LEMON MERINGUE PIE

My girl's are always calling for recipes and with our beautiful spring weather I thought I would post one of our all time favorites. It comes from a department store restaurant I went to with my mom when I was a little girl. Bullock's Department Store was located on Lake Ave in Pasadena. It was a special treat to go to lunch there. They had a fashion show during lunch, with a runway and wonderful models. Funny I can picture that lunch room today with its wide bamboo chairs and tropical green fabric on the padded seats. We would get dressed up, with our patent leather shoes (white or black depending on the season). By "we" I mean my sister and my mom. And we would always order the same thing... an egg salad sandwich with chips and a sweet pickle and Lemon Meringue Pie for dessert. Always a very special memory.
Here's the best Lemon Meringue Pie from Bullock's Pasadena

1/4 C flour
5 T cornstarch
1t salt
1 1/2 C sugar
2 1/4 C boiling water
3 egg yolks
1/2 C plus 1T lemon juice
Grated zest of 1 1/2 lemons
1t butter
1 9" baked pie shell

1. Mix flour, corn starch, salt, sugar and boiling water. COOK in top of double boiler over simmering water OR over direct low heat about 15 min or until thickened and clear, stirring constantly.
2. ADD lightly beaten egg yolks and cook 2 min longer.
3. ADD lemon juice, zest and butter.
4. Cool slightly then turn into baked pie shell.
5. Spoon meringue over pie completely covering filling. Place pie in OVEN at 400 degrees to brown slightly. About 10 min or until tinged w/brown.

MERINGUE
3 egg whites
6T sugar
1/4 t cream of Tartar

1. Beat egg whites until frothy.
2. Gradually beat in sugar and cream of tartar until whites are stiff.

Once a month is not enough!

It has been a busy month! And I hate playing catch up because I am lousy at it. But there have been some really special moments this month, and they can best be discribed in pictures. As most of you know, my son Max is serving a mission for our church. He is serving in the Seoul West South Korea Mission. It has been an incredible experience I'm sure for him! And for me it has been a roller coaster of emotions. Sometimes I miss him so much I just break down and cry. And at the same time I am so grateful he is there and would not want him here loafing on the couch. I love the wisdom that he shares with us, the way he lifts our spirits, how his testimony has grown, that he is being real, and true to himself and his beliefs, that he is relying on the Lord in all he does, that he can write to everyone in our family and have a very special message for each of us. I love that his humor comes through even though he is so far away, and that he is full of love for those he is serving.


While Max was in the mission training center a sister missionary from the Seoul West area came up to his group and asked if anyone was from the Oakland Mission. Max said he was and they exchanged information and went on their way. Sister Cho is here at the Oakland Temple and serving in one of the Walnut Ward. I have met her at the Temple and have had her and her companion Sister Nai over for lunch. And in Korea her Mom has phoned Max a few times and has had him and the other missionaries over to her house for dinner! I feel so blessed to have this connection with the Cho Family,and having Sister Cho here, in our house, getting to know us, and answering so many of our Korea questions. The Lord really knows what we need when we need it!

mp.danwho.net -- SNL: Don't Buy Stuff You Cannot Afford

This makes me smile and laugh. Watch it and then we can all go out to dinner with Jim's credit card!
mp.danwho.net -- SNL: Don't Buy Stuff You Cannot Afford: "SNL: Don't Buy Stuff You Cannot Afford
added: 02/07/2006"

Max's Birthday

This little video needs no explanation. Actually I am a little embarrassed to put it up, but its who we are. And I thought it was a bit amusing too. Other people put cute pictures of their little kids, well Jim and I are those little kids.

Do Overs

I'm so glad that there are do overs in life! Like re-doing your blog when your sons tells you, "its really ugly, let me do it for you". Motherhood is so good for the ego. You can count on your kids to tell you the truth. But seriously, think about all the do overs we get each day by just getting up and doing laundry again, the dishes, again, the floors, again, standing on the bathroom scale- AGAIN, making breakfast, lunch, dinner, changing diapers, taking out the trash, buying gas, eating your favorite foods, again, yum, looking at pictures of all the people you love or not, kissing, hugging, praying, journal writing, reading, changing your clothes, hair, make-up, shaving your legs, again.... wow that list could go on forever. But it does cause us to run into that great list we all have, the gratitude list. I stand back and think how much I take so many things for granted. What if I couldn't have all those do-overs? I guess I need all those things to keep perspective of how much I am blessed. Especially for seeing and hearing smiles and laughter over and over again!

For the Love of Family

You've gotta love family! Jim and I just spent Valentines Day at Laurel's little love nest to attend his brother Rick's wedding. No, Laurel and Ryan were not there. They had gone skiing for the weekend. Jim and I had a great time visiting with his family and celebrating Feb14Th with his brothers and sisters. First I should point out that there are seven kids in his family. His brother john is deceased and now the rest of them are married. One of my favorite moments of the day was when I found out that Jim's older brother could say all his siblings names at record speed and in order! He said the trick was in the "y" at the end of every ones name; Sammy, Jimmy, Janey, Johnny, Ricky, Stevie, Sara. Try it, it's actually fun to say.

So the wedding was a horse wedding in Eaton Canyon and everything appeared to come off great. They planned everything in 2 weeks! Which to most of us would be crazy, but they did a great job and their vows were heartfelt and tender. We all then went to Grampa Sam's for dinner and cake. I love being with my sister's in laws. I think because we are all getting older and have such history with one another. Anyway, crazy Aunt Mary did a great rendition of "Happy Wedding Day" ala Marilyn Monroe style, the bro in laws sang "Swing low Sweet Chariot" ( don't know why), and Lauren(the bride)'s step Dad sang a Chinese song about a Junk. Which was funny because we all thought it was a wedding song. Go figure..... That's why you have to love family. At least your own..

Laurel and Ryan's Wedding

I just watched this slide show a few times (!) in a row. My heart and mind is flooded with wonderful memories and all those smiles and tears! I have never seen Laurel shine so brightly, and I hope when she is an old woman she will watch this and all the love that she felt that night will come flooding back into her heart. We are so fortunate to have the tech to do that. Anyway, watch again and feel their love and remember who you love.
http://www.terrencebishop.com/2008slideshows/PleweSlideshow/