March 2013 – Virgo in Wonderland

It’s Spring! Time for Lemon Meringue Pie

Posted on Monday, March 25, 2013 by virgoinwonderland

I love spring for lots of reasons (more sunshine, it’s not too warm, daffodils). But one reason is all the lemons that show up on people’s backyard lemon trees. So many that I get gifted many of them and it’s a gift I’m happy to receive. Homegrown lemons (much like homemade items, in general) taste better and fresher than store bought ones. This recipe for Lemon Meringue Pie is the first I’ve made since home economics class in junior high. (Do they still offer home economics classes in school? Heck, do they still call it “junior high?”) I was pretty pleased with the results. It’s a recipe I found on AllRecipes.com and adapted to make the filling gluten free (so the hubs can still enjoy it without the crust), milk free, and I used a graham cracker crust instead.

Enjoy, and happy spring!

SPRINGTIME LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Filling:

1 cup granulated sugar
4 Tbsp. corn starch (leveled)
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (meyer lemons would work well, too)
2 Tbsp. freshly grated lemon zest
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter (room temp)
4 egg yolks, beaten @ room temp (save the whites for the meringue!)
One 9 inch graham cracker crust

Meringue:

4 egg whites @ room temp
4 Tbsp. granulated sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
To Make Lemon Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup sugar and cornstarch. Stir in water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in butter. Take off the heat.
Place egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually mix in, a whisk full at a time, the hot sugar mixture until you’ve incorporated half of it (tempering). Whisk egg yolk mixture back into remaining sugar mixture.
Bring the mixture back to the stove and up to a boil. Continue to cook while stirring constantly until nice and thick (like the consistency of rubber cement). Remove from heat. Pour the hot filling into pre-made/baked crust.
To Make Meringue: In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Add sugar gradually, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie, sealing the edges at the crust.
Bake in preheated oven for 13-15 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown. Let cool completely before slicing into it to let the lemon filling set properly.

Food, For Kids/Parent, Lunch, Recipes

Avocado Toast: It’s What’s for Breakfast

Posted on Thursday, March 7, 2013 by virgoinwonderland

Most mornings, I would rather waste precious time squeezing in extra sleep than bother making myself breakfast. Cereal: too cold. Waffles, pancakes, and french toast: too sweet. Oatmeal: too starchy. Bacon: too greasy. And frankly, that early in the morning, the only thing that sounds good are eggs, which take too much time to make. Time I could be stealing to catch some extra shuteye. (I’m not a morning person, can you tell?)

There’s just one problem with this, however. My stomach starts growling in a major way by 10:30am. Totally embarrassing during meetings.

But recently, I found myself with a loaf of whole wheat toast calling my name from the office kitchen. We had cream cheese and hummus in the office fridge too, but just toast and spread didn’t give me a lot of hope that I’d stay full till lunchtime.

When I got home, I noticed a lone avocado sitting in my crisper (I know it didn’t belong there, but it was) that had been in there for way too long. Instead of dumping it in a salad or on a sandwich, I came up with the idea of slicing it and topping it on my toast the next morning.

And so my now “usual” breakfast was born. It is healthy, filling, and full of protein, which I need to get me through the day. And, it’s awesomely tasty. Score.

Avocado Toast

Half a ripe Haas avocado, sliced
Cream cheese spread or hummus (I like spicy, garlic or roasted red pepper)
2 slices of whole wheat bread

-Go ahead and toast your bread slices till they’re golden brown. You’ll appreciate the crunch, so make sure you get them nice and toasty.

-Then spread on your cream cheese or hummus, and top with avocado slices.

-You can also sprinkle them with some black pepper and sea salt, thin red onions, or even a fried egg on top. Personalize it and enjoy!

*To store the extra half of your avocado, make sure you leave the pit in it. This will prevent browning and keep it fresher, longer. Store in a zipper bag in the fridge.

Dessert, Food, For Kids/Parent, Recipes

Gluten-Free Lemon Pudding Cake

Posted on Monday, March 4, 2013Monday, March 4, 2013 by virgoinwonderland

You know the story: Someone gives you a bunch of lemons from their meyer lemon tree in the backyard (since they have more than they know what to do with), and next thing you know you’re digging around for some lemony recipes that go beyond the typical lemonade or lemon bars. Or maybe I’m just lucky that I know folks who will give me their lemons :).

I’m thrilled to get people’s homegrown surplus produce. It gives me a chance to experiment with the freshest fruits and veggies that haven’t been tainted by traveling cross-country in the back of a huge truck.

Meyer lemons are a favorite. They’re less tart (but still sour, of course) and have this flowery, perfumey, quality to them. They’re also more orange than they typical yellow lemon, and have a softer, thinner skin and fragrant zest.

I found this recipe from Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures that I adapted slightly to include some of the perfumey zest from the meyer lemons. It seemed like a waste not to. I also added less sugar, and gave it a little extra time in the oven to set a bit more. Let me know how it turns out. Ours was a big hit.

2 large eggs, separated, room temperature
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
¼ cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon rice flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3/4 cup milk

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Grease an 8×8 baking pan or casserole dish.
Mix the butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks and mix well.
Add the rice flour, cornstarch, and beat until combined.
Add the lemon juice and milk and beat until incorporated. Set aside.
Beat the egg whites to soft peaks in a separate bowl. Fold them into the other mixture.
Pour the batter into the prepared dish. Then, to create a water bath, place the dish in a larger baking pan and add enough boiling water to the outer pan so that it reaches halfway up the sides of the inner dish.
Bake until the top is golden and the center springs back when gently pressed, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely.