ICE CREAM PIE DAY: Retro Ad & Recipe

Today is Ice Cream Pie Day! Perfect weather to celebrate! This Baker's Ads with recipe is from 1953, and the recipe is still great. I've made it. Love that "It's a dream with cherry vanilla ice cream!" That's a blast from the past. Today I make it with Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia--love the extra chocolate chunks! Also good with Chunky Monkey.. Bananas, coconut and chocolate.. what could be wrong? Also, you'll love the Chocolate-Coconut Crust.

Cartoon of the Day: Honey Bee Day

Today is National Honey Bee Day. Here's a great cartoon from my favorite cartoonist -
Hilary Price at Rhymes with Orange. What's your favorite honey?

SAILOR JERRY SPICED CHEESECAKE BROWNIES: National Rum Day

I love the Sailor Jerry Recipe Ads. The ads may be a bit 'spicy' for some tastes, but not the tasty spicy recipes. So what better Recipe Ad to post on National Rum Day than one for Sailor Jerry Spiced Cheesecake Brownies.

Don't want to Bake? Make one of these Sailor Jerry Rum Drinks!

CHOCOLATE LEMON MERINGUE PIE: Pie in the Sky!

Today is National Meringue Pie Day and what could be better than a Chocolate Lemon Meringue Pie. I love lemon and chocolate!  (Photo is from a Vintage ad for "Jello" pie filling, but I use Meyer Lemon Curd for the filling.)

There are so many recipes for Lemon Meringue Pie. You can make your own lemon filling and your own pie shell, but here's a simple and easy recipe that uses Chocolate Ganache (I always have some in the freezer--but you can make fresh), artisan Meyer Lemon Curd from a jar, and a pre-made pie shell (I use Trader Joe's pie dough). O.K. you'll be making the meringue, but that's o.k. it's fun and fast.

EASY CHOCOLATE LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Directions
Use a pre-made 9" pie shell. Prick and bake as directed.
Let Pie shell cool.
Add a layer of Chocolate Ganache (see chocolate ganache recipe). Warm it up first, so you can easily spread evenly to the edges.
Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Warm Lemon Curd (to allow it to spread easily) and then add it to make a layer on top of the chocolate ganache. Spread gently and evenly to the edges--don't mix the two, if possible.
Top with Meringue (see directions below)
Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.

Meringue Topping:
4 egg whites
Pinch of cream of tartar
2 Tbsp sugar

Whisk together egg whites and cream of tartar in bowl of mixer. Beat whites until peaks form and then gradually add sugar. Keep beating mixture until stiff peaks form-about one to two minutes.
Using a spoon, place spoonfuls of meringue over surface of entire filling. Meringue should cover the filling completely to edge of crust.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes --until meringue has golden tips.
Remove pie from oven and place on wire rack to cool before slicing.

Happy Lemon Meringue Pie Day!