Weekend Cooking: Easter baskets and pie!

{source}

I can remember to Easters of my past, waking up at my Grandma Bruch's house with a huge basket next to my bed from the Easter bunny.  My basket overflowed with green, shiny grass with chocolate bunnies, oval malted eggs and jelly beans of every color poking through the grass.  On top looped on the sides was always something to wear for Easter servies at my grandmother's Lutheran church.  I remember a beautiful Easter bonnet, a pair of white gloves, and black patent leather Mary Janes nesting in my basket in different years.

I loved those baskets filled with simple joy and thought it certainly equaled Mary Magdalene's thrill at seeing Jesus out of the tomb.  I've kept this tradition going with my own children although I don't fill their baskets with as much candy as I remember from my baskets.  They do usually have an item in their basket to wear for church although as they get older it is difficult to thrill them.  College boy is partial to picking his own clothes which leaves me to stock his basket with a packet of white T's and AE boxer shorts for the last few years.

Groovy Girl, on the other hand, adores the clothes I pick for her.  This year I've heard that the Easter bunny is bringing her a pair of {audible gasp} high heel patent leather Mary Janes.  She's 10 and I've never really allowed her to wear something with a heal even though she's begged and pleaded.  I think she's going to love them!  I predict she's going to dance with them on all the way across the hardwood floors at 6:10 a.m. as we prepare to head across town for our sunrise service. She'll probably have chocolate in her mouth as she twirls

Our Easter celebration will end with this pie because what says Springtime more than bright yellow lemons:

Aunt Betty Jean's Lemon Pie
Sweety Pies; an uncommon collection of Womanish observations with pie by Patty Pinner

One 9-inch single Flaky Pie Crust, rolled out, fitted into a pie plate, and edge trimmed and crimped

1 cup sugar
1 T unbleached all-purpose flour
4 large eggs, beaten
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup (1/2 stick), unsalted butter, melted
1 T. grated lemon rind
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Whipped cream and thinly sliced rinds for garnish

Makes one 9-inch pie

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare the pie crust and set aside.  (I made the pie crust already but am not including the recipe from the book as it is a pretty standard pie crust recipe-if you really want this one request it in the comments section and I'll see that you get it)

In a medium-size bowl, combine the sugar and the flour, then add the beaten eggs and corn syrup, mixing well.  Stir in the melted butter, lemon rind, and juice.  Pour the filling into the crust, place in the oven, and bake until the crust is golden, 45 to 50 minutes.  Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Garnish each serving with a dollop of freshly whipped cream and a thin twist of lemon rind.

Oh, my!  Pie.

This post is linked to Beth Fish Reads weekend cooking meme.  Click her link to find many other food-related posts to brighten your Easter Weekend.