Whoa, wait a minute... no one told ME!

Seriously, Sunday was National Pie Day? Where was I? 

Pies are my favorite form of baking, followed closely by muffins, cake and 

home made ice cream. (Okay, so not baking but still home made)

I think the occasion should be honored by releasing the the super secret 

Magic Lemon Meringue Pie recipe.I know, I know, if you grew up anywhere 

between '55 and '75 your mom could get this off the label of sweetened condensed milk. 

But hey, they don't print it on there anymore so this little gem is priceless!

You can play it safe and make it just as the recipe says, but rev up that inner 

Suzy Homemaker and do what my family always does... 1-1/2 times it! 

Makes it just right for an eight inch square pan.

But here's the recipe for the traditional 8" round pie:

Magic Lemon Meringue Pie

1 (8-inch round) graham cracker crust 
(YOU make, NOT purchased! Buy the crumbs, read the box) 
2 eggs, separated (save whites for meringue)

1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk

fresh lemons squeezed to make 1/2 cup, 6 lemons? 

(or can use Realemon reconstituted lemon juice) 

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1/4 c. sugar

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

1. In medium bowl, beat egg yolks; stir in sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice. 

2. Turn into pie shell. 

3. In small bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy; gradually add sugar, 

beating until stiff but not dry. 

4. Spread meringue on top of pie sealing carefully to edge of shell. 

5. Bake 15 minutes or until meringue is golden brown. Cool completely then refrigerate. 

Makes 6 servings. Refrigerate leftovers (hah! there won't be any)

Rules of the Road

I kept quiet over the holidays, hoping to stay on the "nice" list, but enough is enough.


Where is Drivers Ed for guys with shopping carts? (you know what I'm talking about.) 


Here are some simple rules they just don't get:
1. YOU DO NOT stop your cart in the middle of the aisle.
2. YOU DO NOT park on the left side to look at items on the right.
3. YOU DO NOT stop across from another cart and block access down the aisle.


Almost every big box home improvement store has carts now. Heck, even a a test drive around Target won't strip you of your manhood. What's that phrase... practice, practice, practice?


I'm telling you this for your own good because YOU DO NOT want to break the rules while at your local grocery store in an aisle full of moms with their kids trying to make that quick trip to the store for the forgotten dinner ingredient so they can get home and get everyone fed before teacher's conference or ball practice or homework or bath time or date night... 


Remember the look your mom gave you when you went outside to play in your t-shirt after she told you to put on a jacket? Just multiply that by a gazillion. This is my word of warning to you.

Service Call

So it's not enough that I had to deal with my fridge freezing food over the holidays. 
(An iced chunk of 1/2 & 1/2 tends to cool your coffee fast) 


But now on top of that is the issue of getting the repairman out.


I was given a half hour window in which they would call to give me a two hour window for when the guy may show up. Not to mention I had to beg to narrow it down to am or pm.


Now I'm sitting here trying to imagine that same conversation with my one of my clients -- whoops -- I wouldn't have clients if I had that conversation!