Got Pinched.

I got pinched today.  We took the Tahoe in for a routine oil change and "check up" before our road trip to Indiana and got the dreaded "we have a few recommendations" call.  We knew it was coming.  She (yes, our Tahoe is a she.  In fact, her name is Babette.) just rolled 100k miles.  We've been taking good care of her.  But today, it was everything.  Things were leaking, cracked, and we needed tires.  We got hit with a wowsa of a bill.  :(

After some crying in the parking lot and talking things over with the two men I love the most, Adam and Dad, I dried my tears and sulked my way home.  Adam's family is in town and we are all preparing to head up to Indiana to spend a week at the lake.  Luckily they watched the girls (actually, the girls entertained them!) and I got to go workout and run errands ALL BY MYSELF!!!  Weeeee! 

I'm so blessed to have family and friends that helped pick me up and encouraged me today.  We're just having some growing pains.  Our family is growing.  Our house is not.  Our cars are not.  And this is just a rough time to be growing.  We're going to make it.  And I hope everyone else out there that is feeling a pinch in this nasty economy knows that they are going to make it, too.  If not, I have a long list of family and friends that you can call and they will make you feel like a million bucks!

Nothing makes you feel better than doing something for someone else.  I made a coconut cream pie for my neighbor, Tony.  He's such a great guy.  He's getting married this September and he's been so helpful.  I hope he likes this pie as much as I do.  It was hard to make it and give it away. 

Coconut Cream Pie

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

3 cups milk

4 egg yolks slightly beaten

2 Tbsp margarine

2 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup flaked coconut

In a pot on the stove, mix the sugar, cornstarch, and salt.  In a small bowl, whisk the milk and yolks together and gradually add to mixture.  Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until thick and boiling.  Let it boil for 1 minute and then remove from heat.  Stir in butter, vanilla, and coconut.  Pour into pie shell and set aside. 

Meringue

Beat the 4 egg whites in a clear glass bowl.  Add 1/4 tsp of cream of tartar.  White running the beaters, slowly add 1/2 a cup of sugar, little by little.  Beat until stiff and glossy.  You should be able to make little peaks with the beaters.  Heap onto pie and spread around.  Make sure it touches the crust.  Use the back of the spoon to make little peaks.  Sprinkle top with a few coconut flakes and bake at 400 for 10 minutes. 

Pie Dough

this is my Grandma Margaret's (Gigi) recipe

2 cups of flour

1 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

2/3 cup of shortening

Mix in a bowl the flour, sugar, and salt.  Cut in the shortening until the mixture is crumbly.  Add enough COLD water to moisten.  (6-8 Tbsp).  The mixture should form into a sticky dough.  Sprinkle the counter with flour and roll the dough out with a rolling pin.  Put dough in pie plate and but something like pinto beans in the bottom to keep from bubbling.  Bake dough at 475 for 8-10 minutes.  Remove beans after about 5 minutes.  Now it is ready to fill with filling.

This is enough dough for two cream pies or one pie with a bottom and top crust.  If you have leftover dough, roll it out and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and cut into squares and you have dough cookies!  (Bake for about 8-10 minutes)

Enjoy!  Love to all!

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