MARY ELLEN’S CUSTARD PIE

This recipe is from my cookbook. It is a great recipe for summer as you can add a topping of fresh fruit or enjoy it chilled as is.

MARY ELLEN’S CUSTARD PIE

My maternal grandmother was an excellent cook. She ran a boarding house during the depression and served food that was so good the neighbors would pay to eat at her house. I remember her custard pie.  It is a classic all American dish, simple easy and good.

Preheat oven to 400 F

INGREDIENTS

1          unbaked 9 deep dish inch pie shell

4          eggs at room temperature, 1 separated – white reserved

¾         cup of sugar

½         teaspoon of salt

1 ½      teaspoons of vanilla extract

2          cups milk

½         cup cream

Fresh grated nutmeg

In a large bowl take three of the eggs and one egg yolk and beat until mixed well.  Add the sugar and salt and mix thoroughly.  Combine milk and cream in large glass measuring cup and microwave until scalded- about 2- 3 minutes.  Slowly drizzle about ½ cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking.  Once tempered, slowly add the rest of the hot milk while whisking.  Add vanilla. Prepare the pie shell by whisking the remaining egg white and lightly brushing the pie shell on the bottom and the side. This will help keep the crust flaky and not soggy.  Do not brush the fluted edges or they will burn.  Pour custard into pie shell grate nutmeg over pie and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 28-30 minutes.  Pie should be set and knife inserted into the middle will come out clean with no liquid.  Do not over bake.  Let pie cool and then place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour.   Serve as is or add a dollop of whipped cream.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did growing up.

SALAD DRESSINGS

            SALAD DRESSINGS

I always like to make salad dressing when I have the time.  A freshly made dressing really sets off the taste of those crisp summer greens!

Old Fashioned 1000 Island

2 cups of Mayonnaise

1 cup of good ketchup

3 hardboiled eggs

¼ teaspoon Dijon Mustard

¾ cup of Sweet Pickle Relish

½ cup of finely diced onion

Mix the Mayonnaise and the ketchup with a whisk so they are combined smooth.  Add the mustard and whisk again.  Chop the eggs so they are small pieces and reserve.  Add the remaining ingredients and stir to mix.  Fold in the chopped eggs and taste for salt.  Chill at least one hour before serving.

STEAK HOUSE BLEU CHEESE

Use a good Bleu Cheese like Gorgonzola or Maytag.

1 cup of Mayonnaise

1 cup of sour cream

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 teaspoon of salt

½ teaspoon of black pepper

8 oz. of Bleu Cheese

Fresh cream

Combine everything but the cheese and whisk until smooth.  Crumble in the cheese and stir gently.  If the dressing is too thick add some fresh cream to get the right consistency.  This will develop more flavor as it sits.

These two are some of my favorites - along with homemade ranch. Yes THAT Ranch!!

OLD FASHIONED POTATO SALAD

Potato Salad - so many versions so many possibilities.  Yet for me my favorite is the one that my Mother made.  Food can conjure up memories faster than anything else!  This is the Potato Salad I grew up eating.

Tips:  Boil the potatoes in the skin.  But wash them first like you would a baked potato.  I also cut out blemishes and dark spots before cooking.  To allow the potatoes to cook at the same rate I slice the potato into four thick slices of equal thickness.  This allows for more surface area and they cook quicker.

2 -4 pounds of Idaho Potatoes - Russets

1 white onion diced

8 hardboiled eggs

Mayonnaise - 1/2 to 1 cup

Dijon Mustard - 1 teaspoon

After you cook the potatoes sock them in an ice bath and let them get to room temperature.  Do the same for the eggs.  (See the post on perfect hard boiled eggs to get eggs.)

Peel the potatoes and cut into small bite size pieces.  Put in a large mixing bowl add the diced onion and then cut the eggs.  Use any method that works for you.  (Paula Deen just smashes them in her hands.  But I prefer sliced in six wedges and then chopped.)  Add the eggs to the bowl.

Mayonnaise – how much to add is up to you and your tastes.  I like a salad that is moist but not soupy.  Add the mustard and then mix it in.  Taste for seasoning.  You may have to add some salt and pepper.  I usually wait until the salad has time for the flavors to marry.  I also adjust the amount of mayo then too.

Let the salad chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Variations – You can add small dice of Cheddar Cheese and some green onions.

I have also added Crab or Lobster to serve as entrée on hot day.

Try this with Purple Potatoes for a great Halloween dish!

Note – I do NOT add salt to the water to cook the potatoes.  If you do your salad will have too much salt.  Both the Mayo and mustard have salt and you can always add more if needed but you can’t take it out!