Paige’s Favorite Meringue

4 egg whites, room temperature

1 t vanilla extract

¼ t cream of tartar

Pinch table salt

1 cup sugar

1.   Preheat oven to 200°.  Place egg whites, vanilla extract, cream of tartar, and salt in the large stainless steel bowl.  Begin whipping with an electric hand mixer set on medium speed.

2.   Whip until soft peaks form about 6 minutes (this could vary depending on the power of your mixer).  You have soft peaks when a spoonful of whites makes a peak that stands up but isn’t stiff. 

3.   Increase speed to medium=high and begin adding sugar 1 T at a time; beat 20-30 seconds between additions to dissolve.  It takes about 9 minutes to blend in sugar and achieve stiff, glossy peaks.

Old-Fashioned Peach Crisp

5 cling peaches (2 lbs.), peeled and cut into medium slices
½ t grated lemon rind
1 T lemon juice
1/4C granulated sugar                                                                                  Yields:  6 servings
1t ground cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg

For the topping:
3/4C cups flour
¼C + 2T  granulated sugar
¼ C + 2T light brown sugar, packed
¼ t teaspoon salt
½ C oatmeal
6 T cold unsalted butter, diced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter (or spray pam) on a 8x8 baking dish.

Peel, and cut the peaches into medium wedges. Combine the peaches with the zest, juice, sugar                                    and spices.  Pour into the baking dish.

To make the topping, combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and                                                                                      using a pastry cutter, cut in the cold butter until the mixture is crumbly                                                                                       and the butter is the size of peas. Scatter evenly over the peaches.  Do not press in

The Best Ever...Donuts

2 T dry active yeast

1/2 C lukewarm water (test on wrist)

1 C vegetable oil

1 C milk

3/4 C sugar

5 egg yolks

5 C boiling water

1/2 t salt

12 to 13 C flour, or as is needed to make a  soft  dough

1.        Sprinkle the yeast over the lukewarm water and stir gently to mix some of the yeast with the water.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap until foamy (10-20 min.)  If it does not foam that means the yeast was already dead or you killed it!!

2.        Pour the boiling water over the oil, sugar, milk and salt.  Cool to lukewarm (test on wrist first, after it cools for 15 or so minutes) before adding the eggs.  If you add the eggs too soon, you will cook the eggs.

3.        Beat egg yolks in a small bowl before adding to the oil, sugar and milk mixture.  Combine thoroughly.

4.        Start with stirring in 9C flour with a wooden spoon, then add as needed.  The ball of dough should be somewhat sticky but never dry.   Put flour on your hands and work the dough in a kneading motion until soft and pliable.

5.        Put the ball of dough in a clean large bowl that you have put 1T of oil in the bottom.  Flip the ball in the oil so that it covers the top and sides (a crust will not develop on the dough if well oiled) and wrap tightly.  Let rise about 2 hours or until double in size.  We usually let it rise in the refrigerator overnight.

6.        Take dough out of refrigerator and let rise 1/2 hour before cutting into doughnut shapes.  Let doughnuts rise until almost double before frying at 375 degrees until golden brown on both sides.  Drain on paper towels as soon as it comes out of the hot oil.

POSSIBLE TOPPINGS:            As soon as they are fried, drain on a paper towel and then roll into the sugar/cinnamon sugar.  Allow to cool somewhat before dipping one whole side into the glaze.  Set on a cooling rack to cool…. if they last that long!!

a.           Sugar topped

b.           Cinnamon sugar topped

c.           Maple glazed

d.           Vanilla glazed

e.           Chocolate glazed