Buttermilk Pie

Good Tuesday morning!

Just a reminder... Next Tuesday, March 10 will be our contest day. Plan on leaving a comment on the blog OR my e-mail with your one-word favorite (SCRAPBOOK, RESTAURANT or MAGAZINE) on that day!

Nothing really happened on Monday. It was a nice, easy day. I was able to get a good bit done around the house which is always a plus. The snow is all but gone here in Alabama. I saw the news where it traveled up the Eastern Seaboard and they were getting up to one foot of snow. Unbelievable. We are left with a faint, distant memory of Sunday morning... and thankful for the chance to play in the white stuff, even if it was only for a short time.

It is officially tornado season here in Alabama. If you have lived in Alabama for even one year, you have been formally introduced to the "tornado." Almost all Alabamians have a tornado story (or two or three). I'm going to share one of my four tornado stories with you today and tomorrow. (Another two-parter.) I'll also be sharing our most recent tornado story on April 8 of this year... the third anniversary of our home being directly hit by an Alabama tornado. However, today's story has no damage or injuries... which is how you want all of your tornado stories to end!

On a hazy, summer morning, a friend and her daughter, along with me and my two boys, went on a trip to the Birmingham Zoo. As the morning progressed, it became a gray day, but it wasn't too hot and it was enjoyable. As we were leaving the Zoo, I heard what sounded like a tornado siren. I was about to say something to my friend when I heard her tell her daughter to listen to the trumpeting elephants. Not wanting to appear ignorant, I didn't say anything. A few minutes later, we were met by people running toward the nearest exit. I stopped someone long enough to find out the details. A tornado had touched down in Jefferson County and was heading directly for the Zoo. The trumpeting elephants were in reality tornado sirens. (I KNEW IT!) We quickly decided on a plan (which was NOT to seek shelter in the Reptile House) and ran to our car. We would wait out the storm at Eastwood Mall and do a little shopping until it was over (because everyone knows tornadoes never hit malls)!

The air was still and the sky non-threatening, so we decided we had time to buy a few drinks for the kids at Western Supermarket in Mountain Brook. As my friend was purchasing the drinks from the vending machine in front of the store, James Spann told everyone to take cover immediately. The tornado was in Mountain Brook. At the same time he was speaking on the radio, I looked up as a huge black cloud started coming over the grocery store. I yelled at my friend to jump in the car, and we decided to head to Brookwood Village since the cloud was coming from the direction of Eastwood Mall (again, using the theory tornadoes never hit a mall).

Within seconds, the sky was totally black, lightening was flashing, wind was blowing and rain was pelting my windshield. In my mind, I knew we probably wouldn't make it to Brookwood, but I had no idea where else to go.

We had come to a small stretch of road with no buildings on either side when a large tree was picked up by the wind and placed on the road directly in front of us. I was able to stop the car in time, and I remember calmly telling my friend, "I can get us out of here if you will tell me exactly what to do. I don't panic and get scared. I just get stupid."

She yelled, "Turn the car around! Turn the car around!"

I again told her, "You have to tell me EXACTLY what to do. I don't panic. I just get stupid." Obviously, this time she understood.

"Turn the car to the right as far as you can and then back up until I tell you to stop," she directed. I did as I was told. All of a sudden, another tree went down and power lines exploded only inches away from the hood of our car. By this time Austin and her daughter were both screaming, but oddly enough, Josh and I sat there with our mouths hanging open. (I guess "crises stupidity" is inherited only by second children.) Over the roar of the wind, we said a prayer asking God to protect us.

My friend finally helped me get the car turned around, and we pulled into the parking lot of the first building we found... an all-glass insurance office. My friend jumped out of her side of the car and flung open the passenger door behind her yanking my 18-month old Josh out of his car seat, and ran for the building while limbs and debris flew all around. I had trouble opening my door against the enormous strength of the wind, and when I finally did get out of the car and open the passenger door behind me, I had no idea how I was going to carry two four year-olds. That problem was solved soon enough. The little girl leaped out of the car and adhered herself to my chest, and Austin did the same to my hip. It was truly a bonding experience. We finally made it to the door of the building where my friend and an insurance agent helped us to safety (if you can call an all-glass building in a tornado "safety").

The agent led our little party to a small empty office (the only place in the building with no windows) and we all huddled on the floor in the dark while the storm howled above us. The insurance agent and secretaries were down another hall listening to a portable radio. After a few minutes, my friend decided to crawl down the hall to find out where the tornado was and how much longer we would be in danger. Her little girl was naturally distraught, and didn't want her mother to leave. Her mom assured her she would be back in a moment, and if the tornado actually did hit the building, she would cover her with her own body to protect her. Austin absorbed all of this information and whispered in my ear, "Go ahead and get on top of me." Such faith in my ability to protect him was overwhelming.

Did the tornado hit the building? Was my van buried under the huge oak in the parking lot? Did trumpeting elephants fly by during our stay in the insurance office? Tune in tomorrow...

Buttermilk Pie

This is a recipe from the famous Emeril Lagasse. (I will repeat, I am a copier... and I always try to give credit where credit is due.) That said, this is the sweetest, easiest pie. It's also very pretty.

You will need:

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
4 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 stick butter, melted
1 unbaked 10-inch pie crust

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flour and lemon zest.

3. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time.

4. Stir in the buttermilk and melted butter.

5. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the pie shell and bake until the top is lightly browned and the center sets... about 25 minutes.

6. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Garnish with whipped cream and mint.

This is a great pie to serve when you have company. (You don't want to find yourself at home alone with this pie. You want to serve it to your guests, and at the end of the evening have an empty pie plate... Believe me!)

Have the best Tuesday ever. Tomorrow is our first SPRING Seasonal Tradition. How exciting. I know people still struggling with snow and freezing temperatures every day won't be able to participate yet, but it will give you something to look forward to.

I'll talk to you tomorrow!