Divine Key Lime

I think I may be a baker at heart - I just love creating charming, sweet things for charming, sweet people.  It's true, I've always had a weakness for sugar (Mom can vouch for this), but for me, baking is so much more than pleasing my own imploring taste buds.  I positively love the delight that friends and family emit when crunching down on a warm oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, or when slicing into a cool, creamy fruit tart that's been prepared, just for their own culinary craving.

In order to witness this blissful encounter, however, one must be a decent baker.  I think I happen to have a pretty good knack for it, so I give it a whirl from time to time.  My husband swoons over Key Lime Pie, so I decided to give this recipe a try a few months ago, as a birthday treat for the hubs.  Admittedly, I've never been much of a Key Lime or Lemon Meringue kind of girl - my thing has always been chocolate, all the way - but  I couldn't help but love this tangy recipe.  It's the perfect blend of tart and sweet, with a smooth, creamy pie filling and crumbly textured crust.  Let's say it together now: "Di-viiiine."  Another lime loving friend is celebrating his birthday today, and it happens to be raining outside - what better kind of day to bake?

I wish I could say that I had brilliantly concocted this masterpiece together myself, but alas, I must give credit where it is due; the one and only, infamous, Better Homes and Garden Cookbook.  Here's the recipe - I sincerely hope you enjoy!

Graham Cracker Crust: Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray
1/3 cup butter (Mmmm, butter)
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups finely crushed graham crackers



Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Lightly coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray; set aside.  Melt butter; stir in sugar.   Add crackers (I've been using a masher to finely ground them, but a food processor would be a quicker fix, if you have one); toss to mix.  Spread in pie plate; press evenly onto bottom and sides.  Bake 5-6 minutes or until edges are light brown.  Cool completely on a wire rack.



Whipped Key Lime Pie: Ingredients 


1 recipe Graham Cracker Crust (check!)
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (on the baking aisle)
1 teaspoon finely shredded Key lime peel or lime peel
1/2 cup Key lime juice or lime juice (I used regular limes and regular lime juice)
2 cups whipping cream

Directions:

For pie filling, in a medium bowl combine sweetened condensed milk, 1 teaspoon  lime peel, and the lime juice; set aside.  In another medium mixing bowl, beat 1 cup of the whipping cream with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (I found this took a solid 2 minutes or so until it actually began to thicken up).  Fold the whipped cream into lime mixture.  Spoon filling into crust.  Cover and freeze for 2 to 4 hours or until firm.  Chill the remaining whipping cream.

To serve, beat the remaining chilled whipping cream with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until soft peaks form.  Spread whipped cream over filling.  If desired, sprinkle with additional lime peel (this step is really gives it the look of a supreme a culinary creation...I highly recommend it ; ) ).


There you have it - Whipped Key Lime Pie.  A la' delicious.  I hoped to get a clearer picture of the finished product, but alas, it was pretty much gone before I had a chance.  So go ahead and bless your family, friends, or even your own calling craving with this limey treat.  And let me know when you do!  I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions on this delectable little recipe.

I hope you're all having a beautiful Saturday!  Enjoy!

Out with the old...

...And in with the new.

My dear friends, it's official: I've made the Fairhope coffee houses my place of residence over the last few months.  It's only a matter of time before the trendy baristas begin to demand rent.

Ok, let's just cut to it and just pretend that it hasn't been three months since you've set your eyes on a post from me.  Let's assume that I've been faithfully posting much more frequently, that your tired eyes are aching from reading my daily entries, and that there really isn't so much to catch up on. That said, and since we both know the latter has absolutely no truth to it, here's your "latest."

I've somehow been blessed with pretty much the most rewarding forms of employment.  I teach ESL (English as a Second Language) to the most wonderful student every morning, and then head off to a learning center to teach some youngsters phonics, and high school students ACT preparatory material.  Cool, right?  Someone asked me yesterday the never exhausted question, "What do you do?"  While this query used to send me spiraling into a miserable mass of anxiety and wistful wishing that I had something exciting to report, I was finally able to reply, somewhat confidently, that I teach English.  Teaching these particular students, I've found, is one of the few things whose rewards can significantly outweigh the exhaustion that often accompanies it.

Despite my lack of writing on Sweet Tea and Sugar, I've actually been plugging away at a colossal writing project I began last November.  More details on that in another post, but I just have to mention that creating a story from scratch, nurturing and growing it, watching it develop, is a process I'm so thoroughly enjoying.

Which reminds me of a somewhat old, but resurfacing goal that includes graduate school and working on a MFA (Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing) and a Masters in English.  I would love to assist other aspiring writers and teach my most adored subject of all time, English.

Life in the south is growing on me all the time, though I can't say I've picked up the southern accent just yet.  I think my husband would agree that I've gotten close to mastering it (when impersonating), but I'm pretty sure it has yet to enter my daily language.  Guess I'll have to confirm that from my Californian family.

Though we're still adjusting to Fairhope, I have to admit that I haven't been anywhere with folks (there's a southern word for you) who are as consistently friendly and accommodating as the community is here.  I've met more sincerely kind people around this area than I can remember - and for that, I'm so incredibly thankful.

With the heartfelt hope to become a more consistent blog writer, or blogger, if you will, I'll leave you with this: My next post will detail the most amazing Key Lime Pie that will send you scampering off to the nearest grocery to satisfy your sweet tooth (or teeth, in my case).  Come back soon!

Wishing you a wonderful and restful evening.