Lemon Meringue Tart

When I was a child I grew up in the heartland of America we had a very basic base of foods my mother (and every other kids mother that I knew) made regularly. Very 'meat and potatoes'. While desserts were not common place in our household, when they were it was chocolate cake, banana cake or perhaps cookies - although my Mother will be the first to admit she can't make cookies. She doesn't even try anymore. One thing I did not grow up eating in any form is lemon. My Mom didn't like it and we didn't have it. No pie, no desserts, no tarts, cookies, bars or even lemon based foods like lemon chicken. Chinese food in the Midwest in the 80's consisted of Chow Mein from a big can you open and heat and serve.

So imagine my surprise to grow up and love.... lemon. This is like a Pavlova dessert only without the fresh fruit and you don't have to make a round cake of meringue, you simple spread it in a tart. A cheater's version if you will.


Lemon Meringue Tart

4 eggs, separated
¼ t cream of tartar
1/8 t salt
1¾ c sugar, divided
½ t vanilla
2 t grated lemon peel
½ c lemon juice
1½ c heavy cream
½ c powdered sugar
*raspberries to garnish if you wish

Beat egg whites with cream of tartar and salt till soft peaks form. Beat in gradually ¾ cup sugar till stiff but not dry. Stir in vanilla. Spread over bottom and sides of greased 9-inch pie pan. Bake at 275º for 1 hour. Let stand in oven till cooled.

Combine yolks, peel, juice and rest of sugar. Cook over simmering water, stirring constantly, till thickened. Let stand. Beat cream and powdered sugar till stiff. Spread half on meringue shell, spoon in custard and spread remaining cream over. Chill at least 3-4 hours. Use tiny raspberries or little mint leaves to garnish if you wish.

Too Hilarious Not to Share! Kate Gosselin (Mom of 8) Fights off photographers with her special MOM POWERS!

As a Mom my sense of humor may have been warped somewhere between the 2nd and 3rd child but the average sex jokes and most of the skits on tv and interview couldn't get me to crack a smile. However - you give me good "MOM" humor and I'm all over it. When I saw this clip this morning from NBC and Jay Leno I couldn't resist...

French Toast Bagels

We all sometimes get in a rut with our grocery buying and when it comes to bagels, we have 'our' kind. Onion. Once in a great while I have to get plain because my 13-year old likes the mini-bagels for after school snacks and they only come in the 'plain' style but for the most part I grab onion bagels because it's the kind our family loves either toasted or warmed in the microwave with a schmear of cream cheese, or topped with cream cheese, turkey or ham and lettuce, tomatoes, etc. for a sandwich that is far more filling than the same made with bread.

So, what possessed me one today to put the onion bagels back and reach for.... 'French Toast'? Yes, French Toast Bagels made their way into my grocery cart and all I could think of was how amazing they were going to taste toasted, with just a tiny bit of cream cheese spread and melted on the surface. So, imagine my surprise when I tried it and... hated it so much I gagged and spit it into the garbage. About a week later, feeling guilt for buying them and hating them I tried again. No way. Blech. And my family wouldn't touch them. Plain, onion, egg, even wheat... but a sweet bagel? They just don't have any fans in this house.

They were banished to the back of the refrigerator where they sat for a week before I decided one morning to treat them as 'French Toast'. I mixed up a simple milk and egg wash with a bit of vanilla in it and dipped and soaked them. I cooked them as I would a slice of bread in a pan and topped them with a huge mess of syrup and real butter. The end result? Delicious!! I had found away to salvage those poor, neglected French Toast style bagels. If any of my readers also bought them and gag when trying to eat them with cream cheese, give syrup and butter a try. Lots of sugar and calories, but oh so good on a cold Autumn morning.

Breakfast Casserole

With the thousands of recipes that I have, it always makes me smile that when I glance through my online files to find something that sounds delicious, more than likely, I've jotted it down from an issue of Southern Living. It's amazing to me that they can produce and publish so many incredible recipes that are truly things that people want to make over and over again because they are conducive to real life.

This Breakfast Casserole is an oldie but a goody. Grandmothers and Great Grandmothers have been making it for years but if you haven't tried it yourself, it's time you do. It's perfect for company as it's made the night before so there is no last minute rush in the morning.

Breakfast Casserole

1 (8-ounce) round Brie or Swiss, shredded (2 cups)
1 pound ground hot pork sausage
6 white sandwich bread slices
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
7 large eggs, divided
3 cups whipping cream, divided
2 cups fat-free milk
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
chopped green onions, grated Parmesan cheese

Trim rind from Brie, cut into cubes, and set aside. Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink; drain well. Cut crusts from bread slices, and place crusts evenly in bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Layer evenly with bread slices, sausage, Brie, and Parmesan cheese.

Whisk together 5 eggs, 2 cups whipping cream, and next 4 ingredients; pour evenly over cheeses. Cover and chill mixture for 8 hours.

Whisk together remaining 2 eggs and remaining 1 cup whipping cream; pour evenly over chilled mixture. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until casserole is set. Top with green onions, Parmesan, etc. if you wish.

How to Keep an Onion

Years ago I read an article that interviewed top chef's and asked them how to keep an onion in the refrigerator that has been sliced. The answer seemed to be to use a plastic wrap and wrap it tightly to avoid odors and keep the onion fresh.

I remember guffawing and wondering if these 'top chefs' have ever even saved half an onion before in their life? Wrapping an onion in plastic wrap does not stop the odors and does not keep it fresh. The moisture ruins the onion quickly and the scent of onion permeates the open foods around it.

Once again, Grandma knows best. Dig out some old church cookbooks from long ago and read the hints and tips pages. Grandma knew to wrap the onion in aluminum foil and now you do too.

I actually own two 'onion keepers' which are thick plastic, half a circle (half an onion) shaped containers that seal tightly and do keep the scent of the onion from spreading to other foods but they also seal in so much moisture that the onion spoils within a few days. If you are a long time reader of my website you'll know that I love aluminum foil for wrapping my lettuce and celery to keep it fresh for a month... add onions to list of foods to wrap. It's a natural odor barrier and will keep the onion fresh for a week or two.