Meyer lemon pie

This is the last piece of the Meyer lemon pie that I made for Sunday dinner.  I'm sorry that I didn't take a photograph when it was brand new just out of the oven to brown that meringue lemon pie.  However, I just ate that piece of pie and it still tastes pretty good.  I am sharing the recipe that I used partly because then it will easily accessible to me no matter where I might be.

I brought the lemons with me from my tree in Arizona.  It is Meyer lemon season.  The Meyers are the orange tinted ones in the foreground.  They are sweeter, thin skinned, and aromatic.  I love them.  The tree with lemons turning from green to yellow just behind the Meyers are Lisbons.  They come on later in the season and are more acidic.  I will love them as well.  Next in line is the Navel orange, just barely starting to turn orange, and last in line, the Clementine tree just full of seed filled goodness.  You just have to take it slow while eating them.  Glen and I planted this little supposedly dwarf citrus orchard in containers several years ago. We have determined that the Lisbon is decidedly not a dwarf but no one has taken up our offer to plant it in a well irrigated spot so it soldiers on in its fake half barrel.  The tree over the gate is our pomegranate tree.  Word from the south that it has turned golden during this cold spell.  Enough about my trees.  Here is the pie recipe.

Meyer Lemon Pie

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup corn starch

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice (about 3 nice sized lemons)

1/2 cup cold water

5 egg yolks well beaten

2 Tbls. butter

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1 tsp. lemon zest (about 1 lemon zested)

Combine sugar, corn starch, and salt in medium large pan.  Blend in lemon juice, cold water and egg yolks until smooth.  Add the butter and gradually stir in boiling water. (I bring water to boil in heat resistant measuring cup in microwave.)  Bring all to rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, and boil for 2 to 3 minutes.  Stir in lemon zest.

Partially cool while preparing meringue.

Meringue Topping

5 egg whites

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

1/2 cup sugar

In a clean medium size glass mixing bowl, beat egg whites with hand mixer on high speed.  Slowly add cream of tartar and sugar while continuing to beat mixture.  It will slowly thicken.  It is finished when peaks form on lifting beaters.

Pour partially cooled filling into a prepared 9 inch baked pie crust.  Add meringue to top of pie making sure to smooth meringue all the way to the pie crust edge.  Place in 375 degree oven until meringue is browned.  Watch carefully.  Cool several hours before eating.

I am not good at making pie crust so often use prepared ones from freezer section at grocery store or the rolled circles in the refrigerated cookie dough section of the store.  On Sunday, when I decided to make this pie, I did not have a prepared crust.  I used this recipe.  It wasn't great but it looked good.  I think I needed to combine the butter into the flour mixture more thoroughly.  Here is the recipe but I can't guarantee it.  However, I can make really good rolls.

Butter Pie Crust  (makes one 9 inch single crust)

1 1/4 cups flour

2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 stick very cold butter (1/2 cup cut in small cubes)

Combine flour, sugar, and salt. (It is important to keep the ingredients cold.  I placed the bowl with dry ingredients in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes.)  Add the cold cubed butter to flour mixture and mix in with a pastry blender by hand until butter is size of small peas.  Fill a measuring cup with 1 cup cold water and ice cubes.  Slowly had about 1/2 cup of the water the the flour mixture mixing in with as little mixing as possible.  Form the dough into a ball and roll into a 12 inch diameter circle on floured counter top.  Fold in half, then fourths, and move to center of pie plate.  Carefully unfold dough evenly in plate and crimp edges.  Bake in 375 degree oven until browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

Peach Cobbler

I found a great recipe for peach cobbler online.  This has been a hit each time I've made it since August, so I'm sharing it here for easy access.  This is a biscuit style cobbler.

First peel and thinly slice 8 medium size peaches.  Disclaimer:  That is my 2 1/2 quart casserole dish holding just 4 large sliced peaches which bring me to the large variety of peaches available in Utah.

Currently Angelus peaches are available for purchase.  These are my favorites,  They are big, colorful, and delicious.

I do mean big and I do mean beautiful.

This week I am a very lucky girl because my favorite apple, Honey Crisp, is also available.  This apple is also very big.  So much lovely goodness all at once!

Allred Orchards Fruit Barn here in Provo hands out a flyer in August letting buyers know what to expect when.  Did you even know that there were that many varieties of peaches grown in Utah?

Because my two favorites were up at the same time, I had to buy two boxes last Friday, one of peaches and one of apples.

I've been generous so they are going fast.

Back to the cobbler. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. If your peaches are not Angelus, peel and slice thin 8 peaches.  If you are lucky like me, peel and slice 4 beautiful Angelus peaches.  Combine the following and mix with the peaches:

1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsps. cornstarch

Pour mixture in a 2 - 2/12 quart casserole.  Place in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Now for the topping.  Mix together:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Cut into flour mixture with pastry blender 6 tablespoons unsalted cold butter which has been cut into small pieces.  Then add:

1/4 cup very hot water and stir gently until just combined.

Take peaches from oven and drop spoonfuls of dough over peaches.  Sprinkle top with:

3 tablespoons white sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.

Place bake in oven and bake for about 30 minutes until top is golden brown.

Serve with a scoop of your favorite vanilla bean ice cream.  It does not get better than this!

Ingredients:

8 fresh peaches - peeled, pitted and sliced into thin wedges (4 if you have giant Angulus)
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Combine to coat evenly, pour into 2 quart baking dish, and bake in preheated 425 degree F oven for 10 minutes.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix together then cut in:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter which is cold and cut into small pieces

Gently fold in:

1/4 cup very hot water

Drop dough by spoonfuls over hot peaches.

Combine:

3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Sprinkle over top of dough.  Bake in 425 degree F oven for 30 minutes until top is golden.

Lemon tree very pretty

One of my favorite things this time of year are the Meyer lemons on my little tree.  A Meyer is like no other lemon. They are not as tangy and very thin skinned.

This year my little tree was prolific.

I treasure my lemons, doling them out slowly.

I have a favorite lemon pizza recipe that we do on a pizza stone on the grill.  I put a lemon along with onion, garlic, and a bunch of rosemary inside our Thanksgiving turkey.  There was a lemon butter sauce for the green beans I forgot to serve.

This year Nichelle also used these lemons to make a pie, a sour cream lemon pie.  It was delicious!  It's the one at 12 o'clock.  Here is the filling recipe.  It makes one pie.

Lemon Pie Filling

6 Tbls cornstarch
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup fresh squeezed Meyer lemon juice ( it took 2 lemons)
1 1/2 cups boiling water
3 Tbls unsalted butter
3 egg yolks
2 tsps lemon zest

Pre-baked pie crust

Combine cornstarch, sugar and salt in saucepan.
Gradually stir in cold water and lemon juice, then the boiling water.
Place over medium low heat and bring to a boil stirring constantly.
Cook until thickened (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat.
Add butter and stir until melted.
Beat egg yolks in a small heatproof bowl.
Slowly beat in about 1/4 cup of the cooked lemon mixture into the egg yolks. Return to pan with rest of lemon mixture.
Stir in the lemon zest.
Return to heat and cook once again until thickened, about a minute longer.
Remove from heat and let cool for about 15 minutes.
Pour into pie shell.

Cover with Sour Cream Topping:

1 cups of sour cream
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Mix together well and spread over lemon filling.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes (should not turn brown, will just set up.)

Velva's Chocolate Chip Dessert

While in Kansas, I was reminded of my mother's great refrigerator dessert.  Nephew Gary had made a pan of Velva's chocolate chip dessert for his mom on Mother's Day.  Because I arrived late in the evening of that same day, there was a serving or two left for me.  I kept thinking about it when I got home, so made a pan of my own.  It really is a perfect summertime dessert, no baking required nor the hot oven.  Now that I look at my pictures I realize that this dessert is a bit like glorified s'mores!

Soften marshmallows in milk over low heat, then add chocolate chips and continue stirring until marshmallows and chips are melted.  Set aside and cool until slightly congealed.

Place graham crackers in a ziploc baggie and crush with a rolling pin.  Place a generous layer of crumbs in the bottom of a 9 x 9 inch pan..

Whip cream in a clean glass bowl just until peaks form not butter.

Gently fold whipped cream and walnuts into cooled chocolate mixture.  Pour carefully over graham cracker layer.

Sprinkle leftover cracker crumbs over the top then place in refrigerator for several hours to firm things up.  Mom would make this for us on special occasions.  My guess is that she found it in a magazine sometime in the early 60's or late 50's.  I do remember having it when we still lived on the farm in Idaho.  Maybe she first served it when it was her turn to have the ladies club at our home.  Those club meetings also initiated a whole house cleaning.  Miss you Mom!

Chocolate Chip Dessert
recipe of Velva Ostler
of Sugar City, Idaho

32 large marshmallows
1/2 cup milk
1 six ounce package chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup of graham cracker crumbs

Soften marshmallows in milk over low heat. Add chocolate chips and stir until all is melted.  Remove from heat and let cool until mixture congeals.  Fold in whipped cream and walnuts.  Spread 1 cup of cracker crumbs in bottom of a 9 x 9 inch pan.  Pour chocolate mixture into pan and cover with the remaining crumbs.  Chill several hours or overnight.  Serve with additional whipped cream and garnish with maraschino cherries if desired.

Serves 6 - 8

Quiche times two

I am a master of yeast breads and cookies. I struggle with pie crust. I had a hankering for quiche, so while at Walmart I searched and searched for frozen pie crusts. Not finding any, I wandered over to the refrigerated bins and found a box claiming to hold two rolled out rolled up pie crusts. I was a bit skeptical, but decided it was my only option rather than trying once again on my own.

I must confess that on the way to checkout, I once again went down the freezer aisle where I finally noticed on the very bottom shelf a couple of frozen pie crusts, but I ventured on. I was intrigued by the box. It did indeed contain two individually wrapped pie crust rounds rolled out and ready to place in a pie plate. The pie dough was pliable and easy to work with. (I owe the beautifully crimped edge to my mother whom I watched over and over as she crimped her own pie crusts. Don't know why I didn't get the other part.) It made a fine spinach quiche with feta and cheddar.

The quiche tasted so good that a couple of nights later I used the other crust to make a broccoli one. (Note: Quiche tastes better when the veggies come from your garden :)

Will I buy this product again? You better believe it! Never again will I buy a frozen crust. Don't you just hate how the frozen edges break off or the frozen crust cracks in the middle. Do you think that I just have a pie crust phobia which could be conquered with practice? We'll probably never know because I think I will keep using this product.

Quiche the simple way:

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in frying pan. Add one small diced onion cooking until translucent. Add 2 finely diced garlic cloves cooking about 90 seconds. Add 2 cups chopped broccoli OR 2 cups tightly packed fresh spinach leaves rolled together and sliced in strips. Continue cooking until softened. Place vegetable mixture into pie crust lined pie pan.

Beat together 4 eggs. Add 1 1/2 cups milk or cream (or a mixture of milk and cream.) Add a tsp. of freshly ground pepper and 1 1/2 to 2 cups of shredded cheese (cheddar, swiss, feta or a mixture) to liquid. Pour over veggies. May add small amount of shredded cheese to top of quiche for color. Bake in a 375 degree preheated oven for 30 - 40 minutes or until middle is set. (I baked at 350 degrees in my convection oven.)

Could you add bacon? Of course, if you have some. Or ham? Of course, especially after Easter dinner. Enjoy! And don't let making pie crust slow you down, just head on over to your local Walmart.

Cookie and Cousin Exchange

I baked this week. I usually don't bake unless company is expected. Company was expected and I knew they would help us eat these "Surprise Cookies." I found this recipe (I use just 1/2 cup cocoa instead of 3/4 cups) on the Martha Stewart web site after sampling the "Heaven on a Cloud" cookies found in a display case at the Jacob's Lake Lodge which marks the beginning of the road to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Jacob's Lake also marks the halfway point between my Mesa home and my Provo home, so I like to reward myself with one of these cookies after five hours in the car. They are truly heavenly!

The Ranes family arrived after midnight but were in the pool as the sun was coming over the house having a shoot out before breakfast. Yes, cookies came after eggs, juice, and toast.

Oscar and his parents arrived for the breakfast, too. They came to say hello and goodbye to the Ranes family. After breakfast, they left for San Diego to show the other grandparents that Oscar does indeed walk. Nathan ate lots of cookies.

I thought it needful to get pictures of my three grandsons together on the front bench.

This was much harder than I expected.

All I wanted was all eyes on me and fingers out of noses.

But the eyes kept shifting . . .

and fingers reappearing . . .

and eyelids closing . . .

so I changed my angle. Aren't they handsome, everyone of them?

It was the great cousin exchange this week. All my grand kids were roaming; TJ at scout camp, the rest of his family with Susan's side of the family near Santa Barbara, David and family also in San Diego, and these two who stopped in for 12 hours and then were on their way to see Ryan and Emelia in New Mexico.

They are traveling with this "grand dog" named Charlotte so that she can meet her New Mexico "dog cousins," Max and Lucy. They also took a container of cookies!

*The small fans, of course, are a courtesy of Grandpa Glen, our gadget man :)

Aunt Willie's Sugar Cookie Recipe

I love this recipe. One adds the liquid to the flour mixture. The dough is a great consistency and easy for the little ones to roll out and cut - almost like "Play dough." It also has a great flavor! My cousin Gayla shared her mother's recipe on the Nyborg family's My Family web site a couple of years ago. Thanks Gayla!

Wil’s Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 cubes real butter

4 c. flour

2 t. baking powder

1/4-1 t. nutmeg (your family's preference)

1/2 t. salt

2 eggs

1 T. vanilla

cream



Directions:

Beat sugar and butter together until fluffy. Add flour, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder.

(It will seem like pie dough before you add the liquid.)
 In at least a 1 cup measuring cup, beat the two eggs. Add the vanilla, then enough cream to make one cup. Pour a stream of this mixture into flour and butter mixture.
 Roll out and bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. Cool and frost. 
(Or freeze and frost later.)



Number Of Servings: 3-4 dozen

My modifications: I double this recipe and mix in my Bosch mixer. Buy a pint of cream if doubling recipe. I use left over cream in the icing for cookies:

1 pound powdered sugar
1/2 stick of softened butter
1 t. of vanilla
cream (enough to make right spreading consistency)

For pictures, see previous post.

Pumpkin Bars

Here is another easy bar cookie recipe. We served these at the Relief Society Broadcast dinner two years ago. They remind me of a pumpkin roll with cream cheese filling in taste but are so much easier to make. They are also nice to serve or share this time of year. So when you go to the store for Thanksgiving supplies, pick up an extra can of pumpkin and some cream cheese.

Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
2 cups canned pumpkin ( not pumpkin pie filling!)
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda

Beat eggs until fluffy. Add sugar, oil, and pumpkin. Mix remaining dry ingredients and add about 1/3 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly. Spread on an ungreased 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese softened
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar ( or more as needed)
1 tsp. real vanilla extract

Beat together cream cheese and butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until proper consistency. Spread evenly on cooled bars.

Last two overripe bananas

Isn't it crazy that there always seems to be two last bananas which don't get eaten? I used to blame my kids for doing this on purpose so that I would make "Banana Bars." Now it's just Glen and I and there still seems to be two overripe bananas. If company is coming, I still make "Banana Bars." If not, those bananas go straight to the compost bin. Just planted my winter garden this morning and I grinned over and over again as I scooped out scoop after scoop after scoop of black gold from the bottom of the bin to freshen up the soil in my grow boxes.

The sister missionaries and Eric's family came for grilled pizzas last Saturday so I used up those bananas for one pan with nuts and one without. Here is the recipe which I got from the back of a mini-morsels chocolate chip bag years ago.

Banana Bars

2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) softened butter
2/3 c. white sugar
2/3 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 medium bananas, smashed (about 1 cup)
1 egg

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate mini-morsels
1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In small bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract until creamy. Beat in bananas and egg. Gradually add the flour mixture. Stir in mini-morsels and nuts. Spread in greased 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 inch baking pan.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely. Cut into 2 x 1 inch bars.

Makes about 6 dozen bars.