COOK'S CORNER LEMON ICE BOX PIE - BARBRA-STYLE.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor

In response to Bea Shapiro's request for Barbra Streisand's Lemon Ice Box Pie, Maryanne Brown of Burbank sent along the recipe from ``The Clinton Presidential Center Cookbook.'' Streisand is a friend of former President Clinton and was also a friend of his late mother, Virginia Kelley. In case you're wondering, the recipe does not dissolve the cornstarch or cook it over any heat as is usual in most instances. Although we've never seen cornstarch used this way, that's how the recipe was printed in the cookbook.

SOUTHERN LEMON ICE BOX PIE

Juice of 3 lemons

3 egg yolks, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 graham cracker crust

Meringue Topping

In large mixing bowl, combine lemon juice, egg yolks, vanilla, sweetened condensed milk and cornstarch. Pour into pie crust.

Spread with Meringue Topping, forming peaks with back of spoon. If desired, place pie under broiler very briefly to brown meringue. Remove from oven and chill 4 hours or overnight. Makes 1 pie, 8 to 10 servings.

MERINGUE TOPPING: In a mixing bowl, beat 3 egg whites with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, adding 1/2 cup sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until stiff peaks are formed.

From ``The Clinton Presidential Center Cookbook.''

BEEF WINNER: Lori Welander of Richmond, Va., took home the $50,000 grand prize in the recent 25th National Beef Cook-Off in Fort Worth with her quick and easy recipe, Grilled Steaks Balsamico. She competed against 20 finalists from throughout the country. Her creation uses four ingredients - and although it requires at least two hours of marinating time, cooking and prep time total 30 minutes or less. Give it a whirl. And consider entering the next Beef Cook-Off, slated for South Dakota in 2005.

Welander's winning recipe follows.

GRILLED STEAKS BALSAMICO

MARINADE:

2/3 cup prepared balsamic vinaigrette

1/4 cup fig preserves OR chopped dried figs

STEAKS:

4 beef shoulder top blade (flat iron) steaks (6 to 8 ounces EACH) OR boneless beef chuck eye steaks, cut 1 inch thick

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 (5.2-ounce) package herb and garlic soft spreadable cheese

Place Marinade ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until blended. Place steaks and marinade in food-safe plastic bag; turn to coat. Close bag securely and marinate in refrigerator at least 2 hours.

Remove steaks from marinade; discard marinade. Place steaks on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill steaks, 10 to 14 minutes for medium rare to medium doneness, turning occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, as desired.

Meanwhile heat cheese in small saucepan over medium-low heat 2 to 4 minutes or until melted, stirring frequently. Serve steaks with cheese sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Can you help

If you have the recipe that can help this reader, please send it along to us at the address below to share in a future column.

I've lost a recipe for a Chocolate Zucchini Cake With Cherry Jell-O that I found in a magazine this past summer and baked for a family birthday party. It used a chocolate cake mix with a cup of grated zucchini stirred in. After baking, holes were poked in the cake, and a package of cherry Jell-O dissolved in a cup of water was poured over. Anyone?

- Shirley Galieti

Northridge