Mennonite Girls Can Cook (35 page)

................................................ Serves 8

• 1 10-inch / 24-cm baked pie shell
  

• 5 large egg whites
  
• 2 teaspoons / 10 ml cornstarch
  
• ½ teaspoon / 2 ml cream of tartar
  
• ½ cup / 125 ml white sugar
  

• 1 cup / 250 ml white sugar
  
• cup / 75 ml cornstarch
  
• 1 tablespoon flour / 15 ml flour
  
• 1¾ cup / 400 ml water
  
• 4 egg yolks
  
• Zest of 1 lemon
  
• ½ cup / 125 ml fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons plus water if necessary)
  
• ¼ teaspoon / 1 ml salt
  
• ¼ cup / 60 ml butter
  

1. Separate the eggs.
   
2. Put the egg whites into a large clean metal or glass bowl. There can be no trace of yolk or grease in the bowl or they will not successfully whip.
   
3. Combine the cornstarch and cream of tartar; add to the egg whites.
   
4. Using a hand mixer, beat the egg white mixture, adding the sugar one teaspoon at a time until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
   
5. Preheat oven to 325° F / 160° C.
   
6. Prepare filling. Whisk sugar, cornstarch, and flour in a medium saucepan.
   
7. Add the water, egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt.
   
8. Stir over medium heat until it comes to a bubbly boil.
   
9. Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Pour the hot filling into a cooled pie shell. The filling must be hot to prevent the pie from weeping. (When water seeps between the filling and the meringue, a pie “weeps.”)
   
10. Gently spoon the meringue over the hot filling. Be sure to touch the edges of the shell to seal the pie filling and ensure that the meringue will not shrink.
    
11. Put the pie on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until evenly browned.
    
12. Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool on a rack in a draft-free place. When completely cooled to room temperature, chill in the refrigerator for several hours.
    
13. Use a wet serrated knife to cut the pie.
    

—
Lovella

Lovella says

T
wo of my favorite baking activities are creaming butter and sugar together against a clean glass mixing bowl with a wooden spoon, and leveling ingredients with the blade of a knife as it sweeps across metal measuring spoons.

My four older brothers deserve badges of honor for reconciling with me over my attempts at baking, such as the batches of hard cookies that I regularly produced for box lunches. My mom eventually sympathized with them, pointing out to me that cookies, unlike cakes, would not test done by gently pressing on them to see if they would spring back. Every little girl who says, “I want to help” should have a mother like mine who never once shooed me out of the kitchen to make her supper preparation a bit quicker.

The first cookbook that I selected in a store was
Betty Crocker Good and Easy
cookbook, which my dad agreed to purchase to give to my mom for her birthday. I was certain she would love it. I was not quite five years old then, and yet found the book’s cover both beautiful and intriguing. I often pulled that book from mom’s shelf, admiring the beautifully presented foods. I was fascinated by the perfect rows of varied types of cookies and dainty sandwiches all beautifully photographed and displayed.

Within a few years my parents needed to increase their grocery budget when my elementary scrawled ingredients showed up on the list. Even though the grocery cart was more full when I shopped with them, I was encouraged to continue my efforts in the kitchen as long as I cleaned up my mess. My parents accepted this as part of their lot in life for having but one daughter.

When I was 19 years old, my beloved became caught in the happy trap of my Mom’s fantastic
Kielke
. I received a marriage proposal, and soon the kitchen I loved was my own. After birthing two strapping healthy lads, I rarely had need to wonder who would eat my wares. Terrence and Stuart grew up, became caught in happy traps of their own, married lovely girls, and then blessed us with the most delightful grands.

I feel blessed beyond my needs, living in a country where healthy food is plentiful to serve those I love. When the kids put in a call that they are coming for brunch, I will run to the henhouse and gather fresh eggs. When the grands pull a high stool up to the counter to “help” I smile for I realize that preparing food is not my main passion in life, but it is a means to building relationships.

I’m happy to share my counter and I pray that I will always remember the key ingredients in the recipe of what matters most.

................................................ Serves 6

• 9- or 10-inch / 22- or 23-cm pie crust, baked and cooled
  
• 4 cups / 1 L fresh raspberries, approximately
  

• 1 cup / 250 ml sugar
  
• 1 cup / 250 ml water
  
• 3 tablespoons / 45 ml cornstarch
  
• 3 tablespoons / 45 ml powdered raspberry gelatin
  

1. Pile raspberries gently into baked and cooled pie crust.
   
2. In 4-cup / 1-L glass measure or small microwave bowl, combine water, sugar, and cornstarch.
   
3. Microwave at high for 2-5 minutes, stirring several times until clear and thickened.
   
4. Stir in powdered raspberry gelatin. Cool until lukewarm, about 10 minutes if you set the bowl in ice water.
   
5. Pour glaze carefully over the berries in the pie shell.
   
6. Refrigerate several hours. Serve with whipped cream.
   

—
Judy

Judy says

.......................................... Yields 12 fritters

• 1¼ cup / 300 ml flour
  
• 2 teaspoons / 20 ml baking powder
  
• ¼ teaspoon / 1 ml salt
  
• cup / 150 ml milk
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 3 apples, pared and diced to measure 2 cups / 500 ml
  

1. Blend dry ingredients.
   
2. Beat eggs and add milk. Pour into flour mixture, stirring until smooth.
   
3. Add apples to batter and blend.
   
4. Drop batter by the tablespoon into hot oil.
   
5. Cook until golden on one side. Turn and cook until done.
   
6. Drain fritters on paper towels. Roll in sugar while warm.
   

Tip:
These fritters are also known as
Obstkuchen
or fruit fritters. As another variation, use sour cherries or plums instead of apples.

—
Judy

Judy says