Pots and Pins

Money Tree...

Pots and Pins — 2010-07-30T13:56:05-07:00

Little Miss Em turned 13 and so to celebrate her birthday I gave her a money tree because every little girl needs to believe that money grows on trees!

Of course, I did attach a few jewels because nothing goes better with money than jewelry - and every little girl needs to have jewelry! Oh don't think I'm all fluff...I do think it's important to not only send well wishes but a few words of advice, so I told Emily the Facts of Life, as I know them:

1. Santa Claus is real as long as you believe.

2. The Tooth Fairy is really a gay man who collects teeth.

3. Mother Nature plays favorites.

4. Father Time will get you in the end.

5. The Gospel is true.

6. Money grows on trees...as long as you plant the right seeds. Money Seeds are not hard to find, you just need a good education to figure out what they are; hard work and dedication to nurture them and a bit of luck so they'll grow strong. In lieu of all that, marry a man with money.

Happy Birthday Emily! When your money tree is so big you need help picking, please remember your Auntie Nan!

Banana Pudding ala Magnolia Bakery...

Pots and Pins — 2010-07-28T12:37:30-07:00

A friend of mine had been in New York visiting family, on her last day there she stopped at the infamous Magnolia Bakery for a bite of yum...she ended up buying more than she could eat but could not bring herself to throw anything away. In the cab on her way to JFK she stuffed in a few more bites of cupcake, finally finishing them off but the banana pudding was still untouched. Once at the airport she completely forgot about the banana pudding that was in her carry-on - until she got to security. She pulled the pudding from her bag and walked a few feet to a garbage can to toss it - never having tasted it. She stopped herself, deciding that she had to at least have a taste and then she'd toss it, get back in line and get to her gate. A big, burly TSA guy was standing near, watching her. He saw her peel open the seal, watched her as she took her first bite, then presumably, watched as her eyes rolled back into her head. After eating half of the pudding she decided it was enough (although how one could ever decide such a thing is beyond me!) and was just about to toss it when the TSA guy stepped up and said, "You're not really going to throw that away are you? It's Magnolia's Banana Pudding!! That would just be wrong!" So my friend offered the pudding to the guy and HE TOOK IT!! And then he ate it, every last drop in about two seconds!

This is not a homemade pudding (my favorite banana pudding recipe can be found here - it's a more involved recipe, definitely worth the time though!) because it uses packaged and purchased ingredients which makes it much easier to make, however, you'll have to wait until it's chilled and set - otherwise known at banana pudding torture!

Since I was taking a batch of this to a friend as "payment" for PGA tickets - I figured it was a fair trade...I doubled the recipe so there would be plenty left over for us. The recipe below makes enough for 6 to 8 servings.

Banana Pudding - Adapted Slightly from Magnolia Bakery

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 cups ice cold water

1 (3.4-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix (preferably Jell-O brand)

3 cups heavy cream

1 (12-ounce) box Nabisco Nilla Wafers (no substitutions!)

4 cups sliced ripe bananas

2 to 3 tablespoons Banana Liquor, optional (I like the additional banana flavor from this liquor - it's beyond delicious!)

In a small bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat together the sweetened condensed milk and water until well combined, about 1 minute. Add the pudding mix and beat well, about 2 minutes more. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight, before continuing. It is very important to allow the proper amount of time for the pudding mixture to set...patience grasshopper.

In a large bowl, on medium speed of an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the pudding mixture into the whipped cream until well blended and no streaks of pudding remain. Sprinkle the banana liquor over the mixture and fold in until well blended.

To assemble the dessert, select a large, wide bowl (preferably glass) with a 4-5-quart capacity. Arrange one-third of the wafers to cover the bottom of the bowl, overlapping if necessary, then one-third of the bananas and one-third of the pudding. Repeat the layering twice more, garnishing with additional wafers or wafer crumbs on the top layer of the pudding. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours - or up to 8 hours, but no longer! - before serving.

"Have enough sense to know, ahead of time, when your skills will not extend to wallpapering." ~ Marilyn Vos Savant

Tickabox...Nicole's Quilt...

Pots and Pins — 2010-07-27T10:01:38-07:00

Nicole is one remarkable human being...She is set to leave for college this August at age 17 - having graduated high school two years early because she is so brilliant! And what makes Nicole even more amazing is she was born with a genetic disorder, requiring her to undergo dozens of surgeries throughout her life and she not only endured them, she did so with a smile and a sweet disposition. This smart, beautiful young woman is such an inspiration to her family and friends - she won my heart when, at age 12, she informed me that she wanted to be a wedding planner and was thrilled when I gave her my collection of wedding invitations that I had saved over the years! I remember thinking at the time, "Finally, someone who appreciates the trivia of my life!" Oh well, while I have not moved on, Nicole has and she no longer wants to be a wedding planner...she's probably going to be a rocket scientist, but deep down inside I know she'll always love tulle and fluff...a girl after my own heart...and I'll always love her.

Nicole loves jewel tones so that's where I started - but this top took some unexpected turns before it was finished. I began by cutting large diamond-shaped pieces from the various fabrics - but that didn't seem to work, then I cut the diamonds into quarters and resewed them, mixing up the fabrics. That worked better...and then the diamonds were sewn together on the diagonal but all those bias pieces were beginning to get a bit wavy...to stop the stretching I opted to set the points of the diamonds on the straight of grain, which made the top lose the diamond effect and now it looks like a bunch of half-rectangle-triangles sewn together...but it was either that or else she'd have a quilt that was filled with puckers (I'm sure there will still be a few but hopefully she won't notice!)

The back is pieced with scraps - okay, big scraps, but I needed to get it out the door to be quilted! When it comes back I hope I remember to take a picture before I send it off. Nicole has one more surgery before she leaves for school and I'm hoping this gets to her by then.

This quilt has been on the "drawing board" for months, so it feels really good to tick this one off the list! I can truly say this quilt was sewn with love - I hope it keeps Nicole warm and cozy while she's at school rolling around in it with her new boyfriend...I'm just saying!

Quilt Group Friday...

Pots and Pins — 2010-07-26T08:55:02-07:00

We have one quilt group member who doesn't live anywhere near the rest of us - she lives in Port Angeles, which is across the pond, over the bridge and past the Banana Belt; every year we make a trip to her home and we have so much fun getting there!

The "fish-mobile" is actually a bicycle - wouldn't be my first choice of travel - and neither would the cruise ship, you know how I feel about them!) Nor would the Seattle F.D.'s fire boat - as cute as it is!

We sailed out of Seattle on the ferry - it was picture-perfect weather! Don't I live in the most beautiful city?!? I pinch myself every time I see the Seattle skyline - it's such a great place to live...oh wait, I didn't mean that, I don't want ya'll packing up and moving here - the traffic is terrible and then there's the CONSTANT RAIN!!! You'd go crazy - best to stay where you are! The crossing to Bainbridge Island is 35 minutes and I'm still kicking myself for forgetting to stop at the Black Bird Bakery in Winslow to get their orange rolls! Now they're stuck in my brain and the only way to stop thinking about them is to go and get some!

We made a stop at the Sunshine Lavender Farm just outside of Sequim - so beautiful! They have a lavender festival in Sequim (pronounced squim) every July but we missed it by a week. The largest lavender fields in the US are here! Who knew?!? The little shop was amazing - like walking into a candy store - where all the candy is different flavors of lavender!

We also stopped at a roadside sale - it looked promising - all kinds of crappola but everything was ridiculously HIGH...as in highway robbers! Once at Terry's, the FIVE of us started our show:

Denise made four of these darling little fabric books - the first book has just pictures of dogs, the next has pictures of chickens. She also had a book with fish - so very cute - her new grand-daughter is going to love them!

Stephanie is at it again! She is the queen of scraps and nothing ever goes to waste! Just look at these darling blocks she is making! (After I got home I immediately went straight up to my cave where I dug out the scraps I had thrown in the trash...if I copy Stephanie I'll probably have TWO quilts from what I was going to toss! I just wasn't thinking clearly...I plan to in my next life.)

Terry has a new grand-daughter, Amaya, and in a month she is going to get a new grandson! So she is busy sewing up a storm for him...a new diaper bag, changing mat, and wipes holder...plus the diaper bag is filled with goodies! I may have said this before, there's nothing like a grandbaby...speaking of:

It's been a while since I've shown you my Max so I had to squeeze him in - he's a darling even if prefers enormous afghans to my handmade quilts!

It just wouldn't be quilt group without a circle quilt! This is Terry's latest - don't you just love her border fabric? It's Kaffe - works so great with her fabrics!

Terry's view can't be beat - from her deck we looked straight into the Strait of Juan De Fuca...try saying that three times fast! Terry served us tomato soup, chicken salad and for dessert, Banana Foster Bread Pudding...in a word? Incredibly delicious...one word just didn't do it justice! Thanks Terry!

That's it for today - I brought a few old quilts and my latest creation to show the group - I'll show them to you tomorrow - I know your eyes need a rest now.

Fried Pickles...

Pots and Pins — 2010-07-24T09:06:18-07:00

When the mister was wooing me (during the dark ages) he took me to a ramshackle of a place in Olive Branch, Mississippi, for lunch. The mister said they had great food...but looking at the outside of the place I had my doubts. Once inside, it wasn't much better but it did have a certain charm that put me at ease. We ordered our food - the mister requested frog legs, I began to gag, he went on to say they tasted just like chicken which only made me gag more. I ordered the daily special - fried pickles - they tasted just like pickles. I was instantly smitten with fried pickles - I loved the crunchy cornmeal outside and the pucker-y-crisp inside - and dipped in a mixture of ketchup and mustard, well, need I say it was a slice of Heaven?

These are my pickle of choice, Claussen Whole Pickles, (in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.) I like to decide if I want pickle chips or pickle slices - or both! Dipped in milk, flour, egg, then fried to a golden brown...man alive! This is down-home eatin' like nobody's bisness!!

Fried Pickles - Adapted Slightly from A Cozy Kitchen

6 whole kosher dill pickles

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole milk

2 whole beaten eggs

2/3 cup corn meal

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Cut pickles into 1/2-inch thick slices, either the long way for slices or the short way for chips. Place flour, milk, eggs, and cornmeal into separate shallow dishes. Pour the vegetable oil into a skillet and heat over medium-high heat, the oil should be between 1/4 to 1/2-inches deep in the pan, depending on the size of pan you use; if not, add more oil. When the oil is hot (test by sprinkling a little water in the oil, if it pops it's ready) start preparing the pickle chips. Dip pickles into milk, then flour, then eggs, then cornmeal. Carefully put dipped pickles into hot oil for about 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. When done, remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.

I like to eat my fried pickles with a mixture of equal parts ketchup and mustard. A Cozy Kitchen suggested eating fried pickles with Sriracha mayonnaise and you'll find her recipe for that by clicking here. Thanks Cozy Kitchen!

"When I buy cookies I just eat four and throw the rest away. But first I spray them with Raid so I won't dig them out of the garbage later. Be careful, though, because that Raid really doesn't taste that bad." ~ Janette Barber

Turkey Burgers With Red Onion-Apricot Relish...

Pots and Pins — 2010-07-22T08:16:37-07:00

Remember the episode on Seinfeld where Jerry was asked if he watched Melrose Place and he denied it? Then he had to take a lie detector test and answer questions about Melrose Place - he lied and lied until he couldn't stand it anymore and he jumped up, ripping off the testing equipment and screamed, "Alright! Alright! I watch Melrose Place!" (or something like that)...well, I won't even LET you pretend that you don't watch The Bachelorette because I KNOW you do...and guess who else watches...the mister...and he not only watches he is totally hooked!

When this season of The Bachelorette started, by some fluke, I happened to be in control of the TV remote...and I insisted that we watch it...the mister berated me, made snide comments throughout the entire show - some funny, most not - but whatever, I watched and enjoyed. You know the saying about watching a train wreck and not being able to turn away? It was much the same for me...stupid, disgusting, annoying and yet thoroughly entertaining! Well, week after week the mister was made to suffer through Ali's agonizing decision of who to send packing...and week after week the mister moaned and groaned about having to watch. (We have 6 other TV's that he could have turned on...) On Monday night he walked in the door at 7:55 and said, "Hurry up, we've got 5 minutes 'till The Bachelorette comes on...isn't this the night that Ali and Frank cry?!?"

Let's examine the facts:

The mister KNEW The Bachelorette was on Monday night.

The mister KNEW what time it started.

The mister KNEW the Bachelorette's first name.

The mister KNEW one of the Bachelor's first name.

The mister is gay. The mister is totally hooked and is rooting for Roberto, although he thinks Chris is okay but is sad that Kirk left and hopes to see Kasey and his tattoo back on TV soon!

Turkey burgers are by definition bland...so it's best to doctor them up in order to have them taste less like cardboard and more like dinner...the red onion-apricot relish is the perfect accompaniment...now we're talking good!

Turkey Burgers With Red Onion-Apricot Relish - Pots and Pins

1 1/2 lb. ground turkey

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons finely chopped red pepper

1 medium carrot, finely shredded

1 batch Red Onion-Apricot Relish, recipe below

In a large bowl combine turkey, salt, pepper, red pepper and carrots and using your hands, mix well. Shape into 4 patties. Oil grill and heat to medium heat, about 300 to 350 degrees, (disregard the giant flame coming from the center of our grill, the mister broke something so now when we grill we have Mt. Vesuvius to contend with!) until internal temperature hits 170 degrees. Try to turn burgers just once as flipping them over and over just makes them tough. Makes 4 burgers. Make relish.

Red Onion-Apricot Relish - Pots and Pins

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large red onion, thinly sliced

4 ripe apricots (the largest you can find), pitted and chopped

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil until hot. Add onions and saute for 5 minutes. Add apricots and continue to cook and stir for an additional 5 minutes. The apricots will almost "melt." Stir in sugar and apple cider vinegar. Cook for additional 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Top turkey burgers with relish. Makes 4 servings.

"Go out on a limb - that's where the fruit is." ~ Jimmy Carter

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One year ago: Watermelon-Up Cooler

Two years ago: Make-Ahead French Toast With Strawberry Sauce

Max's Book...

Pots and Pins — 2010-07-21T07:40:07-07:00

The very clever Helen introduced fabric books to our quilt group - hers were wonderful - kind of like I-Spy books and they were all different sizes - the smallest being about 3-inches square! So, sew cute! I had to make one for my Max - and his book is all about me...Baby Max lives 800 miles away and I'm quite certain he spends an inordinate amount of time each day wondering where I am! Since The Girl and SIL think it's okay to stay where they are, thereby keeping Max from me, (but I say nothing!) I have no recourse but to bombard them with pictures of me - in the hopes that when he sees me again he'll recognize me, run to me with outstretched arms, saying, "Grandma, I've missed you so!"

Max loves to eat so I chose fabric with some of his favorite foods on it... let's do some math: Max loves food + pictures of me surrounded by food = Max loves me.

Hearts of Cream and Berries...

Pots and Pins — 2010-07-20T09:38:28-07:00

Summer = weddings. So far this year I've only received TWO wedding invitations - usually I would have about a half dozen by now! Can't figure out what's going on - has the wedding business shrunk like every other business?!? This past Saturday I hosted a bridal shower for Nichole - a former piano student of mine - now she's all grown up, beautiful and terribly in love!

It was such a beautiful day! The sun was shining and the mister decided he would work in the yard...he went out to reclaim the jungle just as the guests were arriving! I had visions of him walking past the living room windows - shirtless - thereby scarring the young bride for life - so he was banished to the back forty and told he could NOT come in until everyone had left...but the mister, dripping wet with sweat and looking like he'd been beaten by a band of merry magpies couldn't stay hidden in the bushes forever so just as the shower was ending he waltzed in and started "mingling" like it was HIS party! Fortunately I was able to get him upstairs before he did any damage to anyone's psyche!

Here's a pic of Nichole as she is watching a video of her beloved...He was asked questions about Nichole and she had to answer like he would. Nichole started this little game wearing a "custom-made" veil that was quite long - for every wrong answer a chunk of it was cut off...as you can see, her veil was rather short when the game ended!

She is such a darling girl and she's going to make a beautiful bride!

For the shower I served Brazilian Lemonade, fruit and my favorite bridal shower dessert...heart-shaped Butter-cream scones, light and sweet, split in half and spread with vanilla pastry cream and sweetened, mashed strawberries...it's every bit as good as it sounds!

Hearts of Cream and Berries - Pots and Pins

This recipe makes 24 servings, but you can cut the ingredients in half to make a dozen.

3 batches of Butter-Cream Scones, recipe Here. Instead of cutting scones into wedges, use a heart-shaped cookie cutter.

1 batch of Vanilla Pastry Cream, below

3 pints of fresh strawberries, stems removed, cut into small pieces. If berries are sweet then add 2 tablespoons of sugar and mix well. If berries are still a bit tart, add up to 1/4 cup of sugar. Allow to sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.

24 plastic (or real) diamond rings, optional!

Vanilla Pastry Cream - Adapted from Baking Illustrated

4 cups half-n-half

2/3 cup sugar

2 pinches salt

10 large egg yolks

6 tablespoons corn starch

1 stick cold, unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

3 teaspoons vanilla

Heat half-n-half, 1/2 cup of the sugar and the salt in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until simmering, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined. Whisk in the remaining sugar and whisk until the sugar has begun to dissolve and the mixture is creamy, about 15 seconds. Whisk in the cornstarch until combined and the mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 30 seconds.

When the half-n-half mixture reaches a full simmer, gradually whisk the simmering half-n-half into the yolk mixture to temper. Return the mixture to the saucepan, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula; return to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until a few bubbles burst on the surface and the mixture is thickened and glossy, about 30 seconds. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and vanilla. Strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until cold and set. At least 3 hours or up to 2 days.

To assemble: Cut heart-shaped scones in half. On bottom half spread about 1 1/2 tablespoons of Vanilla Pastry Cream. On top of cream, spoon 2 tablespoons of the strawberries. Top with other half of scone and gently press a plastic diamond ring into the center. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, optional.

Tickabox...Baby Quilt

Pots and Pins — 2010-07-19T07:54:46-07:00

Another boxed ticked...another project finished. This one has only been in the works for a year - The Girl started this baby quilt, cut out the blocks and was going to sew it up but either she forgot or she thought if she left it then good old mom would finish it up for her. She was half right...good old mom DID sew it up but not for her!

The baby this was originally for is now too big, this is just a small quilt, 40x40, so I'll save it for the next baby girl who comes along...perhaps The Girl will have one? Perhaps by this time next year I'll have a granddaughter and Baby Max will have a sister? Perhaps The Girl can take a hint? But I say nothing!

Different pink fabrics with a flannel backing - so soft! This is my favorite baby quilt to make - sews up quick - it's called Big Baby Star by Linda Johnson, you can order a copy for yourself by clicking here. I'm sure my new granddaughter will love it...if it's not moth-eaten by the time she arrives! But that would take years and years and surely she'll be here before then! But I say nothing!

This is where the new little quilt will stay, until it's called into service. It's cushioning my new doll, who happens to look just like The Girl did when she was little...and she looks like my nieces did, too, so I just had to have her. Notice my Mickey Mouse phone? Picked it up at a garage sale for $7 and it works great!!! If the phone rings while I'm upstairs I always run into my imaginary baby's room to answer it so I can use my Mickey phone - it makes talking on the phone fun, even if I'm talking to the mister!

Before I go and start my daily routine of cleaning, cooking, weeding, slaving, here's a sneak peak at what I've been working on for a while now...I'm not sure I like it, it doesn't "speak" to me...yet...

I'm hoping to get the strips sewn together this week and then I'll go in search of some border fabric...yes, I KNOW most quilters think about these things BEFORE they begin their quilts...but my thinker just doesn't work that way...so wish me luck!

Best Coconut Pie Crust and Meringue Topping...

Pots and Pins — 2010-07-18T10:04:53-07:00

So many pies would taste better with a coconut pie crust instead of a graham crust...including a coconut pie - how could more coconut flavor be wrong? Or how about lemon pie, chocolate pie, frozen strawberry pie, banana-cream pie, or my personal favorite, key lime pie? A coconut crust dresses it up, gives it an extra bit of sweetness and will always be met with a happy, surprised smile followed quickly by an "mmm-mmmmm."

Click on Key Lime Pie to see the best recipe in the world...no lie, it's a tried and true crowd pleaser. The crust I have always used to make that pie was is a coconut-graham crust. But I'm not in love with the graham cracker taste...so after many attempts I finally came up with the perfect coconut crust...instead of graham crackers I used ground almonds...basically it's a recipe for an altered Almond Joy...and it's dang, dang, dang, dang, dang good! 5 dangs on the ol' meter...easy to make, crunchy and chewy to eat...you may want to just skip the filling of the crust because it's a dessert all by itself! Fill it with whatever filling you like - it will only make your pie taste better - I promise.

Best Coconut Pie Crust - Pots and Pins

3 cups sweetened shredded coconut

3/4 cup ground almonds (1 cup of whole almonds yields about 3/4 cup ground)

pinch salt

1/4 cup melted butter, plus more for greasing pie pan

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a food processor, process almonds until very small pieces are left, but is mostly flour-like. Add in coconut, salt and melted butter. Pulse a few times until mixture comes together in large pieces. Remove from processor and pour contents into a greased pie pan. Using buttered hands, or the back of a buttered spoon, press crust mixture onto bottom of pan and up the sides. Bake in 325 degree oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until crust is a golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before filling with your favorite pie filling.

Let's talk about meringues, shall we? I've learned the hard way - going through dozens and dozens of eggs before I discovered the secret to making a great meringue topping...if ONLY someone would have told me sooner - just think of all the eggs/chickens I could have saved! Oh well, what's done is done, no use clucking over it now! Below are my tips for making a perfect meringue - no weeping, no water drops, no separating, no runs, no drips no errors!

How to Make the Best Meringue Topping:

There are a lot of sites that will tell you how to make a perfect meringue, but only one that truly explains every little detail, click on Perfect Meringues for expert help.

Meanwhile, here's my quick run-down for making meringues:

1. Start with cold eggs, straight from the refrigerator, they will separate easier.

2. If you happen to get any of the yolk into the whites you'll be doomed for failure - the yolk will prevent the whites from being whipped to new heights...so toss and start again.

3. Wait 30 minutes before whipping the egg whites it's long enough for those egg whites to come to room temperature, this way they will whip up lighter and higher

4. Use a stainless steel, copper or a glass bowl - never use a plastic bowl which can hold oily residue. Make sure your bowl and beaters are clean and DRY - meringues hate moisture!

5. Begin by putting the egg whites in the bowl of your electric mixer, and beat on high. Do NOT add anything at the beginning, no sugar, no cream of tartar, no vanilla...yes, vanilla - it's heavenly in meringues! If you add these ingredients at the beginning it will just take longer to whip.

6. When the meringues are whipped to soft peaks, add in 2 tablespoons of sugar PER EGG...so if you're using 8 egg whites (my recommendation for a perfect meringue) then you would add 1cup of sugar (there are 4 tablespoons per 1/4 cup). I prefer to use superfine sugar as it dissolves faster. Do not use powdered sugar is you will be using cream of tartar.

7. After adding the sugar, beat in 1 teaspoon (if using 8 egg whites) of cream of tartar, which is a binding agent. (Use 1/8 teaspoon of cream of tartar per egg white). Then beat in 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla.

8. Add meringue to the top of a warm/hot pie - it will prevent weeping and shrinkage, and bake immediately.

9. Bake meringue at 325 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Over-baking will make the meringue chewy and will cause it to weep so check it at 15 minutes, you want the top to be slightly browned.

10. Meringue only lasts about two days and then starts to break down...but we've never had that problem as it always gets eaten!