Lemon Meringue Pie

I now work at the same law firm I started working at when I was 18 years old and a newlywed (I've worked a few places "in between" but now I'm back with them making a full circle.)  We had a wonderful lady who worked with "our" attorneys since they were law clerks. She was really something and oh how I miss her!  She came to the office several times a week until after she celebrated her 86th birthday.  What a woman!  Her name was "Jamilee" and in addition to her impeccable dress, always perfectly painted nails, professional business suits,  panty hose and heels, complete with White Linen perfume until the day she retired, she also made the very best pies I had ever had!  I cannot believe I have kept up with her precious recipes for 25 years years!  My how time flies.


I probably make Jamilee's chocolate pie the most because more people tend to like chocolate pie at our house, but I also love to make her recipe for Lemon Meringue Pie.  (I will post the chocolate pie recipe soon!)  This lemon pie is so delicious!  Pretty easy, too.  If I can successfully make it as a newlywed, I bet anyone can do it.

I am not a pretty pie baker, but this one is delicious in spite of its tall crust and weepy meringue!

Lemon Meringue Pie

1 Baked Pie Crust (I either make my own or use Pillbury rolled pie crust)

(Hint-Make sure you prick your unbaked crust all around with a fork so that it bakes flat in the pie pan.)

Filling:

2 egg yolks from large size eggs (yolks only, not the whole egg... save the whites for the meringue)

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup COLD water

juice of 2 lemons (strained) (You can use bottled, just use 2/3 cup)

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon butter/margarine

1-2 drops of yellow food color

Beat egg yolks.  Slowly add sugar gradually and add the cold water, lemon juice, flour and salt. Whip to completely dissolve these ingredients.

Place over low heat (Jamilee recommended using a double boiler, but I am just very careful and stir CONSTANTLY over low-med heat in a nice heavy saucepan)  I use a whisk to whisk back and forth the entire time its cooking because IT WILL SCORCH.  The filling will start to thicken and boil.  When it starts to bubble, start timing two minutes, but don't stop whisking back and forth.  Keep stirring!  At the end of two minutes, add 1 teaspoon butter/margarine.  Add 1-2 drops of yellow food color until you like the color of the filling (purely a mind game here LOL).

Pour into baked pie crust.

Meringue:

2-3 egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

4-6 Tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla or lemon flavoring

Beat room temp egg whites (two from the pie or use three for a bigger meringue) until foamy and soft peaks will form.  Add 2 Tablespoons granulated white sugar per egg white.  (If you are using two egg whites, use four Tablespoons of sugar; if you are using three egg whites, use six Tablespoons of sugar).  Continue beating with electric mixer on high.  Add the sugar a little at a time - not all at once. I use three egg whites for a nicer, taller meringue.  (I'm not a pro at meringue by the way....)  Beat until stiff peaks form.  Slowly fold in vanilla/lemon flavoring.  Pour over hot pie filling in crust.  Spread to touch edges of crust.  Fluff it with the back of a spoon to create nice peaks in the meringue.

Place in preheated oven 350 for approximately 10 minutes or until meringue starts to get tan on the peaks.

This pie is best served cold, and... my meringue always "weeps" away from the crust,  but I don't care.  Its completely DELICIOUS so I don't worry about how perfect it looks when it tastes that GOOD!