Recipe: Marie Callender's Lemon Cream Cheese Pie and Lemon Meringue Pie (not the one asked for)

Marie Callender's Lemon Cream Cheese Pie

CRUST:
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted

CREAM CHEESE LAYER:
12 ounces cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 tablespoon cold water

LEMON TOPPING:
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
4 egg yolks, beaten
5 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter

Mix all crust ingredients together and shape in a 9" greased pie pan. Bake at 375 F for 6 - 8 minutes remove from oven and cool.

Combine cream cheese,sugar,sour cream and salt in medium sized pan and cook on a very low heat stirring constantly until mixture starts to boil lightly. Mix gelatin with water and dissolve.

When dissolved add to mixture along with vanilla and stir well. Cook until mixture reaches a light boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool off. When its luke warm layer cream cheese on crust and refrigerate until cooled.

TOPPING: Place water, sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, salt and lemon peel in a sauce pan and whisk until mixture comes to a boil at med heat.

Cook for 2 minutes until thick. Pour 1/2 hot mixture in beaten eggs slowly and stir constantly. When the mixture is completely blended pour egg mixture in to the hot pudding stir and cook until the pudding reaches boiling stage. Stir and let boil slowly for about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat add butter and vanilla stir and set aside until cooled off. When lemon mixture reaches room temperature gently smooth it over the cream cheese mixture and chill for several hours before serving. Fresh whipped cream may be added for garnish.

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Lemon Meringue Pie, First Prize

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup cold water

FILLING:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups water
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon lemon extract

MERINGUE:
3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons sugar

In a bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until a ball forms. Rollout pastry to fit a 9-in. pie plate.

Transfer pastry to plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond edge of plate; flute edges. Prick bottom and sides of pastry with a fork. Line with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450 F for 8 minutes.

Remove foil; bake 5-6 minutes longer or until light golden brown. Reduce heat to 350 F. For filling, combine sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt in a saucepan. Gradually stir in water.

Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.

Gradually stir 1 cup hot filling into egg yolks; return all to pan. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Stir in butter, lemon juice, peel and extract until butter is melted. Cover; set aside and keep hot.

For meringue, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in a mixing bowl on medium until foamy, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved.

Pour hot filling into crust. Spread meringue evenly over filling, sealing edges to crust. Bake at 350 F for 15 minutes or until meringue is golden brown.

Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour; refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 6-8 servings.