Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon Meringue Pie

Filling:

1 cup plus 1 TBL  granulated sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

⅛ teaspoon salt

1½ cups water

6 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest plus ½ cup fresh lemon juice (2 1/2 to 3 lemons)

2 tablespoons butter, cut into 2 pieces

Meringue:

⅓ cup water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

4 large egg whites, at room temperature

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

½ cup (3½ oz) granulated sugar

Pie crust:

1 recipe single-crust pie dough, fully baked and cooled

Getting started:

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 325°F.

Grate first and then zest lemons, reserving a tablespoon of the zest and 1/2 cup of lemon juice. Use a fine grater and cover the zest so it doesn’t get dry and it will be unnoticeable in the pie.

Divide eggs: note you’ll need six yolks and only four whites, so use another small bowl for the extra two whites. This is best done by working with one egg at a time over a small bowl or cup. Crack the egg, let the white drip into the cup, then put the yolk in one bowl and the white in another. Repeat, breaking the egg over the now empty bowl.

For the Filling:

Have all ingredients ready and within easy reach.

In a heavy medium-sized pan, mix together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk in water and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. When the mixture starts to turn translucent, (it will still be whitish, but you’ll see the difference) working quickly and whisking vigorously, add in egg yolks, two at a time. Whisk in lemon zest, juice and butter. Return mixture to brief simmer, whisking constantly, then remove from heat. Lay sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the filling to keep warm and prevent skin from forming.

For the Meringue:

Mix together cream of tartar and sugar, set aside.

In a small saucepan, add the tablespoon of cornstarch, then whisk in 1/3 cup water. Bring to a bare simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, until it becomes just thickened and translucent looking, 1 to 2 minutes at most. Remove from heat, transfer to a small bowl (so it doesn’t continue to cook from the heat of the pan) and let cool slightly to barely lukewarm as the eggs are being whisked.

If using a stand mixer, fit it with the whisk. Beat egg whites and vanilla at medium low-speed until foamy and frothy. Turn the speed up to medium-high and add, a tablespoon at a time, the cream of tartar and sugar mixture. Beat until incorporated (it won’t feel grainy when you run a bit between your fingers) and the mixture forms soft, billowy mounds.

While continuing to whip, add the cooked cornstarch mixture, about a tablespoon at a time. As it’s added, place it between the beaters and the side of the bowl. Continue to beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, about two to three minutes longer.

Assemble

If filling is not still hot, during the last minutes of beating the egg whites, remove plastic and return to very low heat for just a moment or two to warm.

Pour warm filling into cooled pre-baked pie crust. Working quickly, dollop meringue in small mounds across the hot pie filling. Using rubber spatula, immediately distribute meringue evenly around the edge first and then the then center of pie, attaching the meringue to pie crust to prevent shrinking. Top off with any remaining meringue.

Using the back of the spoon, create attractive swirls and peaks in the meringue. (I personally like to use the spoon to make small “scallops” with only a very few peaks which prevent the peaks from over baking before the rest is nicely browned.) Bake until meringue is light golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Cool to room temperature on a rack (at least two hours, but count on three & half). This pie is at it’s best the same day.

Baby Back Ribs

Baby Back Ribs

Ingredients

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar 

1 teaspoon chili powder 

1 teaspoon garlic powder 

1 teaspoon onion powder 

1 teaspoon paprika 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

One 3-pound slab baby back ribs 

2 cups BBQ sauce 

Directions

Preheat the oven or grill to 300 degrees F.

Combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, 2 teaspoons salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl (I did 30 grinds). 

Place the ribs on a piece of foil large enough to fold over and seal, then place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the dry rub all over the top of the meaty side of the ribs. Wrap the foil around the ribs and seal tightly so that no juices can escape during baking. Bake until the meat is tender and can easily be pulled away from the bones with a fork, about 2 hours. Doing this on grill at indirect heat.

Heat the BBQ sauce in a small pan over medium heat until warm. Remove the ribs from the oven and open the foil pack. Remove the ribs from the foil and pour any juices that have accumulated into the BBQ sauce and mix to combine. Continue to simmer the sauce until thickened, about 7 minutes.

Heat a grill or grill pan for cooking at medium-high heat.

Slice the ribs into 1-bone pieces. Brush all over with the BBQ sauce. Place the ribs on the grill and cook until grill marks appear, a few minutes on each side. Brush with more BBQ sauce and remove from the heat, then serve with the remaining BBQ sauce on the side.

Spaghetti Sauce

Spaghetti Sauce

Feeds about 6

INGREDIENTS:

½  pound Italian sausage, casings removed

½  pound ground beef

½  chopped small onion

2 crushed cloves of garlic

1 teaspoons brown sugar

1 (6 ounces) can of Hunt’s Tomato Paste.

1(28 ounces) can Hunt’s diced tomatoes (I use one can of Hunt’s San Marzano Style whole peeled tomatoes). Watch for peels on tomatoes

1 (15 ounce) cans Hunt’s tomato sauce

1 cups of water

1 ½ teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoons dried parsley flakes

½ teaspoon salt

⅛  teaspoon ground black pepper

⅛  cup red wine

Directions:

Brown meat and Italian sausage (break it up as you stir it)

Add onions to meat mixture and continue cooking. stirring occasionally until onions are softened.

Next, add your Hunt’s tomatoes that you break up, Hunt’s tomato paste, and Hunt’s tomato sauce.

Next, mix in the spices, sugar, and garlic.

When the sauce has started boiling, add your wine and water.

Simmer on low (stir often) for an hour.

If you want to cook the sauce a little longer, that works, too! Sometimes I’ll let it simmer for 3 hours or so.

I just add another 1/2 cup of water to keep it from getting too thick. (be sure to keep an eye on it to prevent it from burning).You can use this sauce on pasta or lasagna. It’s really the best sauce.

Traditional Boston Baked Beans

Traditional Boston Baked Beans
Ingredients
1 pounds dried white or navy beans
¼ cup unsulfured molasses
½ tablespoon plus ½  teaspoon dry mustard
¼ cup packed dark-brown sugar
½  tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion, peeled, and diced
6 ounces salt pork or bacon
2 ½cups water, possibly more, as needed during baking
Instructions
Soak the beans in 8 quarts of water and 1½ Tablespoon Of table salt. soak for 8 to 24 hours. Drain in a colander and remove and debris, discolored beans or empty shells. Soaking overnight greatly reduces the cooking time required.

Heat oven to 300 degrees. In a bean pot add the beans, molasses, mustard, brown sugar, salt, pepper, onions and enough water to cover the beans. Score the salt pork ¼ inch deep 1 inch apart, and slice into two even pieces. Transfer to oven to bake until the beans are tender and the liquid has thickened, about 6 hours. Check the beans every 45 minutes, adding more hot water if necessary to keep beans in broth at all times. For the last 50 to 60 minutes of cooking, uncover beans. At this stage, if you are having hot dogs or sausages with your beans, you can add them into the pot to heat inside with the beans, optional.

Once the beans are to your desired tenderness, remove from oven, adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper and molasses, if necessary. Since Navy beans are relatively high in starch, the sauce will thicken slightly as it cools.

3-Ingredient Oven Baked Corned Beef Brisket

3-Ingredient Oven Baked Corned Beef Brisket
Amazing, tender corned beef brisket cooked in the oven with just three ingredients. This brisket is flavorful, easy, and comes out so tender.

Ingredients
1.75 - 2 lb corned beef brisket
3-4 Tbsp Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
3-4 Tbsp brown sugar

Instructions
Take the brisket out of the package and discard the spice pack that comes with it.
Place brisket in a pot of water and bring it to boil. As soon as it starts to boil, take the brisket out. This will remove some of the excess salt in the meat.
Preheat the oven to 350.
Place the brisket, fat layer up, in the middle of aluminum foil big enough to cover the whole brisket.
Rub the whole brisket with Dijon mustard. Then, evenly sprinkle brown sugar over the top and gently pet it on. Pat some onto the sides as well.
Bring the aluminum foil together and close it, covering the brisket loosely, leaving a little space between the brisket and the foil. Place the covered brisket into a rimmed roasting pan.
Bake it for 2 hours. Open the foil and turn on the broiler on low, if you have an option for low or high broiler setting. (If not, move the brisket to a lower rack.) Let the top caramelize for a few minutes but watch it so it doesn't burn.
UPDATE: the 2 hours recommendation time is for the 1.75-2 lb sized corned beef brisket. If you have a larger piece of meat, you will need to cook it longer. Give it about 45-60 minutes per pound. Lean towards the 60 minutes per pound time.
Take out and let it rest for a few minutes on the cutting board.
Make sure to slice the meat against the grain! Luckily, with the corned beef brisket, it's very easy to see the grain.

P.S. I use the mustard out of the yellow bottle. Buy the point cut in the store.

Gingerbread

Gingerbread

¼ cup soften salted butter

½ cup white sugar

¼ cup molasses

1 cup flour

¼ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

½ cup boiling water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together butter, sugar, molasses, then add an egg and mix well. Sift all dry ingredients, add it to wet ingredients, add boiling water, and mix well. Bake the cake in a 8 by 8 pan, that was sprayed with pam, bake 30 minutes.

P.S. double recipe and use a 9 by 13 pan, use the same time in oven.

EASY HOMEMADE BISCUITS

EASY HOMEMADE BISCUITS


INGREDIENTS
1    cup flour, plus more as needed
1    cup Bisquick
4    teaspoons baking powder
1    tablespoon sugar
1/2    teaspoon salt
1/4    teaspoon baking soda
4    tablespoons butter, room temperature
1    cup milk

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Add the flour, Bisquick, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda to a large mixing bowl. Stir well to combine the dry ingredients thoroughly.
Add two tablespoons of the butter to the dough and use a spoon to press it into the flour mixture. I find it easiest to smear the butter against the sides of the bowl while working it into the flour. Once the first two tablespoons are completely incorporated, add in the last two tablespoons and repeat the process.
Pour in the milk and stir with a spoon until just combined. The dough will likely be too wet. Add in more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough is just dry enough to handle. Dough should come away clean from your fingers when you touch it, but stick to your fingers if you pinch it.
Dump dough onto a well floured work surface. Sprinkle lightly with flour.
Fold dough over on itself three times.
Use your hands to pat the dough to 3/4 of an inch high.
Cut dough out with biscuit cutter and place on baking sheet. Let sit 5 minutes before baking.
Bake for 15 minutes or until tops are just beginning to turn golden. Do not overbake these!