

When my kids were younger I thought everything was so hard.. . mind you it was.. I had 3 three and under.. I was dealing postpartum, no money and no energy to get out of bed let alone clean and cook..  but now that they are older it is even harder, no longer are you teaching them to dress themselves but to dress themselves appropriately.. no longer am I teaching not to point their fingers at fat ppl in public but to not point their fingers at anyone .. I got what 2+2 means now I have to teach what the square root of two is…

 Parenting is a job that when you don’t have kids you have all the answers for.. once you pop out that little  screaming monster  all your notions that you will be the best parent are gone like your figure..

Wait.. let me take that back..

Once you have your SECOND kid all the notions you thought you knew  are gone.. the first one is usually the one with the most complexes, the one who is the most responsible, the one who gets so mad at you because they never got away with that.. the one you let do things because you know they’ve had it drilled in all the things that can go wrong. The one you raised when you still thought you knew everything. The guinea pigs of parenting skills.

 Lately my kids have been corrected by none parents.. I usually sit there dumbfounded.. laughing like a idiot because what I really want to do is jump on the back of the corrector and claw their eyes out..  But I can’t for some reason.. I usually just gather the kids up and walk away and go home.. and think well when they have kids they will understand..

This is a parenting lesson I been shying away from.. I don’t like to make waves.. there has only been a few things I have stood my ground on and spoken up for..usually I let ppl walk all over me and seethe inside… but as my kids get older and do things that might not be what some would allow, I draw the line.. they aren’t drawing on the walls.. throwing water balloons inside.. walking in mud and then wiping their feet on the walls.. they are kids.. they laugh, run and play.. if you don’t like it I am sorry, I carried them for nine months.. I taught them to walk, talk and feed themselves I think I should have that right to raise them the way I see fit.

Some Things that motherhood has taught me:

·         I am not infallible

·         My perfect plan won’t always work

·         A messy house is sometimes warranted

·         A spider saved in one of your only lunch containers is worth it

·         Never throw out a picture

·         Always take pictures

·         Getting things through by yelling doesn’t always work

·         Do things with them today.. tomorrow they will be married

·         I won’t be as excited as I thought would be when they leave.

At the store Yesterday a older woman was spouting off that it is better off to have a dog or a cat then it is to have kids.. maybe she is right.. because when you have kids you no longer can think only of yourself..  you can’t buy purses that cost the same as your monthly rent.. you can’t jet off to the nearest mall to redo your wardrobe every month..  You have to put your selfish dreams aside and live for other people..

I am glad I had kids. Even though they drive me insane at times I have this satisfying thought that one day they will have their own kids that will drive them batty.

Update

I wanted to inform who ever reads this blog that I finally went through and caught up on getting my recipes printable.. found that Blogger was having some lunch on some.. directions were missing.. one didn't even have the recipe.. so after spending two and half hours I got it workable.. with another two hours I could have it perfect..
With spending all that time I have come to even more of a conclusion that PW doesn't even clean, homeschool, garden, take pictures or give cooking lessons... all she does is blog.. and hires out the work.. there is no way could I ever run that websight and do all that she does..

FRAUD!!!

I am sure I will get some flack from PW fans... If you feel the need to do that then come down to my house.. clean it... cook dinner.. teach the kids and blog all about it while wearing heels.. then let me know much you think she is the best...

Moses Bread

In 8 hours you can have a fresh loaf of artisan bread… with no kneading or breaking of sweat.. just time..

I’ve handed out this recipe to many people and I have come to the conclusion that it needs a step by step instructions.

So here goes..

8 am:

 I gather my flour, salt, and yeast.

In large bowl add your dry ingredients

3 1/2 cups of warm water... Now this is a very important.. yeast a living organism.. and you can kill it. Keep that in mind as you use your water to make rolls, pizza dough, breads... anything that uses yeast.. so your milk or water temp is very important here.. I like to think of yeast as a baby.. you would never dunk a baby down into hot water.. yeast is the same.. have the water run on your wrist... too hot? you'll know it.. it should be warm.

Add water.. the recipe calls for 3 ½ cups of water but I think I measure to heavy so I end up adding more water.. doesn’t affect the outcome at all.

Stir.. not done.. there is still some flour not mixed in.. if you become lazy and think ( like I did/do) that the moisture will just absorb the flour your wrong.. it actually creates a little pocket and when you bake it there is a extra surprise of dried flour. Not good.

Now we are done stirring. Cover it and let it sit on counter for several hours until doubled. Time it took for all of this?? 5 minutes.

10 am:

After two hours it has risen quite a lot but I want to give it another hour.

12 pm:

Laundry got the best of me so I forgot about the bread.. it was a lot higher but upon taking off the plastic it deflated. Place in fridge for 3 hours..

5:30:

Again.. time got away from me.. sprinkle some flour on top so that you can get it out without having your hands covered in dough.. slice off what you want to bake place what you don’t back in the bowl and recover place in fridge ( it will keep for two weeks)

Shape into loaf using more flour if needed..

I have two ways of raising it… a cutting board that has corn meal or flour sprinkled on… or

A sheet of wax paper sprayed with cooking spray ( make sure you cover it will with the spray oil other wise you will have a sticky mess)

Here I have my pans.. this is a cast iron enamal  dutch oven ( they come in just cast iron too) I love my pans.. I got a little greedy there for awhile and had three.. One was given away and the other two are still being horded..( just did a inventory check... still have a huge clay dutch oven that I haven't used.. I give up...) I cook everything in mine.. they are a little oven inside a oven.

This is my present from my dear sweet sister.. I had spent many hours drooling over this pan online.. what a surprize when it came in the mail. this one I use when I want to make small sandwiches or company because it makes such a pretty loaf.

6:15 pm.. raising for 45 mins.. pan in oven started preheating right before I removed the dough from the fridge.

Here is how I put the loaf in my preheated pan.. it takes a bit of practice but soon you get the hang of it.. pick up all four corners of the paper.. ( other hand is missing… I think it was holding the camera)

Put it to the edge of the pan and let one side go…

Your loaf will then slid into the pan

You can then if it fell all to one side pull it with your fingers making sure you don’t touch the sides of the hot pot.. to reshape it…

Replace cover on pot and place in oven for 30 to 35 mins.

6:45 pm:

Done… let it cool a bit before slicing…

Print Recipe

Recipe:

1-1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (about 1-1/2 packets)

1-1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

6-1/2 cups unbleached flour, plus extra for dusting dough

3-1/2 cups warm water

Directions:

• 1. In a large bowl stir in flour,yeast,salt and water mixing until mixture is uniformly moist with no dry patches. Do not knead. Dough will be wet and loose enough to conform to shape of container. Cover, but not with an airtight lid.
• 2. Let dough rise at room temperature, until dough begins to flatten on top or collapse, at least 2 hours and up to 5 hours. (At this point, dough can be refrigerated up to 2 weeks; refrigerated dough is easier to work with than room-temperature dough, it is recommended that first-time bakers refrigerate dough overnight or at least 3 hours.)
• 3. When ready to bake, sprinkle cornmeal on a pizza peel, cutting board, or greased wax paper.  Place baking pan with lid on middle rack and preheat oven to 450 degrees, preheating pan for at least 40 minutes.
• 4. Sprinkle a little flour on dough and on your hands. Pull dough up and, using a serrated knife, cut off a grapefruit-size piece (about 1 pound). Working for 30 to 60 seconds (and adding flour as needed to prevent dough from sticking to hands; most dusting flour will fall off, it's not intended to be incorporated into dough), turn dough in hands, gently stretching surface of dough, rotating ball a quarter-turn as you go, creating a rounded top and a bunched bottom.
• 5. Place shaped dough on prepared paper and let rest, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough or refrigerate it in lidded container. (Even one day's storage improves flavor and texture of bread. Dough can also be frozen in 1-pound portions in airtight containers and defrosted overnight in refrigerator prior to baking day.) Dust dough with flour.
• 6.  Bake until crust is well-browned and firm to the touch, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven to a wire rack and cool completely.