Mom’s Lemon Meringue Pie

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When Frankie Dunn, the Clint Eastwood character in the movie Million Dollar Baby, searches for something real, good and sweet in a gloomy, far from perfect world, his sunny answer to the darkness is Lemon Meringue Pie.

I can understand that. Considering only its virtues as a dessert, Lemon Meringue Pie is a triple-textured wonder of smooth, thick tangy custard, soft, sweet foamy top and toasty-tasting, crumbly crust. 

But its emotional pull says more. Lemon Meringue Pie is a symbol of what’s okay. In our busy, crazy world where we talk on the phone as we keyboard on our computer and listen to TV pundits in the background or, heaven-forbid, where people text and drive and where the political discourse has become rabid and ugly, it is among those simple comforts that reassure us that life can be all right, even when you’re feeling miserable, angry and vulnerable.

It’s fast-paced and sophisticated out there, even in the food world. Chefs and food magazines offer us things like Caramelized Orange Napoleons with Toasted Pecan Dust or Lavender-Ginger Panna Cotta with Pomegranate-Balsamic Glaze. But that’s not the kind of food you eat when you’re feeling down, stressed or lonely. At those times you want stuff that sustains you heart and soul.

When I was in the third grade we had a class cookbook project. I asked my mother to submit her recipe for Apple Pie, thinking it was the best anyone ever made (I was right). She said no, that it wasn’t good enough. Instead, she gave me her recipe for Lemon Meringue Pie. Because it is so special. It makes you feel better when you’re feeling terrible. And, by the way, it’s pretty good when you’re feeling terrific too.

Mom’s Lemon Meringue Pie

  • 2 cups sugar

  • 1/2 cup cornstarch

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1-3/4 cups water

  • 4 large eggs, separated

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel

  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

  • 1 fully baked pie crust

  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine 1-1/2 cups sugar, cornstarch and salt in a saucepan. Place the pan on the cooktop over medium heat an gradually add the water, stirring the ingredients to keep them smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for one minute. Beat the egg yolks slightly in a small bowl. Gradually stir about a half cup of the hot mixture into the yolks. Pour the heated yolk mixture into the saucepan. Turn heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the butter, lemon peel and lemon juice. Let the mixture cool for 15 minutes. Pour the mixture into the pie crust. Whip the egg whites until they are foamy. Add the cream of tartar and whip until the whites stand in soft peaks. Keep whipping, gradually adding the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, until the mixture stands in stiff peaks. Spread this meringue mixture over the pie, making sure to cover all the lemon filling to the inner edges of the crust. Bake the pie for about 15 minutes or until the meringue has browned slightly. Remove the pie from the oven and let cool.

Makes one pie serving 8

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Haste Makes Waste

THIS IS WHAT NOT TO DO. When you’re making chocolate chip cookies and it’s the halfway baking point so you have to rotate the sheet in the oven and there’s parchment paper on top of the cookie sheet, remember that THE PAPER MOVES! …

THIS IS WHAT NOT TO DO.

When you’re making chocolate chip cookies and it’s the halfway baking point so you have to rotate the sheet in the oven and there’s parchment paper on top of the cookie sheet, remember that THE PAPER MOVES! So that when you take the cookie sheet out of the oven you have to BE CAREFUL and not in such a $%^&*(#@ hurry that you grab the cookie sheet too quickly and the paper flies off with the half baked dough on it.

Not only were the cookies ruined because I moved too fast, my oven door cracked and molten chocolate landed on my arm which smelled delicious but now looks sunburned because I was too intent on getting all the chocolate off everywhere and forgot to put my arm under cold water.

Ben Franklin was right. “Haste makes waste.”

This was a new recipe too. Glad I have a small amount of dough left. As soon as the oven is clean I’ll try again.

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Hot and Tangy Coleslaw

My grandma made coleslaw so often she could do it while watching several grandchildren and also Young Doctor Malone. She did it all by hand too. No food processor. Just a big fat knife and an old cutting board. Such was multitasking in the 1950s.

I take the easy way out. The shredding disk is faster than I am and I can also use the slicing disk if I wanted thicker shreds.

Also, grandma always made the same recipe. I don’t. Sometimes I want spicy and sometimes I more vegetables. My kids don’t like mayonnaise as much as I do so sometimes I use a buttermilk dressing or a vinaigrette. In my kitchen there are never-ending variations and it’s all still coleslaw. Good now in the hot weather but we eat it all year.

Hot and Tangy Coleslaw

  • 6 cups shredded cabbage
  • 2 shredded carrots
  • 2 shredded scallions
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 1 medium jalapeno pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste

Toss the cabbage, carrots, and scallions in a large bowl. In another bowl mix the mayonnaise, yogurt, honey, cider vinegar, jalapeno pepper, salt and pepper. Pour over the vegetables and toss to distribute the dressing evenly. Let rest for at least 15 minutes. Toss again and serve. Best at room temperature or slightly chilled, not cold.

Makes 8-10 servings

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My Mother's Rice Pudding

When I see my brother Jeff eating gummy deli rice pudding from a plastic container I wonder whether he grew up in the same house I did.

My mother made the best rice pudding there ever was and for him to stoop so low astounds me. I mean, if you aren’t going to cook her recipe or make some other homemade one, at least have the decency to buy an acceptable one at some restaurant or food shop.

And the worst part is that he enjoys it so much he hums after each spoonful. Honestly, the stuff he gets is as viscous as cement and with practically no rice in it. He sprinkles it with enough cinnamon to coat the top completely. Hey, why not just eat cinnamon if you like it so much? Have a cappuccino with cinnamon. Or make cinnamon toast.

My mother’s rice pudding wasn’t the thick and creamy kind. It’s more of a custard. She baked it so it had a crispy top. A bit different than most, but oh so delish! In honor of National Rice Pudding Day, here’s her recipe.

My Mother’s Rice Pudding

  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 1/4 cup white rice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs, separated
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • cinnamon to taste

Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until bubbles form around the edges and the liquid is hot. Stir in the rice and salt, turn the heat to lowest and let cook for 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the sugar, egg yolks and vanilla extract with a whisk or hand beater until well blended and thickened. Gradually pour about 1/2 cup of the hot milk-rice mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Return this mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pour into a bowl and let cool to room temperature (or chill). Beat the egg whites until they stand in stiff peaks. Fold into the thickened milk mixture. Fold in the raisins and cinnamon. Pour into a 1-1/2 quart baking dish. Place this dish into a larger container filled with one-inch of water. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy on top. Makes 6-8 servings

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