Saturday, March 30, 2013

Weekend Cooking: Easter baskets and pie!

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I can remember to Easters of my past, waking up at my Grandma Bruch's house with a huge basket next to my bed from the Easter bunny.  My basket overflowed with green, shiny grass with chocolate bunnies, oval malted eggs and jelly beans of every color poking through the grass.  On top looped on the sides was always something to wear for Easter servies at my grandmother's Lutheran church.  I remember a beautiful Easter bonnet, a pair of white gloves, and black patent leather Mary Janes nesting in my basket in different years.

I loved those baskets filled with simple joy and thought it certainly equaled Mary Magdalene's thrill at seeing Jesus out of the tomb.  I've kept this tradition going with my own children although I don't fill their baskets with as much candy as I remember from my baskets.  They do usually have an item in their basket to wear for church although as they get older it is difficult to thrill them.  College boy is partial to picking his own clothes which leaves me to stock his basket with a packet of white T's and AE boxer shorts for the last few years.

Groovy Girl, on the other hand, adores the clothes I pick for her.  This year I've heard that the Easter bunny is bringing her a pair of {audible gasp} high heel patent leather Mary Janes.  She's 10 and I've never really allowed her to wear something with a heal even though she's begged and pleaded.  I think she's going to love them!  I predict she's going to dance with them on all the way across the hardwood floors at 6:10 a.m. as we prepare to head across town for our sunrise service. She'll probably have chocolate in her mouth as she twirls

Our Easter celebration will end with this pie because what says Springtime more than bright yellow lemons:



Aunt Betty Jean's Lemon Pie
Sweety Pies; an uncommon collection of Womanish observations with pie by Patty Pinner

One 9-inch single Flaky Pie Crust, rolled out, fitted into a pie plate, and edge trimmed and crimped

1 cup sugar
1 T unbleached all-purpose flour
4 large eggs, beaten
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup (1/2 stick), unsalted butter, melted
1 T. grated lemon rind
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Whipped cream and thinly sliced rinds for garnish

Makes one 9-inch pie

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare the pie crust and set aside.  (I made the pie crust already but am not including the recipe from the book as it is a pretty standard pie crust recipe-if you really want this one request it in the comments section and I'll see that you get it)

In a medium-size bowl, combine the sugar and the flour, then add the beaten eggs and corn syrup, mixing well.  Stir in the melted butter, lemon rind, and juice.  Pour the filling into the crust, place in the oven, and bake until the crust is golden, 45 to 50 minutes.  Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Garnish each serving with a dollop of freshly whipped cream and a thin twist of lemon rind.

Oh, my!  Pie.

This post is linked to Beth Fish Reads weekend cooking meme.  Click her link to find many other food-related posts to brighten your Easter Weekend.





8 comments:

jama said...

You can say that again. Oh my, pie! Love lemons.

I remember my childhood Easter baskets with fondness too. But we never got something to wear to church, certainly not patent leather shoes. :)

Joy said...

The lemon pie sounds perfect for Easter! Our Easter baskets never included something to wear -- what a fun tradition!

Joy's Book Blog

(Diane) bookchickdi said...

I loved reading about your Easter traditions; how nice that you carried it on with your family. Happy Easter!

Uniflame said...

I never had an Easter basket, but we did chocolate egg searching in the house. The lemon pie sounds wonderful!

Beth F said...

Lemon!! Yes, you know who I love lemon. What a great Easter basket. What a fun, fun surprise for the girl. I bet she was thrilled.

Yvonne @ Fiction Books Reviews said...

Hi Michelle,

Thanks for stopping by Fiction Books this week. I love 'meeting' new people, so your visits will always be welcome and your comments always appreciated.

Hubbie is not a great dessert eater, so I tend to confine my sweet tooth moments for when we go out to eat, so that I don't feel quite so guilty tucking in whilst he sits with a cup of coffee!

Lemon is one of my favourite flavours for dessert, (after anything with a hint of coffee flavour) so your lemon pie recipe sounds good. Nice and cleansing on the palate after a meal.

We didn't do Easter baskets as children, I don't think that this is such a tradition over here in the UK, however all the children these days seem to be involved in Easter Egg Hunts of one kind or another.

I hope that all the family had a great day.

Yvonne

Esme said...

Lemon Pie sounds perfect for Easter. It is a lovely flavour year round.

Christine said...

I love your Easter basket memories. I have similar ones. :)

I think I have to pick up this cookbook--I love pies and this one looks just irresistible. I believe I saw another "review" of it somewhere recently.. not sure if it was Weekend Cooking or not, but I'm sold!