Lemon Meringue Pie Filling

Lemon Meringue Pie Filling

This recipe is for Ethan Leaman but anyone can use it if you love Lemon Meringue Pie. It was served and shared by my good friend Jan Slocum. The filling can be used as a pudding as well as a filling for lemon meringue pie. Don't forget the lemon extract - it is the secrete ingredient!

Blind bake a 9" pie shell using your favorite recipe.

1-1/4 cups sugar
6 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups water
3 egg yolks
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons butter
1-1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
2 teaspoons vinegar

Mix together sugar, cornstarch and water in a saucepan. Combine egg yokes and lemon juice and add to sugar mixture.
Stir on low heat until the mixture thickens and bubbles. Remove from heat and stir in butter, lemon extract and vinegar.
Pour into a baked 9" pie shell. Add your favorite meringue, if desired, and bake according to the recipe directions. Whipped cream can be used instead of meringue.
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Fresh Fruit Dip

Fresh Fruit Dip

This recipe is everywhere on the internet, but the Robert and Chalice kids really liked it so I thought I would post.

7 oz of Marshmallow Creme
8 oz of cream cheese, room temperature
2 Tablespoons of orange juice concentrate
1 tablespoon orange zest

Whip the cream cheese until light and fluffy, add rest of ingredients and mix well. Serve with a tray of assorted fresh fruit of your choice.

Julia's Pumpkin-shaped Cheese Ball

This recipe is from the Country Cook Blog and the blog includes pictures of how to make the cheese ball look like a pumpkin with rubber bands and the stem from the red bell pepper. www.thecontrycook.net is the link.

Ingredients:

1 (8oz.) block cream cheese, softened to room temp.

1 (8 oz.) tub vegetable cream cheese

2 tbsp. Hidden Valley Ranch Spicy Ranch mix

3 green onions, diced

1 red pepper, finely diced (save the stem)

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided use*

Orange Pork Chop Skillet

6 pork chops
1 tsp. salt
1 medium onion, cut into 6 slices
1 can (6oz.) frozen orange juice concentrate (thawed)
1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 tsp. allspice
3 tbsp. lemon juice
3/4 cup water
1 can (23 oz.) vacuum-pack sweet potatoes
6 thin orange slices

Trim excess fat from chops; grease large skillet. Brown chops; season with salt. Drain. Top each chop with onion slice. Mix orange concentrate, sugar, allspice, lemon juice and water; pour on chops. Heat to boiling. Reduce hear; cover and simmer for 25 min. Arrange potatoes and orange slices on chops. Cover; cook until potatoes are hot, about 15 min.

No Cook Strawberry Freezer Jam

This is best made with Maryland Strawberries because they are so soft, sweet and juicy.

2 C fully ripe, crushed strawberries with no large pieces
4 C sugar
3/4 C water
1 box Sure-Jell

Mix sugar into berries and let stand 10 minutes. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Mix 3/4 cup water and Sure-Jell in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir into berries, continue stirring 3 minutes. Ladle into containers, cover with lids and let set 24 hours at room temperature before storing in the freezer.

Julia's Buttermilk Syrup

Buttermilk Syrup

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup butter

1/2 tsp baking soda

Combine these ingredients and boil these for 1 minute. Then add 1 tsp. vanilla.

(I double it for our family)

Butternut Squash Lasagna

We have had this lasagna 3 times now and it has been a hit everytime. Especially good for chilly, winter nights because it bakes at a high temperature and stays warm on the plate. You can get the No-Boil Lasagna noodles at Wegman's. I'm sure other grocery stores have them too, but I know they are at Wegman's.

1 large Butternut Squash (~4 lbs) cut into pieces and steamed, microwaved or roasted until soft.
Salt and Pepper to taste on squash
5 3/4 cups milk, divided
2 t dried thyme
7 T butter
7 T flour
12 no-boil lasagna noodles
3/4 lb fresh mozzarella sliced 1/4 inch thick

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees if roasting the squash, brush with oil and roast for 40 minutes or until tender. I find it easier to microwave in a covered dish or steam until tender.
2. Make a white sauce using 4 3/4 cups of milk.
3. Use the remaining milk to puree the squash in the blender or a food processor.
4. Start the lasagna in a 9X13" pan with a thin layer of white sauce and alternate with noodles, 1 cup pureed squash, 1 cup white sauce and another layer of noodles until the noodles are gone.
5. Layer the cheese slices on top and season with pepper. Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes at 375 degrees. Uncover, increase the heat to 475 degrees and finish the cheese for 5-10 more minutes.
6. IMPORTANT - let stand for at least 15 minutes before serving. This dish remains hot for quite a while, even in winter temperatures, so you can take you time in serving.