Go. Eat. Enjoy.

Poking around on the interwebs this morning, I came across this contest. I don't really need the excuse of a contest to share this recipe with you, but who doesn't love a good contest? And this is some truly fantastic pie. The recipe for Butterscotch Meringue Pie is my Grama's recipe. She grew up as the only daughter in a house full of boys (eight of them, actually) and my Grama could COOK. I don't know that this recipe is any family secret so I won't toy with you by not including all the ingredients or some evil cooking-show-type trick like that. Grama loved to bake and cook and have people in for meals (she once fed two runaway rapscallions...but that's a story for another day), so I'm sure she would be pleased to share this recipe with you if she could.*

Butterscotch Meringue Pie (Most of the time, I just make the filling and we serve it as pudding, but special occasions call for Real Pie; suit yourself):

Ingredients:

1/3 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar (use dark if you have it)
1 c. boiling water
1/4 c. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
1 2/3 c. cold milk (we use fat free which works just fine, but use whatever you like)
3 eggs, separated
1 tsp. vanilla
1 9-inch baked pie shell (regular or graham crust - whatever)
6 Tbsp. sugar

Directions:

For the filling:
1) Separate the eggs into two bowls and set aside.

2) Combine the cornstarch and salt and 1/3 c. of the milk. Once that's combined, add the rest of the milk and stir, making sure the cornstarch is dissolved.

3) Then, in a large saucepan, brown the butter. Really, brown it.

4) Add the brown sugar and, stirring constantly, 'boil' it until it's almost burnt (this will give you the best flavour).

5) Add the boiling water to the sugar/butter mix and stir until all the sugar is dissolved.

6) Stir in the milk/cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil over medium heat for 2 minutes.

7) Temper the egg yolks by adding a couple scoops of the hot milk mixture and stirring, then add them to the filling. Cook 2-3 minutes longer or until the filling starts to thicken.

8) Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool slightly and pour into pie shell.


For the meringue:
1) Beat the egg whites in a mixer until soft peaks form.

2) Add the sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

3) Spread the meringue over the pie filling and bake at 350 degrees until the meringue is golden brown.

This is homemade pie at its homemade-iest and it is fabulous. Go. Eat. Enjoy.


*Also, it is snowing LIKE. CRAZY. today and this pie is the perfect thing to top off a soup and breadsticks dinner on a cold, snowy night.