Lemon Meringue Pie with Raspberries or Blueberries

The meringue on this pie holds up real well, and the berries add a nice touch to this well-loved dessert. I omit putting the berries in the filling, and simply add them to the finished pie when serving (or just forget about them altogether and have an outstanding lemon meringue pie).

This is really good with the Macadamia Coconut crust (recipe follows), but you can use a regular pre-baked pie crust if you prefer. Any way you decide to do it, you're going to have an outstanding pie to serve your guests.

One pre-baked piecrust*

1 1/4 cups sugar

6 tablespoons cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup cold water

1 ½ cups boiling water
4 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon butter

Meringue:

4 large egg whites
2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup fresh raspberries or blueberries, optional (use as garnish)

In a 3-quart sauce pan (non-reactive), mix 1 1/4 cups sugar with 6 tablespoons of cornstarch and salt. Whisk in 1/2 cup cold water, lemon peel, and lemon juice, blending thoroughly. Whisk in 1-1/2 cups boiling water.

Set pan over medium-high heat and stir with a flexible spatula until mixture boils about 7 minutes. 

Add about 1/2 cup hot filling to the egg yolks and stir quickly to temper. Add the tempered yolks to the hot filling. Return to a boil and continue to cook about one minute.

Add butter and stir until melted and absorbed. If adding berries, sprinkle 1 cup of fresh raspberries in the bottom of the prepared piecrust and pour hot lemon mixture over the berries. OR . . . pour half the lemon filling in the crust; add the raspberries (or blueberries), and cover with the remaining filling.

In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1/2-cup sugar with the remaining 2 teaspoons of corn starch. In a deep bowl or the bowl of a mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with a mixer on high speed until very foamy and no liquid whites remain in the bottom of the bowl. Continue to beat at high speed and gradually add the sugar-starch mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time. Then beat until whites hold stiff, glossy peaks. Spoon meringue onto hot pie filling. With a spatula, swirl meringue to cover filling completely, touching the rim of the pie shell all around.

Bake in a 325º oven until meringue is lightly browned, about 18-20 minutes. 
Set pie on rack to cool, about 3 hours. Chill before serving.

Macadamia Coconut Crust

NOTE: This makes too much dough for a 9"pie, so perhaps you should make a second, smaller pie shell. Using the entire amount of dough in a 9" pan just makes too thick of a crust . . . hard to eat. 

1 1/2 c all purpose flour

3/4 c butter

2/3 c macadamia nuts

2/3 c coconut flakes

1 tsp sugar

3 Tbsp milk, optional if needed (I prefer it without the milk)

If your macadamia nuts are whole, put them into a food processor and pulse till they are chopped in small chunks. If you chop them too small they just get lost in the dough, and you want to identify the taste of the macadamia. Set aside in another bowl.

Place flour, butter, teaspoon of sugar into a food processor and mix well. Stir in the coconut and chopped nuts. Add coconut milk, if using.  Pat the dough into the pie pan. Prick the crust’s bottom, sides, and the fold around the bottom of the pie pan (where the bottom crust starts going up the side of the pan). This will keep the crust where it belongs, not bubbling up.

If using the coconut milk, place ball of dough on floured surface and roll out.  Place in pie pan and crimp the edges.

Bake crust at 425º for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely before filling.

Creamy Potato and Asparagus Soup

Makes: 4 servings

 1 1/4 pounds fresh asparagus spears, trimmed

1 1/4 pounds potatoes, peeled and chopped (1/2-inch pieces or smaller)

1 12 - ounce can evaporated milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 1/4 cups water

6 slices bacon

1 tablespoon honey

Toppings such as finely shredded lemon peel, fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, coarse salt, and/or freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Reserve about one-third of the asparagus. Combine remaining asparagus, the potatoes, evaporated milk, salt, pepper, and the water in a saucepan. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Cool slightly. In a blender or food processor, blend or process soup, half at a time, until smooth.

Meanwhile, in a skillet cook bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels; set aside. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon drippings in skillet. Add reserved asparagus spears to the drippings in skillet. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.

Coarsely chop bacon and place in a microwave-safe pie plate. Drizzle bacon with honey; cover with vented plastic wrap. Just before serving, microcook on 100 percent power (high) for 30 seconds.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls and top with asparagus, bacon mixture, and, if desired, toppings

The Best Caesar Dressing

Process until well blended and salt is dissolved:

3-4 medium cloves garlic, crushed

¼ cup fresh lemon juice, or less to taste

¼ tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1-1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

2-3 drops Tabasco

1 Tbs. anchovy paste

¼ cup fresh Parmesan cheese

While processing, add in light stream:

1 cup olive oil

Should have a light mayonnaise consistency. Refrigerate.

Baked Cabbage Wedges

Most people probably don't get too excited over cabbage but my husband and I happen to love it. You can make them on the grill or in the oven. These are loaded with bacon and buttery deliciousness.

Cut one small cabbage into four wedges or if your cabbage is larger cut in six or eight. Remove the outer layers and the core. Place each wedge in a Pyrex baking pan, the size to accommodate the cabbage nicely.

Add 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce to about 3/4 cup chicken broth. More or less broth depending on how many you are making. Spoon a few tablespoons of this mixture over the cabbage getting it in all the nooks and crannies.

Add a few pats of butter and thin sliced onion. You could also add a little garlic if you like (I don't).

Add some small diced fried bacon, and season with kosher or sea salt and pepper.

Cover with foil and bake at 400º for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until cabbage is tender.

Traditional Irish-American Soda Bread

This bread is so moist and tender. Be careful not to over-bake it.

3 cups flour

1 Tbs baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup raisins

1 Tbs caraway seeds

1 large egg

1 3/4 cups buttermilk

4 Tbs melted butter

Preheat oven to 375º. Grease a 10” springform pan and set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, raisins, and caraway seeds.

In a separate bowl whisk egg, buttermilk, and melted butter. Gently stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients.

Transfer batter to prepared springform pan.

Bake 40-45 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool before serving