World’s a tad better, tastier as recipes draw donations

The annual “By Request” Top 5 recipe fundraiser brought in just more than $11,000 for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s Good Neighbor Fund over the past six weeks.

It’s a tidy sum from those who traded five bucks for a collection of the best recipes of 2016. Many included some extra cash — from a dollar here to $500 there — all of which went to the newspaper’s holiday charity to benefit families in need.

One donor, Robin Minton of Hauula, included not just her $5 check, but also a note — “One good turn deserves another” — and a recipe of her own, for her grandmother’s lemon pie.

In the circle of life that is recipe sharing, this pie should come in handy for Jerry Guerrero, who wrote to me about his bumper crop of lemons this season. I’ve sent him some specific recipes he was looking for, but Minton’s contribution lets me throw in an extra.

Grandma’s pie uses a half-cup of lemon juice, which should make use of a couple of whole fruit right there.

Minton notes that she adapts the recipe to use lilikoi, something to keep in mind for all of you whose passion fruit vines go into overdrive later in the year.

A big, fat mahalo to everyone who donated to our Top 5 offer, and I hope you enjoy the recipes.

Check back here on Thanksgiving week for the 2017 top picks and another chance to make the holidays brighter for local families.

Grandma Tada’s Lemon Pie

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
• 1 (9-inch) prepared pie crust or graham cracker crust
• >> Topping:
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
• Dash vanilla extract

In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, egg yolks and milk, whisking constantly until mixture thickens.

Remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Pour into crust; let cool.

To make topping: Whip cream until soft peaks form. Stir in sugar and vanilla. Spread over pie and chill.

Nutritional information unavailable.

Write “By Request,” Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813; or email requests to bshimabukuro@staradvertiser.com.