Key Lime Pie

Summer is here, specifically the Fourth of July, and that means it is time for backyard barbecues and fireworks! That, or staying inside to watch the weather channel. Either way, have yourself a piece of pie.

Key lime pie, specifically. Did you know there was a 25-year long period of my life when I wouldn't touch a piece of pie? It's true. No chocolate, custardy pie. No pumpkin at Thanksgiving. Nothing fruit-based. Actually, I still don't really like very many pies at all. But then one day, last summer, for a reason that I still cannot explain, I made a key lime pie from scratch. And it was delicious. Seriously, this pie is out of this world and would make a wonderful accompaniment to whatever Americana-esque gathering you are going to this weekend.

I upped the crust to filling ratio on this recipe because I really cannot get enough of the graham cracker crust. Please, please take the time to squeeze your own key limes. I concede that it is a gigantic pain to squeeze 85 key limes to get 1 cup of juice. But I promise you it is worth in and will taste one thousand times better than anything that comes in a bottle that resembles a baby's booger sucker (I went there).

Shout out to my bud Leslie, who has myriad pie experience. I think we are due a summer pie week, no?

Key Lime Pie

Adapted from Gourmet (RIP)

Ingredients

For Crust

9 (5x2.5 inch) graham crackers, broken into small pieces

1 cup slivered almonds

1/3 cup sugar

3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted

For Filling

1 (14 oz) cans sweetened, condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)

Grated zest of 2 key limes

1 cup fresh key lime juice, from about 2 lbs fresh key limes

4 large egg yolks

Directions

Make crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter a 9-inch pie plate. Pulse together graham crackers, almonds, and sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to a bowl and stir in butter until the crust is moldable. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and up side of pie plate. Bake until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely. (Leave oven on.)

Make filling and bake pie:
Gently whisk together filling ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth and pour into crust. Bake until just set in center, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely (filling will set as it cools). Chill pie, loosely covered, at least 8 hours.

Easy Apple Crisp

We went to a fantastic new restaurant (Perla's on South Congress) recently on the basis of having a gift card. We normally wouldn't gravitate toward a seafood restaurant, but really enjoyed what we ate. Travis courageously ordered a baked whole fish, and I got an amazing white fish (I think it was halibut) in a tomato-based broth. We started with tuna tartare in the spirit of ordering things at a restaurant that we don't know how to cook at home(or, not cook, I guess).

Anyway, at the end of the meal, the waiter brought the dessert menu. Looking at a dessert menu normally involves finding the option that has the most synonyms for "chocolate" in the title. Travis like all kinds of desserts, but I typically abide by a strict chocolate-only policy. But, this time, for a reason that I still cannot explain, the thing that looked best to me was a blueberry tart. Travis, still skeptical, decided to go along with my temporary chocolate lapse and order the thing. I think it was what he wanted anyway.

This thing was incredible. I seriously could eat it every day of my life. It was a blueberry tart a la mode with perfect crust, topped with slivered almonds and powdered sugar. In that moment, I became determined to make it at home.

Which resulted in this.


Not quite what I was going for.

This easy (emphasis on easy) apple crisp was my solution to reassembling the shattered pieces of my cooking self esteem from the blueberry tart incident. It is easy, delicious, and crowd pleasing, and I actually like it! I kid you not, this is the first apple dessert I have ever liked. I think that blueberry tart (the Perla's version) changed me for good.


And speaking of being a changed person, go ahead and try the Pioneer Woman's easy caramel sauce as a topping. Homegirl knows what she is doing when it comes to things that involve half and half and sugar.



Easy Apple Crisp
Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook, 14th Edition

I served with this caramel sauce from The Pioneer Woman Cooks. And I had to use all of my self control to not drink the sauce by itself.

Ingredients
5 cups sliced apples (approximately 5 medium apples)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel and slice apples and coat with granulated sugar. Place apples in a layer no more than two or three deep in a baking dish. (I split mine into two smaller dishes, but a larger 9x13 inch dish would also work.)

To make the topping, combine the oats, brown sugar, flour, and spices in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter (or your fingers) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle topping evenly over the apples.

Bake for 35 minutes or until fruit is tender and topping is golden. Serve with caramel sauce, whipped cream, or ice cream.