Lemony Lemon Meringe Pie

This week's "recipe" is a three-fer. Count yourselves blessed! HA! Just kidding. When I was thinking of what recipe to share this week, I thought about a pie crust recipe I started using recently thinking folks might be making pies for the holidays. Then I thought I might as well put a pie recipe to go with it! So you get the lemon pie and meringue recipe too!


Never Fail Pie Crust by Carletta Daugherty

3 c flour
1 1/2 c Crisco
1 tsp salt
5 Tbs cold water
1 Tbs vinegar
1 egg

Mix first 3 ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix second 3 ingredients in a mixing bowl. Then combine both together.

For a single crust, bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until the edge is golden brown.

Yield: double crust

Lemony Lemon Pie by Red Lott

1 c sugar
3 1/2 Tbs cornstarch
3 Tbs flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 c water

Combine above ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to boil over high heat. Stir until thick (approximately 3 minutes).

1 1/2 lemons, zested
1/3 c lemon juice
1/4 tsp lemon extract (optional)
3 egg yolks
2 Tbs butter

Add lemon zest, lemon juice and lemon extract to thickened mixture and stir. Temper* egg yolks.

2 Tbs butter

Add butter and stir in. Mixture may need strained. (I have never strained mine.) Cook another 3 minutes. Pour into crust hot. Cool custard before baking meringue.

*To temper egg yolks, take about a 1/4 cup of the hot mixture out and add it to egg yolks. Stir it together. Add a little more of the hot mixture. Stir again. Then add egg yolk mixture back into sauce pan with remaining hot mixture. Tempering eggs will keep them from scrambling when they are combined with the hot liquid.


Never Fail Meringue

1 Tbs cornstarch
2 Tbs cold water
1/4 c boiling water
3 egg whites
6 tsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Blend cornstarch and cold water in a saucepan. Add boiling water and cook, stirring until clear and thickened. Let stand until completely cold. With electric mixer at high speed, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff, but not dry. Turn mixer to low speed, and add salt and vanilla. Gradually beat in cold cornstarch mixture. Turn mixer again to high and beat well. Spread meringue over cooled pie filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, or until top is lightly browned.