Freebies: dessert recipes!

A friend asked me for a specific recipe, so I thought I would post it here.  Before I tell you how to make it, you gotta know how versatile and practical it is.  First, it is gluten free for those who long for a sweet without regular flour.  Then, you can tint these cookies according to the season – red and green for Christmas, red and blue for July 4, pastels for Easter, well, you get the idea.  And the same goes for flavoring: green and mint go together well with mini-chocolate chips or use red coloring and crushed candy canes.  You can use mini M and Ms as well, and sprinkle with chocolate jimmies or colored sprinkles.

Oh, and make these when the rest of your baking is done.  You put them in a 350 preheated oven, then turn the oven off; leave them in it over night or at least five hours.  I like to store them in clear glass jars so everyone can see how pretty they are.

So here it goes for 2 dozen  Forgotten Cookies: You need 2 egg whites, ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar,  2/3 cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, ½ to 1 cup of chocolate chips (I like the mini kind).

Use a glass bowl or stainless steel, deep and narrow is good,  and clean of any kind of grease beaters.  Put the two egg whites into the bowl with the cream of tartar. Beat slowly for a few seconds to mix the cream of tartar in; then beat at top speed until the meringues will stand in stiff peaks.  (Any grease will keep the eggs from turning into meringue.

Very gradually, like a tablespoon at a time, add the sugar, continuing to beat at high speed.  When the sugar is all incorporated, add the vanilla and coloring and chocolate chips or M and M’s. This time, you don’t have to beat for very long, just to mix it all in.

Drop on cookie sheet covered with foil or parchment paper.  Put it in the oven, that you have turned off and fuggedaboutit.  (I was just trying to be smart!!)  Anyway leave it there for the five hours or overnight…Then put them in your airtight container, and enjoy.  No flour and not a lot of sugar. And\ this doubles well – color half the meringue one color and the other another, if you wish

Key  Lime Pie

You need a graham cracker crust.  Mix on high till smooth: 1 tablespoon lime zest, (or not, it won’t kill the pie, just improve it), ½ lime juice, 2 egg yolks (from the meringue maybe), and 1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk. Pour into crust and bake at 350 for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool, then refrigerate for at least an hour.  I made this first in Africa using lemons, and it quickly became a favorite.  You can top it with dollops of whipped cream and a half slice of lemon or lime or some zest. 
These two recipes can be made the same day – the pie first, then the cookies, so you don’t waste the yolks or whites.

Now, how does this fit in with what I normally write here?  Simple, God calls us to love one another, to use our gifts to bless one another, and I love to cook and bake and write, so there you are.  I hope these recipes make for you the great memories our family has of them.

 The image of the cookies came from pinterest.