Birthday Dinner for Hermity Farmer-Woman Christine!

On the menu:
Coke chicken (recipe follows) ~Printable Version
Steamed rice
Salad w/ balsamic vinaigrette
Brioche (from Julia Child's recipe, rising as we speak)
Lemon Meringue birthday cake (recipe follows) with sliced strawberries ~ Printable Version


Coke Chicken for 8-12 (depending on how many hungry farmers you are feeding)
8 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise
2 T. canola oil
2 C. Coca Cola
2 C. ketchup
4 T. Worcestershire sauce
Brown chicken breasts lightly in oil in a dutch oven or very large saute/frying pan.  Mix remaining ingredients in a medium bowl, then pour over chicken and simmer over low heat about an hour.  Serve over steamed rice.

Lemon Meringue Cake (modified from a Taste of Home recipe -- I make my cake from scratch but you can use a lemon cake mix and purchased lemon curd if you want).
Cake:
2/3 C. butter, softened
1  3/4 C. sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 C. lemon juice
2  3/4 C. all purpose flour
2  1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 C. milk
Oven 350 degrees.  Grease and flour 2, 9x9 inch square pans.  In large bowl, beat first four ingredients until fluffy.  Add flour, baking powder, salt and milk.  Beat well until batter is smooth, scraping bowl occasionally.
Divide evenly between two pans and bake 30-35 minutes until golden and toothpick inserted comes clean.  Cool 5 minutes, then turn cakes out onto board to cool.  Cakes may be frozen at this point until ready to fill and frost.
Filling:
1 C. sugar
3 T. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 C. water
1/4 C. lemon juice
5 egg yolks, beaten
2 T. butter
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in saucepan. Stir in water and juice until smooth.  Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir until thickened. Remove from heat.  Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yolks; return all to pan, stirring briskly and constantly.  Bring just to a boil, cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in butter and lemon peel.  Cool completely.
Meringue
5 egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
3/4 C. sugar
In a clean, dry and preferably glass or metal mixing bowl, beat room temperature egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy.  Gradually beat in sugar at high speed until stiff peaks form.
To Assemble:
Split each cake into two layers.  Place bottom layer on an oven proof serving plate; spread with a third of the filling.  Repeat layers twice.  Top with fourth cake layer.  Spread meringue over top and sides, swirling and fluffing to make it pretty.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until meringue is lightly browned.  Serve or refrigerate.
This cake is best eaten right away.  It is so incredibly good, that you should not have a problem with that.  Especially if you are serving hungry farmers.  :-)
Food and birthday party photos forthcoming!  Stay tuned to On the Table!