KEY LIME PIE

Graham Cracker Crust

Preheat Oven to 375 Degrees.

18 Graham Cracker Squares (1 package (not box) equals this amount)
6 tablespoons Butter, melted
1/4 cup Granulated Sugar

Place graham crackers in a food processor and process until they are finely ground.

Combine the graham crackers crumbs with the melted butter and sugar and mix until well combined.

Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch pie plate.

Bake for 7-9 minutes.

Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.

Bump oven temperature down to 350 Degrees for the pie filling.

Filling:

4 Egg Yolks
(1) 14 ounce can Sweetened Condensed Milk
2-1/2 ounces Key Lime Juice

Combine egg yolks and milk at low speed.  Slowly add juice.

Pour into the pie crust.

Bake at 350 Degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack until completely cooled.

Top with Fresh Whipped Cream

Whipped Cream Topping:

1/2 Pint Heavy Whipping Cream
1/8 cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

For the best results, place your beaters and bowl in the freezer for about 15 minutes before starting this recipe.

Take beaters and bowl out of freezer and pour all the ingredients into the bowl.

Beat at high speed until it is creamy and thick, approximately 2-3 minutes.

Spoon on top of your COOLED Key Lime Pie and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

ENJOY!

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE

COLD OVEN POUND CAKE WITH STRAWBERRIES AND WHIPPED CREAM

Last March my grandson, Alex, had his first birthday party.  It was a farm themed party and soooo cute.  Alex had a birthday smash cake but my daughter and I made these cute little desserts out of empty baby food jars and served them to the children instead of birthday cakes or cupcakes.  It was so simple to do.  We used my pound cake recipe, topped with chopped, fresh strawberries and homemade whipped cream.  We used a stamp to put the "happy birthday" on the wooden spoons. I purchased both from Etsy (it has been a year so I cannot remember which companies though).  Just look for mini wooden dessert spoons. Then we wrapped the spoon around the jar with decorative colored string.

It occurred to me that this dessert and idea would be perfect for bringing to a Super Bowl party.  For the Patriots, you could wrap the jar with blue and red string and still use the fresh strawberries.  For the Seahawks, you could use fresh blueberries and wrap the jar with blue and green string.  You could do a mixture if you are not sure who you want to win.

You have 6 days to hit up any friends who have small children to save their baby food jars so start now.  I think we made about 30.

This dessert is super easy and it looks so festive. 

One of the best parts is you could actually make your pound cake anytime this week, wrap it in saran wrap, and then put it in the freezer.  Take it out the night before and let it thaw.  Chop your strawberries and whip up some fresh whipped cream.  Blueberries just have to be rinsed.  If you don't want to make your own whipped cream you can use Cool Whip.  I will say though, there is a big difference between the two.  I would definitely go to the extra trouble.  It only takes about a minute or two.  Make sure no one throws their jars away.  Just pop them in the dishwasher and put them away for your next party!  These jars are so versatile.

 

 

SUPER BOWL MVP PARFAITS

Pound Cake (click here to go to my recipe)
Don't forget you can make this ahead and freeze, taking it out of the freezer the night before you  want to use it.

Strawberries (chopped into bite sized pieces)Blueberries, Raspberries (whatever fruit you like),

Fresh Whipped Cream (or Cool Whip)

Cube your pound cake into small, bite-size pieces (You may not need it all so I would just start with half of the cake.  Save the rest to serve in slices, if you like)

Place a dollop of fresh Whipped Cream into the bottom of the jar

Place a few pieces of cubed pound cake.

Gently spoon berries on top...leave room for the whipped cream.

Put a dollop of whipped cream on top of the berries.

Place a couple of chopped strawberries, blueberries or a raspberry on top.


FRESH WHIPPED CREAM

1 cup of Whipping Cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Put bowl that you will use to mix in into the freezer for at least 15 minutes with the beaters.

Take bowl out of freezer and pour in whipping cream, sugar and vanilla.

Beat on high until stiff peaks form.

Do not beat too long or it will become lumpy like butter.

ENJOY!

Trisha and Janna's Divine Lemon Pie with Fresh Whipped Cream Topping

Well, I decided that since I used part of Trisha Yearwood's recipe and part of mine, I would name it after us both.  Nothing wrong with that...right?  I did give her front billing! Ha! 

I had a recipe for a Lemon Icebox Pie that the chef gave me from a little restaurant in Fredricksburg called The Navajo Grill.  I have had that recipe for probably 10 years but I have never made it.  I remember him telling me that it was a large recipe that would make several pies and that I would have to modify it for just one pie.  I decided to make it on Easter this year, oh I would say around 11:00 p.m. the night before Easter.  Procrastination is a virtue I have perfected over the years...ugh!  Anyway, of course, when I start reading the recipe I realize that it is not a baked pie....at all.  Since it had eggs in it, I was not comfortable with not baking it so I had to come up with a similar recipe with the ingredients that I had on hand.

Thank goodness for computers.  I was able to scroll through some recipes until I found this one by Trisha Yearwood.  I love her style of cooking....southern comfort style!  It was just like the recipe I wanted to make but this one was cooked.  I still wanted a whipped cream topping so I just baked the pie and let it cool.  While it was cooling, I made my whipped topping.  I put both of them in the fridge until the next morning and then I topped the pie and added some fresh lemon zest and blueberries.  It was so smooth and creamy...it just melted in my mouth.

This pie, I think, is probably the simplest pie I have ever made.  I put it together in no time and it is one that can be done the day ahead!  I used a premade graham cracker crust because of time, and there was not a real significant difference between it and a homemade crust. 

This pie would go with just about any meal and it is not only pretty, but it is mouth watering delicious!  This recipe will go into my book of favorites....definitely making it again sooooon!!

TRISHA AND JANNA'S DIVINE LEMON PIE WITH WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING

Preheat oven to 325 Degrees

1-14 ounce Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 cup Fresh Lemon Juice, about 2 large lemons
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3 large egg yolks
9 inch Graham Cracker Pie Crust

In a medium bowl, beat the first four ingredients.

Pour into pie shell.
 
Place in oven for 20 minutes.
 
Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack until completely cooled.

Top with Whipped Cream....recipe below!

Decorate with blueberries and freshly grated lemon zest, if desired!

 

WHIPPED TOPPING

 

Put a bowl and your mixing beaters in the freezer

Pour 1 cup of whipping cream into the bowl and beat on high

I always add about 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

Beat until the cream becomes fluffy like Cool Whip.  This only takes about 2 minutes.

 

 

ENJOY!

 

 

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE

COLD OVEN POUND CAKE WITH FRESH WHIPPED CREAM AND BERRIES

We have been anticipating the beginning of the 2012 Summer Olympics!  Last night was the opening ceremonies, so I decided to cook an American meal to kick it off!!

Sometimes, I want to do more than I actually have time to do and yesterday was one of those days.  We just got back from a spectacular vacation to Estes Park, Colorado and the final night was spent at Red Rocks Amphitheatre seeing the amazing James Taylor!  Going to see a concert at Red Rocks was on my bucket list and the fact that James Taylor was playing there just made it perfect!!

Rocky Mountain National Park

Great Friends

Red Rocks Amphitheatre View of the Stage from the top

Before the concert

You know how it is when you get back from vacation.  The laundry needed to be done, bags needed to be unpacked, then the extra to-do things that come up and of course, I had to go to the grocery store because there was nothing to eat in the kitchen.
I knew I wanted to make something American but there was so many different directions to go.  I could go the hamburger-hot dog route, brisket-baked bean route but I decided to go southern comfort route!  Final menu....Fried Chicken, Homemade Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Cream Gravy, Fresh Purple Hull Peas, Cornbread, and Cold Oven Pound Cake with Fresh Whipped Cream and Sliced Strawberries and Blueberries! 

American Dinner for Olympic Opening Ceremonies!

But then I had, what I thought, was a really good, time-saving idea!!  Since I was running short on time, I decided to cheat!!  I bought the Fried Chicken!  Haha!  If I would've bought it myself...I think I would've put it in a pretty basket lined with a red and white checked cloth and passed it off as mine butttt I had James (my husband pick it up for me) and it was yummmmy!  I'll tackle Fried Chicken another day!!

Today, I am only going to post the recipe for the Cold-Oven Pound Cake and share how easy it is to make Fresh Whipped Cream.  I will post the recipes for Homemade Mashed Potatoes and Purple Hull Peas later this week.  

I have made this pound cake recipe for years and it is really easy and sooo good!!  And with the White of the Whipped Cream and the Red of the Strawberries and Blue of the Blueberries it made a perfect dessert to cheer on Team USA!!

Cold-Oven Pound Cake with Fresh Whipped Cream and Berries

3 cups flour

3 cups sugar

2 sticks butter, softened

1/2 cup Crisco

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon almond

1 cup milk

6 eggs

Mix all ingredients together, except eggs.

Beat eggs for 8 minutes

Add eggs to other mixture.

Grease and flour a bundt cake pan.  I spray my pan with Bakers Joy and then sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Pour cake batter into pan.

Place in a COLD OVEN and set oven to 325 degrees.

Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

NO PEEKING!

Top with fresh Whipped Cream and your choice of berries!

Fresh Whipped Cream

(this tastes like melted ice cream and is super easy to make)

1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

1 tablespoons Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

Place a stainless steel bowl with your mixer beaters in the freezer for about 15 minutes.

Take bowl and beaters out of freezer and pour in whipping cream.  With mixer on low (to keep cream from being slung out of bowl) , beat until cream starts getting a little thicker. Add the powdered sugar and the vanilla, then increase speed to medium or high and continue beating until the cream is thickened like Cool Whip.  

Hint:  Don't overbeat or you will end up with butter.

ENJOY!
"Click Here For Printable Recipe"