A Full Plate

Long time no blog. At least not here. Recently, I agreed to be a blogger for the Love is Murder mystery writer conference in Chicago. If you want to read that blog go to www.loveismurder.net and there is link from there. It's on the Ning space for LIM. LIM is an amazing conference in early February. It is there that last year I met and signed with an agent for my YA mystery.

But I didn't mean to neglect this blog so badly. Especially when I have some fun food related things to share.

My family attended Civil War days at Graue Mill a few weeks ago in Hinsdale, IL. The 10th Illinois is actually the unit we reenacted with before we adopted my son. We plan to return when he is a bit older. At the Mill that day, which was part of the Underground Railroad and a key site in my YA mystery, there were some hands on exhibits for kids. My son loved the 'pie making' with felt, pompoms and foam. I could barely drag him away. So we had to stop at Jo-Anns on the way home and get supplies so he could do this at home. Long time readers of this blog will note that his felt pie looks better than most of my attempts at pie-making!

I've squeezed in a few date outings with my husband and you know that always means antiquing. I found Farm Journal's Complete Pie Cookbook, from 1965. It says "popular edition" on the cover - as opposed to - ? We all know that any vintage cookbook is not complete without a few good prune recipes, so enjoy:

Prune Meringue Pie

"One look, one delicious taste-this old fashioned pie is a great success"

(Amy's note: At what - cleaning your intestines?)

Baked 8" pie shell

1 c. sugar

1/4 c. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. boiling water

2 eggs, separated

3 tblsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. grated lemon peel

2 tbslp. butter or margarine

1 c. cooked pitted prunes (really, does anyone leave the pits in?), drained (gross)

Meringue (2 egg whites)

Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in boiling water. Cook over direct heat until mixture thickens and boils, stirring constantly.

Place in double boiler and cook 10 minutes. Beat egg yolks slightly; gradually beat in hot mixture until half of it has been added. Pour Quickly into mixture in double boiler; cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from hot water and blend in lemon juice and peel and butter. Cool.

Arrange prunes in cool pie shell. (would loved to have seen a picture of this)

Pour lemon mixture over prunes. (Mmmmm)

Top with Meringue.

Bake in moderate oven (350) 12 - 15 minutes, or until browned. Cool.

I just read Dave Case's Out of Cabrini as he came to my library for a CSI program. Raw and riveting. Dave is a policeman, and brings everything he has seen to his writing.