Southern Time And The Living Is Easy

Tell the truth now..

When you heard that song

didn't the old song

Summertime

run through your head?

You know I have cut way back

on my subscriptions.

I got
"SweetCheeks talked"

into buying a couple
of magazines for

the school fundraiser.

What better place to 

spend my money, I ask you.

So...this one is one of my choices.

Oh...such pretties in here.

I love them all.

It makes me want to move

SOUTH 

all over again.

Cuz you 

KNOW I LOVE

the South!

Look at this!

Couldn't you just move

right into this sweet 

little house?

The picket fence and 

the bike just put it over

the top for me.

Or how about this house?
It is owned by
 AJ & Karina Gentinetta.

This dear house
 was totally destroyed

by Hurricane Katrina

but rebuilt and is
 better than ever.

There is also some amazing and

 serious decorating

going on inside.

AND

What good Southerner

worth her salt

doesn't serve

something like this

to her family and friends?

And here's the recipe from

the magazine.

 Fresh Strawberry Meringue Cake - Southern Living Magazine April 2012

1 cup chopped pecans

Parchment Paper/Masking tape

2 T Cornstarch

1/8 t salt

7 egg WHITES-room temp

½ t Cream of tartar

2 (8oz) containers mascarpone cheese

2 t vanilla extract

3 cups whipping cream
4-1/2 cups fresh sliced strawberries plus some halved for top

Preheat oven to 350º- Bake pecans 10-12 mins on shallow pan and toast until toasted and fragrant. Remove from oven and  cool completely. Turn oven temp down to 250º

Cover 2 large sheets with parchment paper.Draw 2 (8”) circles on parchment. (4 circles total)

Process cornstarch , toasted pecans, a ½ cup sugar in food processor or blender 40-45 seconds until pecans are finely ground.

Beat egg whites & cream of tartar on high speed with electric mixer until foamy.  Gradually add 1 cup sugar (1 T at a time) at medium-highspeed until mixture is glossy, soft peaks form, and sugar dissolves. (2-4 minutes-do not overbeat).  Add half the pecan mixture, gently folding in just until blended.  Repeat procedure with remaining pecan mixture.

Gently spoon egg white mixture onto circles drawn on parchment paper (about 1-1/2 cups mixture per circle) Spread to cover 8” circle completely. Bake at 250º for 1 hour.  Turn baking sheets after 30 minutes. Turn oven off After 1 hour and let meringues stand in closed oven for 2 to 2-1/2 hours. (When done~Meringue will be dry and can be lifted from sheet without sticking to fingers)

Just before serving stir together cheese and vanilla in large bowl just until blended.Then, beat whipping cream at low speed until foam.  Increase speed to medium high and gradually add remaining ½ cup sugar.  Beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into mascarpone cheese mixture.

Carefully remove meringue from parchment paper and place on serving plate.  Spread ¼ mascarpone mixture over meringue.  Top with 1-1/2 cups sliced strawberries.  Repeat layer 2 more times and top with remaining meringue, mascarpone cheese mixture and halved strawberries.  Serve immediately or chill for up to 2 horus.  Cut with sharp, thin-bladed knife.

IF YOU MAKE THIS 

please make sure I am

on the 

PEOPLE-TO-INVITE 

list.

I promise to leave all

the naughty ones home!