Pie Soup

I never made a lemon meringue pie before. But Hubby wanted one for Valentine's Day. I was so worried about the crust (it has been 20 years since I made a crust) that I just didn't concern myself about the rest of it. The good news is the crust was excellent! I had a good recipe, using all butter, no Crisco. And I had a pastry blender that Pampered Chef just came out with last year with a long handle and it made cutting in the butter a breeze. I had a silicone pastry mat (also from PC) that shows you how big to make the piecrust and then you just lift it up, turn it over and peel the crust off of it and into the pie plate. Voila! Easy. The rest of the pie - not so much. I did something wrong with the lemon filling. It tasted really good, but it didn't set up. It seemed fine when I was making it, it just never got really solid. More like lemon pudding consistency. And the meringue. Well, I added the sugar too early. I didn't know you have to whip it up first and then add the sugar. So it took FOREVER! And I never achieved the volume that meringue is supposed to have. It was only about an inch high and then that shrunk. Tasted good, though.

Oh well. This just means I have to try again! It was a fun experiment! So I have had a piece of pie soup for dessert and Hubby had a brownie and milk. Made the brownies the other night when we were watching the chocolate special on Food Network. Couldn't NOT make something chocolate that night.

When I get the recipe right I will post it on the Bon Vivant website. Until then, I am going to practice. I have lots of lemons left!

Today I am Thankful For...

My cold going away.

Finally.

Thank You

Thank you to everybody for all your caring words and concern about me. I am actually really getting better now. I thought I was doing okay the other day, but then I got bad again. Now it has been a week and a half. This thing stinks! I have only a little bit of stuffiness left and a little cough, but it has really zapped all my energy! But this too shall pass and I am feeling better everyday!

So, HAPPY VALENTINES DAY EVERYBODY! Hopefully yours is full of chocolate and love! I made some chocolate caramel turtles yesterday with pecans in some and almonds in others. Then I had more chocolate, so I covered some mini-marshmallows and added a few walnut pieces to that. The girls really liked that. I am trying to temper the chocolate so that it sets up properly. The Food Network (one of the only channels we get that is any good) has been having chocolate week and they have had some really good information on there lately. So, I figured I would give it a try. I may need to buy a chocolate tempering machine, though. Please feel free to tell this to the hubby, in case he is looking for a cool present, oh, in say, mid-September! Or earlier. Maybe in April. Or now. You know, if it comes up! Because chocolate is pretty temperamental, you know. Anyway, everything tastes good, so that is half the battle!

I am going to call a friend. Got to get back into the normal swing of things. The girls are doing better. They are just getting over their colds, too.

Lots of love and hugs and kisses to all of you out there! I will be back at this again regularly! Have a great day!!!