Sentimental Sunday The Hero and Lemon Pie

When the Hero and I were married, we would go out to eat at One's A Meal restaurant on Gray in Houston.  He had a need to have their Lemon Meringue Pie.  When we would go he would say this is just as close to my mom's as I can get.  Big flag.  Newly wed wife can't let that go.  He would brag about the lemon pie his mom made.  Pride goes before the fall.  Would I ask for the recipe.  No, I had to do as well.  For I guess a year, I made every Lemon Meringue Pie in my recipe books.  I checked out cookbooks at the library to try their pie.  Sigh, I was always met with this is good, but doesn't taste like mom's.  Down cast and worn out, at a summer's backyard get together, I finally said, "Mom, what is your recipe for Lemon Meringue Pie?  I just can't seem to get it right. the Hero keeps saying it doesn't taste right."  She was surprised.  "Well, Hummer, it is quite easy. It is the recipe on the Eagle Brand Condensed Milk can for Lemon Pie."  Oh, wow...I had beaten eggs, squeezed lemons, you name the difficult recipe and I had tried it, and all I had to do was open a can of Eagle Brand Condensed Milk add 2 eggs and lemon basically, and be done.   The hero looked sheepish and said well, it tastes good.  Several years later Edward's pie company came out with the ready made Eagle Brand recipe pie.  I would buy it for the Hero.  When he was having Chemo treatments, this was a comfort food.

This story was on me, Kiddo's.  Listen to your grandma..., don't be prideful, ask.  Below is the recipe from the Eagle Brand Condensed Milk Can, that I saved.


Magic Lemon Pie from EAGLE BRAND®
Finally, a show-stopping lemon meringue pie that is also easy to make. If you do not wish to grate lemon zest, use 1/4 teaspoon of lemon extract in its place."
INGREDIENTS:
1 (8-inch) crumb or baked pie shell
1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND®
Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT
evaporated milk)
1/2 cup lemon juice from concentrate    1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 eggs, separated
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, if desired
4 tablespoons sugar
DIRECTIONS:
1.  In mixing bowl, combine EAGLE BRAND®, lemon juice, lemon rind or extract, and egg yolks; stir until mixture thickens. Pour into chilled crumb crust or cooled pastry shell.
2.  Add cream of tartar to egg whites; beat until almost stiff enough to hold a peak. Add sugar gradually, beating until stiff and glossy but not dry. Pile lightly on pie filling.
3.  Bake 325 degrees F. until meringue is lightly browned. Cool.