Dinner Stats and Lemon Pie Recipe

We served 510 for our roast beef dinner last night, although we plan for 600 because you never know exactly how many people are going to show up each week.  We are averaging 530 per week so far this year.  Our leftovers are either frozen for later use, or shared with the WAVI shelter or the Cornerstone Mission.  Here’s how much food it takes to feed 600:

310 pounds eye of round roasts (seasoned and roasted for 5 hours)

600 Idaho baking potatoes (coated with olive oil and kosher salt), 30 pounds sour cream, 20 pounds shredded cheddar cheese

40 pounds lettuce, 60 tomatoes, 36 cucumbers, 2 gallons salad dressing

72 pounds green beans

55 homemade chocolate cream pies with graham cracker crust

40 homemade lemon meringue pies (with premade pastry crusts from Sysco)

I had several requests for the lemon pie recipe, so here it is.

BEST EVER LEMON MERINGUE PIE

□   1 baked 10 inch pie shell
□   1 1/2 c. sugar
□   1 1/2 c. water
□   1/2 tsp. salt
□   1/2 c. cornstarch
□   1/3 c. water
□   4 eggs, separated
□   1/2 c. lemon juice
□   3 tbsp. butter
□   1 tsp. grated lemon peel
□   1 tsp. vanilla

Combine sugar and water with salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Mix cornstarch with 1/3 cup water to make a paste; add to the boiling mixture slowly, stirring constantly; cook until thick and clear. Remove from heat.

Beat egg yolks, add lemon juice and stir into thickened mixture. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture bubbles. Remove from heat and add lemon peel, butter and vanilla. Cool.

MERINGUE:

Combine and cook in saucepan until thick, stirring constantly:

½ cup water

2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp cornstarch

Beat 4 egg whites at high speed, gradually adding 6 Tbsp sugar until stiff peaks form.  Add the cooled, cooked mixture and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla.

Pour filling into baked pie shell and top with meringue, making sure it goes to edges. Bake in a slow oven, 350 degrees F. about 12-15 minutes, until lightly brown on top.

If you need to make lots of pies:

BEST EVER LEMON MERINGUE PIE

6 pies: make 6 times

□   6 baked 10 inch pie shells
□   9 c. sugar
□   9 c. water
□   1 Tbsp salt
□   3 c. cornstarch
□   2 c. water
□   24 eggs, separated
□   3 c. lemon juice (about 12 lemons)
□   1 cup plus 2 tbsp. butter
□   2 Tbsp grated lemon peel (from about 6 lemons)
□   2 Tbsp vanilla

Combine sugar and water with salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Mix cornstarch and 2 cups water to make a paste; add to the boiling mixture slowly, stirring constantly; cook until thick and clear. Remove from heat.

Beat egg yolks, add lemon juice and stir into thickened mixture. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture bubbles. Remove from heat and add lemon peel, butter and vanilla. Cool.

MERINGUE:  For 36 pies. Make in 4 batches, otherwise it’s too much for the mixer

Combine and cook until thick, stirring constantly:

18 cup water

4 ½ cups sugar

2 ¼ cups cornstarch

Beat 144 egg whites (12 dozen) at high speed, gradually adding 13 ½ cups sugar until stiff peaks form.

Add cooled, cooked mixture and 6 Tbsp vanilla.

Pour filling into baked pie shell and top with meringue, making sure it goes to edges. Bake at 350 degrees F. about 12-15 minutes, until lightly brown on top.