Strawberries and Cream Bars

If only you could see the dreamy picture of these in the latest issue of Everyday Food. My picture just doesn't do it justice. In the magazine these are absolutely dreamy looking. High and cloud-like. I knew these would be the way I would use the rest of my freshly-picked strawberries.

The base is just a strawberry puree that is treated like a granita- scraped with a fork, until slushy. The top is a meringue/whipped cream mixture that really does remind me of a cloud. Soft and smooth.

Everyone in my family liked these bars. The only problem I had was that they were impossible to cut into squares directly from the freezer. I had to let them sit for a couple of minutes and soften a bit, so I could cut them. The strawberry layer also gets really hard if you prepare them in advance. We ended up letting them soften a little bit and then mixing them together in our individual bowls.

Strawberries and Cream Bars
adapted from Everyday Food

2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled, halved if large (6 cups)

1 1/2 cups sugar

coarse salt

7 large egg whites

2/3 cup cold heavy cream

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

In a blender, combine the strawberries, 3/4 cup sugar, and a pinch of salt. Puree until smooth. Pour into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Transfer to freezer. Every 30 minutes, for 2 hours, scrape the fruit mixture with a fork until it’s thick and slushy. Smooth top with a rubber spatula.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites on high until foamy. With mixer on medium, gradually add 3/4 cup sugar. Increase speed to high and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, 3 minutes.

In another bowl, whip the cream and vanilla until you have stiff peaks. With a rubber spatula, gently fold the cream into the egg white mixture. Pour the cream mixture over the fruit mixture and smooth the top. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours (or covered, up to three days), before cutting into 12 squares.

Serves: 12

MSC-Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

This month's MSC Cupcake- Lemon Meringue Cupcakes, was chosen by Megan over at My Baking Adventures.
I wanted to point out that the cupcake above is NOT Martha's recipe, but a recipe that I found in Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine a couple of years ago, for Lemon Meringue Cupcakes.
I posted about these twice before- you can read more about them HERE.

I debated trying Martha's recipe too, since the RR one's were a complete hit- but I didn't have anywhere to take them or anyone to share them with and when I compared the recipes side by side- they were almost identical.
So, I guess in a way I am cheating, because I didn't really make this month's cupcake, but I thought these were close enough that they could count.

The version I did make were so delicious and quite a hit with all those who tasted them. I don't often repeat dessert recipes, but these were so good that I have made them more than once.

Check out the MSC Blogroll to see everyone else's results!

Recipe for Lemon Meringue Cupcakes in Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine

Martha's Recipe for Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

TWD- Cafe Volcano Cookies

This week's Tuesday's with Dorie recipe is Cafe Volcano Cookies. These cookies were chosen by MacDuff and you can find the recipe by going to her blog, The Lonely Sidecar.

What is a Cafe Volcano Cookie? Well, that is a really good question. I guess it is a nut mixture/meringue, although when I was making these I really believed they would not turn into anything edible.
This is the easiest cookie ever.
You toast some nuts. I used sliced almonds and chopped pecans.
Once those are toasted you combine them in a saucepan with egg whites and sugar. And in my case cinnamon, because I don't drink or use coffee and so there is no espresso powder in my house and there never will be.
You let the ingredients get warm and then you drop that syrupy/nutty/sugary mixture onto a baking sheet covered with parchment.

At this point, I figured I had done something wrong because it looked like I was just dropping blobs of wet nuts on my baking sheet. Which is what I was doing.
But, I had followed the recipe, so I popped them in the oven and waited for some miracle.

They did puff a little and turned into a cookie shape, so I figured that must be what they were supposed to look like.
I tried a piece of one and they tasted like spiced nuts.
I sent these along with the other Christmas goodies I made in the mail to my family members in different states.
One of my sisters said these were one of the best cookies of the bunch.

Go check out the TWD Blogroll to see what other bakers thought of this weeks recipe!

TWD-Creamiest Lime Cream Meringue Pie with Mango

Sometimes a recipe in Baking:from my home to yours looks so good, that I just can't wait for someone to choose it for Tuesday's with Dorie.
Such is the case with the Creamiest Lime Cream Meringue Pie, which I opted to make with the mango that Dorie suggests in the Playing Around section.

I made this at Thanksgiving last year because I wanted something a little bit tropical to go along with the other desserts we had.

You can find my post and my version of the recipe HERE. Instead of the normal pie crust called for, I made a gingersnap/macadamia nut/ crystallized ginger crust- the crust from this recipe.

I also reduced the amount of butter in the filling by 2 sticks. Yes, you heard me right. I left out 2 sticks of butter in the filling. The lime cream filling in this pie is almost exactly the same as the lemon filling in The Most Extraordinary French Lemon Cream Tart that we made last year for TWD. I remember tasting the cream before I blended in the 2+ sticks of butter for that tart and thinking that it tasted better without all the butter, so this time I just left it out. I think I added 3 Tbls and that is it.

I also doubled the meringue because I wanted it to be tall and tasty.

Thanks to Linda of Tender Crumb for choosing this great-tasting pie. You can find the recipe on Linda's blog also, as well as some beautiful pictures. Make sure you check out the rest of the TWD Blogroll to find a million great variations of this pie!

Watermelon Soup with Floating Meringue

I tore this recipe out of Everyday with Rachel Ray Magazine about a year ago. I think.
I mostly forgot about it until I was thumbing through someone else's copy of the same issue and I saw it again.

I am doing some preschool activities with my 4 and 2 year old daughters who are home with me during the day. Nothing too intense, but we officially call it "school", so that there can be rules and specific time set aside to do the lessons and things that I want to do. Amazingly enough, my 4 year old is doing really well with this set-up and follows the rules.

I am doing it mostly for her, so she will be ready for the big K, next year.

Anyway, my 4 year old is the child who is the most interested in helping me in the kitchen. I thought this soup would be a fun school snack. We made it together, which was rather messy, especially when the girls took over the job of making melon balls and plopping them into the food processor, but you can't really have fun without a mess, right?
There was lots of splattered watermelon juice, but lots of smiles too.

I reduced the amount of sugar that is added to this soup because our watermelon was soo sweet and delicious. I also only made 1/4 of the recipe because this was our special time and our special treat.

It was quite a fun and delicious day.



Recipe for Watermelon Soup with Floating Meringue

One Year Ago- Orange Berry Muffins

TWD- Coconut Roasted Pineapple Dacquoise

This week's TWD recipe, Coconut Roasted Pineapple Dacquoise, was chosen by Andrea. You can find the recipe on her blog, Andrea's Kitchen.
The picture of this dessert is one of the first ones that caught my eye when I bought this cookbook. It was my 2nd choice when it was my turn to pick the recipe back in January, so I was pretty thrilled when I saw it was one of June's recipes.

Honestly, I was a tad bit intimidated by this recipe. That is the reason I haven't ever made it on my own. Usually, if there is something that I want to make, I just do it. This dessert needed a special occasion. It needed extra time and now it was finally time to make it.

I made this 2 days before we moved. I also made the Honey-Peach Ice Cream,
and the Lots of Ways Banana Cake with Blackberry Sherbet.
I spent the entire day in the kitchen, but I knew it was going to be my last chance to bake for awhile. (I baked for the first time in a month yesterday!)
I was surprised that this recipe was not as difficult as it seemed. It had many parts, that had to bake or rest for long amounts of time, but none of the steps were that hard. I halved this recipe since we were having so many other treats that night and that enabled me to bake my meringues all on the same baking sheet. They were 6x3 inch rectangles.
A dacquoise is "layers of nut meringue and whipped cream or buttercream. It is usually served chilled and accompanied with fruit."-Wikipedia.
In this case the meringue base was made with almonds and served with layers of white chocolate ganache. Those layers were topped with roasted pineapple.
I had a little trouble with the white chocolate ganache just because I was scared to overbeat it, so it was a little bit runny. That made the putting together of this dessert a little messy, but the toasted coconut covered it and no one seemed to mind.
Everyone was very impressed with this dessert. It was crunchy and cold and all the flavors were delicious together. I am so glad we got to make this.
To see what the other members of Tuesday's with Dorie thought, check out the TWD Blogroll!

Coming Soon- Herbed Turkey with Roasted Red Peppers and Beans

Barefoot Bloggers- Meringues with Pomegranate Gelato and a drizzle of Homemade Pomegranate Molasses

Today's Barefoot Bloggers recipe, Meringues Chantilly, was chosen by BMK, who blogs over at Reservations Not Required. I was actually very excited about this recipe because I have been wanting to make meringues ever since I saw this recipe for Kiwi Meringues, in a recent issue of Everyday Food. I hadn't found time to squeeze them into my treat-making schedule (as strange as that may sound, I really do have one, because there are so many things to make and so little time to make them all), so the fact that I had a date I needed to post them by, really helped me in making these meringues a priority. Now, the Barefoot Contessa's recipe for meringues, has them served with Orange-flavored whipped cream and stewed berries, which I think sounds fabulous, but I had to change it up a bit.
I recently received an email from Diana, the POM Blogger, who works for POM Wonderful. She was wondering if I wanted to try some POM juice, which was ironic, because a day or two before she emailed me, I found a recipe for Pomegranate Gelato, that I had to try. I had searched the grocery stores in my area and none of them had 100% POM juice. I quickly emailed Diana back and told her to please send me a case of POM juice and she did.
Then the idea hit me. Why not fill the meringues with Pomegranate Gelato and then drizzle Homemade Pomegranate Molasses over the top? (More about the Pomegranate Molasses to come- it is so good, it has to have it's own post).
So, I set to work, making the Pom Molasses, Gelato and Meringues and then, I put the whole dessert together. WOW!
Can I just say that this was a fabulous dessert. My daughters were in love with the "white cookies" and the Gelato was amazing. Not too sweet, the pomegranate flavor was subtle and the Pomegranate Molasses, like I said, it deserves its own glory. It is divine. This was an amazing dessert. That is all I have left to say.

Meringues Chantilly 2004, Barefoot in Paris
Prep Time: 30 min Cook Time: 2 hr 0 min
Level: Easy Serves: 12 meringues
Ingredients
6 extra - large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Kosher salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Whipped Cream with Orange Liqueur, recipe follows
Stewed berries, recipe follows
Directions
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a small glass and a pencil, draw 6 (3 1/2-inch) circles on each piece of paper. Turn the paper face-down on the baking sheets.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and a large pinch of salt on medium speed until frothy. Add 1 cup of the sugar and raise the speed to high until the egg whites form very stiff peaks. Whisk in the vanilla. Carefully fold the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar into the meringue. With a large star - shaped pastry tip, pipe a disc of meringue inside each circle. Pipe another layer around the edge to form the sides of the shells.
Bake for 2 hours, or until the meringues are dry and crisp but not browned. Turn off the heat and allow the meringues to sit in the oven for 4 hours or overnight.
Spread some of the sauce from the stewed berries on each plate. Place a meringue on top and fill with whipped cream. Top with berries and serve.

Whipped Cream with Orange Liqueur:
2 cups (1 pint) cold heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange liqueur

Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. When it starts to thicken, add the sugar, vanilla and orange liqueur and continue to whip until the cream forms stiff peaks. Don't overbeat, or you'll end up with butter!
Yield: 4 cups

Stewed berries:
1 half-pint fresh blueberries
3 half-pints fresh raspberries, divided
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon orange zest
2 teaspoons framboise (raspberry brandy)

Combine the blueberries, one-half pint of raspberries, 1/3 cup water, the sugar and zest in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook uncovered over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes. The juice will become a syrup and the berries will be slightly cooked. Off the heat, stir in the remaining raspberries and the framboise. Set aside.
Yield: 8 servings


Pomegranate Gelato Gourmet September 2006

Yield: Makes 1 quart

Active Time: 15 min Total Time: 3 1/2 hr
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup whole milk

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups bottled pomegranate juice

1/3 cup pomegranate liqueur such as PAMA (I just used more Pomegranate juice)

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Special equipment: an ice cream maker

Garnish: pomegranate seeds

Whisk together cream, milk, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 2 1/2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking occasionally, then boil, whisking, 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining ingredients.
Transfer to a bowl and chill, uncovered, until cold, at least 1 hour.
Freeze in ice cream maker, then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden, at least 2 hours.
Soften gelato slightly in refrigerator, about 20 minutes, before serving.Cook's notes:•Cream mixture (before churning) can be chilled, covered, up to 1 day ahead.•Gelato keeps 1 week.
Whisk together cream, milk, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 2 1/2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking occasionally, then boil, whisking, 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining ingredients.
Transfer to a bowl and chill, uncovered, until cold, at least 1 hour.
Freeze in ice cream maker, then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden, at least 2 hours.
Soften gelato slightly in refrigerator, about 20 minutes, before serving

Coming Tomorrow- Chicken Breast Florentine with Whole Wheat Angel Hair and Marinara

You Want Pies with That? Fashion Edition, Southern Style- Banana Pudding Pie

I know absolutely nothing about Fashion.

So when I saw that this month's theme was Fashion, for You Want Pies with That?, I was stumped. The only thing I could think of was taking a dessert/pie that could represent " a little black dress" (traditional, familiar, standard, etc- you see where I am going with this, right?) and adding a little pizzazz to it. We had some visitors over for dinner and I was doing a Southern Meal, so looking through one of my Southern Living cookbooks, I found this twist on Banana Pudding. Banana Pudding is a traditional southern dessert that is usually vanilla custard, layered with sliced bananas and Vanilla Wafers and topped with meringue. This "twist" is turning Banana Pudding into a pie, by adding a Nilla Wafer crust and layering the pudding ingredients in the pie. Sorry if you think this is lame, but it was the best I could come up with! And if it makes you feel any better, the pie was delicious!

This was a hit with our visitors and hopefully fits as a Fashion Statement- taking a simple, traditional dessert and turning it into a "fashionable" pie!

Banana Pudding Pie from Southern Living

Prep: 20 min.; Bake: 24 min.; Cool: 1 hr., 30 min.; Chill: 4 hr.

Hang on to your egg yolks--you'll be using them in the

*Vanilla Cream Filling

1 (12-oz.) box vanilla wafers, divided

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 large bananas, sliced

Meringue

4 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar

1. Set aside 30 vanilla wafers; pulse remaining vanilla wafers in a food processor 8 to 10 times or until coarsely crushed. (Yield should be about 2 1/2 cups.) Stir together crushed vanilla wafers and butter until blended. Firmly press on bottom, up sides, and onto lip of a 9-inch pieplate.
2. Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack, and let cool 30 minutes or until completely cool.
3. Arrange banana slices evenly over bottom of crust. Prepare *Vanilla Cream Filling, and spread half of hot filling over bananas; top with 20 vanilla wafers. Spread remaining hot filling over vanilla wafers. (Filling will be about 1/4 inch higher than top edge of crust.)
4. Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Add sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves. Spread meringue evenly over hot filling, sealing the edges.
5. Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, and let cool 1 hour on a wire rack or until completely cool. Coarsely crush remaining 10 vanilla wafers, and sprinkle evenly over top of pie. Chill 4 hours.

*Vanilla Cream Filling

Prep: 5 min., Cook: 10 min.

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

4 egg yolks

2 cups milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Whisk together first 5 ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or until it reaches the thickness of chilled pudding. (Mixture will just begin to bubble and will be thick enough to hold soft peaks when whisk is lifted.) Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla. Use immediately.

Coming Tomorrow- Cooking Light Night--Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Pasta

Aggie's Food and Football Days- His and Hers' Nachos and Red Velvet UGA Cupcakes 2 ways, with Fluffy Meringue or Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

This is my entry to Aggie's Food and Football Days event. I made one of my husbands favorite things to eat while he watches the game, featuring our Georgia Bulldogs!

I try to serve my family healthy dinners, but my husband would be happier eating the way that he wants too. That is why I decided to make him the Nachos of his dreams and decided I was going to have to make 2 kinds, because our nacho dreams are very different.

So, here I go with my stereotype. I made 2 kinds of nachos, his and hers. You might disagree with me and maybe it is different in your family, but this is how it works in ours. Above, are HIS (a little less healthy) nachos-ground sirloin, seasoned with spices, jalapenos, black olives, and a melty cheese sauce (I usually use a nice white, Mexican melting cheese, but after searching every grocery store in town and even making a special trip to a bunch of authentic stores, with no luck,) I settled for Velveeta mixed with salsa. HER nachos are below- multigrain tortilla chips with flaxseeds and seasoned with sea salt, spicy blue corn chips, refried beans, pinto and black beans, red and green pepper, tomato, and shredded cheese- popped under the broiler.

Now on to our team. My husband was born and raised right outside of Athens, Georgia. I grew up in Utah. I was lucky enough to finish up my degree at UGA. College Football is a different experience down in Athens. I had never seen anything like it. The tailgating, the clothes, the millions of people that are everywhere. You can't understand it until you experience it. It blew me away. We are diehard University of Georgia Bulldog fans. (GO DAWGS!)

So, in honor of the red and black, I decided to make red velvet cupcakes. I did a taste test, using 2 different cupcake and frosting recipes and made the colors a little more fun with alot of food coloring. The black cupcakes with meringue frosting were more popular with the kids and tasted very chocolaty. The red cupcakes with black lemon cream cheese frosting were more popular with the adults, so everyone was happy!

His Nachos by Mary Ann-serves 2 hungry guys or more if servings are smaller :)

White Corn tortilla chips

1 pd. ground sirloin

dehydrated onion

cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, oregano

jalapeno slices

sliced black olives

6 oz Velveeta cheese, cubed

3/4 cup salsa

In a skillet, heat 1 Tbls canola oil. Brown ground sirloin, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Season with onion, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, and oregano. Cook completely and set aside.

In a microwavable bowl, combine velveeta and salsa. Melt in microwave, 30-50 seconds at a time, stirring, until completely combined and melted.

Place desired amount of chips on a plate or serving platter. Place seasoned meat on top of chips. Add jalapeno slices and sliced olives.

Drizzle warm cheese sauce over the top and Eat!

Hers' Nachos by Mary Ann-serves 5-6 adults

Multigrain Tortilla Chips with Flaxseed and Sea Salt

Spicy Blue Tortilla Chips

fat free refried beans

1 can black and pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 each, red and green pepper, diced

2 medium tomatoes, diced

shredded cheese

Preheat broiler. On a large cookie or baking sheet, layer desired amount of chips. Drop spoonfuls of refried beans over chips. Spoon beans over chips. Add bell peppers and tomatoes. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top

Broil until cheese melts and nachos are warm.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Fluffy Meringue Icing
Recipe courtesy Wes Martin (found on Food Network site)

Cupcakes:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons red gel paste food coloring ( I used black) (See Cook's Note*)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature (I used half nonfat Greek Yogurt)

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon baking soda

Red, pink and white miniature nonpareils, for sprinkling

Meringue Icing:

5 large egg whites

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoons cream of tartar

Pinch fine salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 to 3 drops pure almond extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the muffin tin with pink or white cupcake liners
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder and salt.
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Occasionally turn off mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Reduce the speed to low, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix until incorporated after each addition. Add the food coloring and vanilla and mix well.
With the mixer on low, alternately add the flour mixture and sour cream in 3 additions, beginning and ending with the flour, waiting until each addition is well incorporated before adding the next. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and soda, and once fizzing has stopped, add to the batter and mix well.
Divide the batter evenly in the tin, filling each liner about 3/4 full. Bake until cupcakes are set and spring back when touched, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
For meringue icing: Bring a few inches of water to a gentle simmer in a saucepan large enough to hold a standing mixer bowl above the water. Whisk the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt together in the bowl until combined. Set the bowl over the simmering water and whisk constantly until sugar is completely dissolved and mixture is smooth and hot to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until meringue is cool and holds a soft peak, 4 to 5 minutes. With the speed on low, add the vanilla and almond extracts; increase speed to medium and continue whisking until mixture is glossy and holds a stiff peak, 1 to 2 minutes more.
To decorate: Using a spoon or offset spatula, spread about 1/2 cup meringue over each cupcake and sprinkle with nonpareils. Cupcakes are best served the day they are made.
*Cook's Note: If you're unable to find gel food coloring, add drops of liquid food coloring until the desired shade of red is achieved.

Red Velvet Cupcakes from Better Homes and Gardens
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ tsp salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
¾ cup butter, at room temperature
2¼ cups granulated sugar
1½ tsp vanilla extract
1 ounce bottle of red food coloring (2 Tbsp.)
1½ cups buttermilk
1½ tsp baking soda
1½ tsp vinegar

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
2 In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside.
3 In a large mixing bowl, beat butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until combined. One at a time, add eggs; beat on medium speed after each. Beat in food coloring on low.
4 Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to egg mixture; beat on low-medium after each just until combined. Stir together baking soda and vinegar. Add to batter; beat just until combined.
5 Fill cupcake liners two-thirds full. Bake 15 to 17 minutes, or until toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Gently remove cupcakes from pans; cool.
6 Frost with lemon cream cheese icing* or dust with powdered sugar

*Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting by Mary Ann
1 stick butter, softened
6 oz cream cheese, softened
1 pd powdered sugar, sifted
juice and zest of 1/2 lemon

Beat butter and cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in lemon juice and lemon zest. Frost cupcakes when cool

Three Tasty Treats

My hubby requested that I make Cheesecake Pops (AGAIN!), for his work party, and so I threw in a couple of other treats too. Don't they look yummy all together?

Check out the recipes down below!

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes (and a few Meringues- cookie style)

I have made this once before and I was amazed at how much they actually taste like Lemon Meringue Pie. How a cupcake does that? I am not sure. They are simple and a showstopper, really. This time I piped out the meringue on top, because last time it was a little bit sloppy and difficult to dollop it perfectly.


I had a little leftover meringue, so I piped it onto a parchment lined baking sheet and popped it in the over for 35 minutes and had some little mini meringues!

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes by Virginia Pollock From Every Day with Rachael Ray April 2007
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1 2/3 cups sugar, plus more for decorating
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon peel, plus thin strips of peel for garnish
2 large eggs plus 4 egg whites, at room temperature
One 10- to 12-ounce jar lemon curd

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°. Line mini-muffin pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk and lemon juice.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter on high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup sugar and the lemon peel and beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the 2 eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined, scraping down the sides between additions. On low speed, beat in a third of the dry ingredients, then a third of the buttermilk mixture. Repeat, alternating ingredients, until the batter is smooth.

3. Spoon the batter into each liner, about three-quarters full. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool on a rack.

4. In a heatproof bowl, whisk together the remaining 2/3 cup sugar and the egg whites. Place over a saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl, and heat just until the sugar dissolves, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form.

5. Spread a thin layer of lemon curd over each cupcake and dollop the meringue on top. Toss the lemon peel strips in sugar to coat, and place one on each cupcake

Merry Mini Meringues

A simple little cookie for M day! I used Watermelon and Melon Fusion flavored jello to spinkle on top.

Merry Mini Meringues from all-recipes, submitted by Jello
INGREDIENTS:
4 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup sugar
1 pkg. (4 serving size) JELL-O
Brand Lime Flavor Gelatin
1 pkg. (4 serving size) JELL-O
Brand Gelatin, any red flavor
DIRECTIONS:
1.
Preheat oven to 225 degrees F. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in small bowl with electric mixer on high speed 5 minutes or until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form.
2.
Drop tablespoonfuls of the egg white mixture onto baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Sprinkle each meringue lightly with dry gelatin powders.
3.
Bake 50 minutes. Turn oven off. Prop oven door open slightly; let meringues stand in oven for 1 hour or until completely cooled.

TWD-Florida Pie

This week's Tuesday's with Dorie recipe, Florida Pie, was chosen by Dianne over at Dianne's Dishes. This was a delicious mix of coconut and key lime with a tasty meringue on top. We had it for our mother's day dessert and I went with mini-pies because I love individual servings (and my dad dispises coconut, so I made him lemon meringue pie instead). I used fat-free sweetened condensed milk because that is what I had in my pantry and I left the coconut out of the meringue. I thought this pie was delicious and my favorite so far!

Getting the 1/2 cup juice from the key limes was a ton of work! Luckily my younger brother was there to assist me, but we went through alot of limes. I am glad I used them though, because the key lime flavor was a little sweeter and very intense.

Since I made 12 mini-pies, I only baked them for 8 minutes. Turned out perfect!
My baby demolished her portion, but the leftover part was just the right for smooshing in someone's face. My husband was a willing participant!
Florida Pie

1 9-inch graham cracker crust (page 235), fully baked and cooled, or a store-bought crust

1 1/3 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut

4 large eggs, seperated

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup fresh Key (or regular) lime juice (from about 5 regular limes)

1/4 cup of sugar

Getting Ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put the pie plate on a baking sheet lined with parchment of a silicone mat. Put the cream and 1 cup of the coconut in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring almost constantly. Continue to cook and stir until the cream is reduced by half and the mixture is slightly thickened. Scrape the coconut cream into a bowl and set it aside while you prepare the lime filling.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl beat the egg yolks at high speed until thick and pale. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the condensed milk. Still on low, add half of the lime juice. When it is incorporated, add the reaming juice, again mixing until it is blended. Spread the coconut cream in the bottom of the graham cracker crust, and pour over the lime filling. Bake the pie for 12 minutes. Transfer the pie to a cooling rack and cool for 15 minutes, then freeze the pie for at least 1 hour.

To Finish the Pie with Meringue:Put the 4 egg whites and the sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, whisking all the while, until the whites are hot to the touch. Transfer the whites to a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, or use a hand mixer in a large bowl, and beat the whites at high speed until they reach room temperature and hold firm peaks. Using a rubber spatula, fold the remaining 1/2 cup coconut into the meringue.Spread the meringue over the top of the pie, and run the pie under the broiler until the top of the meringue is golden brown. (Or, if you've got a blowtorch, you can use it to brown the meringue.) Return the pie to the freezer for another 30 minutes or for up to 3 hours before serving.

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

I am the first to admit that I get too many magazines in the mail, but I only do it for the recipes. This is one from Rachael Ray Everyday that I have been wanting to make for awhile. I got the perfect opportunity when my dad asked for some treats. His favorite dessert is Lemon Meringue Pie and you have to make these because you will not believe how they taste exactly like it even though they are Cake! The cake tastes like pie crust in a miraculous way, flaky and delicious. The lemon curd is like the filling and the meringue is the meringue. It is wild to pop one of these minis in your mouth. Next time, I want to make the curd from scratch but I was in a pinch, so I used Dickinson's Lemon Curd.

From Every Day with Rachael RayApril 2007

MAKES FOUR DOZEN

Prep Time: 30 min

Bake Time: 30 min
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1 2/3 cups sugar, plus more for decorating
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon peel, plus thin strips of peel for garnish
2 large eggs plus 4 egg whites, at room temperature
One 10- to 12-ounce jar lemon curd

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°. Line mini-muffin pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk and lemon juice.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter on high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup sugar and the lemon peel and beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the 2 eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined, scraping down the sides between additions. On low speed, beat in a third of the dry ingredients, then a third of the buttermilk mixture. Repeat, alternating ingredients, until the batter is smooth.

3. Spoon the batter into each liner, about three-quarters full. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool on a rack.

4. In a heatproof bowl, whisk together the remaining 2/3 cup sugar and the egg whites. Place over a saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl, and heat just until the sugar dissolves, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form.

5. Spread a thin layer of lemon curd over each cupcake and dollop the meringue on top. Toss the lemon peel strips in sugar to coat, and place one on each cupcake.