Lemon Meringue Pie

As per request of our Dad for dessert after our big holiday meal, we made this lemon meringue pie.  It still needs some work (it's suggested to add cream of tarter to the meringue so it adheres to the pie and crust).  It was amazingly delicious, but our meringue slipped all over the place.

Lemon Meringue Pie

For the pie:

1 9-inch pie crust, baked as directed, cooled
2 2.9 oz boxes lemon flavor cook and serve pudding
1 c sugar
1/2 c lemon juice
zest of 2 lemons
4 egg yolks
4 c water

1. Stir the pudding mix, sugar, water, lemon juice, lemon zest and egg yolks in sauce pan over medium heat.
2. Bring to a full boil, stirring constantly.
3. Cool completely, stirring twice (to remove film that is on top of pudding mix).
4. Pour into pie crust.

For the meringue:

6 egg whites
2 tbsp corn starch
4 tbsp cold water
1 c boiling water
3/4 c sugar
2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Blend corn starch and cold water in sauce pan. 
3. Add boiling water and then cook on medium heat until clear and thick, stirring constantly.
4. Let stand until completely cold.
5. With stand mixer, on high speed, beat egg whites until foamy.
6. Gradually add sugar.
7. Beat until stiff, but not dry.
8. Turn to low speed and add vanilla and salt.
9. Gradually beat in corn starch and water mixture.
10. Turn stand mixer to high again and beat well.
11. Spread meringue over pie.
12. Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

Thanksgiving Feast - Dessert - Pumpkin Pie

We call this "Don't Eff Up My Pumpkin Pie" recipe.

We love to make pies, but we generally don't have time to create two.  So we usually get the Pumpkin Pie from Costco.  I got really ambitious one year and made the Pumpkin Pie our mother always makes the night before our big dinner.  It turned out amazing.  Travis (who was upstairs in the man cave all day watching shows) said, upon trying a piece, "Where did you get this?"  I said, "I made it."  He said, "No really, where?   You don't even like pumpkin pie."  I said, "No, but you all do.  How is it?"  He said, "Wow, La.  I'm impressed.  It's really good."

Then I got too confident.  The next year, we tried this recipe from Tyler Florence.  To which Travis said, "You'd better not eff up my pumpkin pie."

Pumpkin Banana Meringue Pie

Pie Crust:

2 c all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
5 tsp sugar
Pinch kosher salt
12 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 egg yolks
Ice water

For the filling:

2 whole sugar pumpkins
6 bananas
3 large eggs, plus 1 egg white
1/2 c sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 c heavy cream
Pinch kosher salt

For the meringue topping:

4 large egg whites
6 tbsp confectioners' sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
Pinch salt

Directions

Crust:

1. Combine the flour, sugar and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. 
2. Mix in the cold butter with a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 
3. Work in egg yolks and 1 to 2 tablespoons ice water until the dough holds together without being too sticky. If it's still crumbly, add more ice water, 1 teaspoon at a time. 
4. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
5. On a floured surface, roll the dough into an 11 to 12-inch circle with a floured rolling pin.
6. Ease the dough into a 9-inch pie pan, pressing firmly into the bottom and sides. 
7. Trim the excess dough, then pinch the edges. 
8. Refrigerate until ready to fill.

Filling:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Split the pumpkins down the middle and scoop out the seeds. 
3. Arrange on a roasting tray, cut side up, and roast for 20 minutes. 
4. Remove the pumpkins from the oven and lay bananas (in their skins) around and between the pumpkin halves. 
5. Return to the oven and roast for another 10 minutes. 
6. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before handling, about 5 minutes.
7. Scoop out the pumpkin flesh and add to a food processor. 
8. Peel the bananas and add the flesh to food processor as well. 
9. Add the 3 eggs, sugar, cinnamon, 2 tablespoons butter, nutmeg, heavy cream and salt. Puree until smooth.
10. Put a baking sheet on the bottom oven rack and preheat to 375 degrees.
11. Pour the filing into the prepared pie shell. 
12. Lightly beat the egg white. 
13. Brush the pastry edges with the egg white and sprinkle with a bit of sugar. 
14. Carefully arrange the pie on the preheated baking sheet, lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake it until the pie is set but still jiggles slightly, about 50 minutes. 
15. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

Topping:

1. Beat the egg whites, powdered sugar, cream of tartar, and a pinch salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer until glossy medium peaks form, being careful not to over beat.
2. Spread the meringue mixture over the top of the pie, covering right to the edges. 
3. Using the back of a spoon press lightly into the meringue and pull up on the spoon to form peaks all over the surface of the meringue (alternatively you can use a piping bag with a large star tip if you choose).
4. To cook the meringue, preheat the broiler with the rack in the highest position. 
5. Put the pie under the broiler and broil until the meringue is set and golden brown, about 7 minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning, as it cooks quickly. 
6. Remove from the broiler and cool before serving.

After it was all done (after burning the meringue the first time, Travis was able to salvage the pie and the second meringue by using his torch to cook it) it was so pretty.  Then I took a bite.  I promptly spit it out.  And then I cried.  It was just AWFUL.  After my reaction, no one else would try it.  It really tasted so bad.  Like pumpkin-banana flavored dirt.  And we ruined Travis's favorite part of this whole meal.  Never again.  If you all are brave enough and try it, do let us know.  We know a couple of things we did wrong (we didn't roast the pumpkin long enough and really...does a homemade crust ever turn out?)

The biggest lesson of this whole feast is this:  Get the can of Libby's Pumpkin puree and follow the recipe on the back (using the Pillsbury pre-made pie crusts).  Our mother has done it for years.  When I made it, it turned out awesome.  It's tried and true.  

 

Thanksgiving Feast - Dessert - Cherry Pie

Most of the recipes we've posted to this point haven't been shared, or tested, by anyone else.  But this recipe has.  Our friend Paige heard about this "mishap" and said she'd been looking for a good cherry pie recipe. And she's made it several times since!

This recipe was the reason for the "Read the recipe all the way through" lesson.  Two years ago, we were very ambitious with about 15 recipes for the meal.  We decided to do this one first so it could it could bake while we prepared other dishes (and we needed to use the oven in "shifts" to get the timing right for everything to be done at once).

First 10 minutes of the big day and Nicole dumps the whole can of cherries into the prepared pie crust.  Without draining it.  "But without the liquid from the can, how does it get so juicy?"  Baking is magical, Nicole.  It just does.

Cherry Pie

1 1/3 c sugar
1/3 c flour
2 cans pitted, red tart cherries, DRAINED
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 tbsp butter
2 Pillsbury Pie Crusts (there are 2 to one box usually)
Red food coloring, optional

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Lay out one of the pie crusts into 9" pie pan, and press to form to the pan.  Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together sugar and flour.
4. Mix with cherries. 
5. Add a couple of drops of red food coloring, if desired.
6. Pour into pie crust.
7. Sprinkle with almond extract.
8. Pat with butter (evenly spaced)
9. Cover with second pie crust.
10. Seal and flute.
11. Add several slits in top of crust.
12. Cover edge of pie with 2-3 inch thick strips of aluminum so edges won't burn.
13. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
14. Remove foil.
15. Bake for 10-15 minutes longer until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through the slits.

Tip:  Put large cookie sheet on the shelf under the pie.  Just in case it bubbles over so your oven isn't a mess.  

We serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

What NOT to do.  LOL

YUM!