Key Lime Pie

I have made my very first Key Lime Pie!  I was not aware you should not use regular limes or Persian limes.  They are more tart and don't give the sweeter lime flavor needed for a key lime pie.

That is a photo of ALL the Key Limes I squeezed to get 3/4 cup of Key Lime Juice.  I had heard I could use a container of key lime juice, but did not find one. 
It was an interesting evening, squeezing these limes the size of golf balls.  Digging through my pantry to find a small strainer to start wondering if I imagined I had this strainer.  Once the seeds were all removed from the juice I added the other ingredients.  One being sour cream, a bug dive bombed me during this portion of the process and I swatted a spatula at it...ultimately, swatting it at me.  I had sour cream on me, on my neck, on the floor and three different places in my hair!  Sadly, I never did see the bug.

I put it in the oven once it was all mixed, waited patiently...ok, impatiently for the little bubbles to burst (which they never did)  After 14 minutes-it was suppose to cook for 8, but I did keep opening the oven door to check it-I took it out.  Let it cool, covered it and put it in the fridge overnight.
The next night I took it to the Nashville Grotto Exec. Meeting...and sat worried that it would not be any good.  Everyone loved it!  It was a hit!  Barely a crumb left!  Woo!  Hoo!

Someone asked my why I didn't just "buy" the pie.  Well, mainly because if you read the ingredient list for a purchased key lime pie, the list is very long.  I am trying to eat better and more healthy.  I felt if it was a homemade pie, it would be a little more healthy.  I really want to get away from fake sugars, preservatives, and other things that are not good for us put into foods.

More pictures to come - here is the recipe!

Key Lime Pie

 makes 1 pie

1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
3 cups sweetened condensed milk
1/2  cup sour cream
3/4 cup key lime juice
1 Tbls grated lime zest

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, combine condensed milk, sour cream, lime juice, and lime rind. Mix well and pour into graham cracker crust.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 5 to 8 minutes, until tiny pinhole bubbles burst on the surface of pie. DO NOT BROWN! Chill pie thoroughly before serving. Garnish with lime slices and whipped cream if desired.

Grilled Peaches

I haven't done these in a while - they are super easy and incredibly delicious!

Take a ripe Peach, cut it in half and take out the pit.  Get your grill nice and hot, take a paper towel and put a nice coating of vegetable oil into the paper towel.  Use tongs to wipe the grill down with the paper towel.  Once that is done, place the peaches cut side down for 2 to 4 minutes.  Once you see a nice grill mark, flip them over and continue to cook 2-3 minutes.
When you flip them, you can take a little drizzle and pour over it while they finish.
I used the following:
1 tablespoon of butter, 1 tablespoon honey, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tsp nutmeg.
Melt the butter and honey, mix in the other items.  Then drizzle it over the peach.

I will put a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream in a bowl, (sometimes I will drizzle caramel sauce over the ice cream) take the peach from the grill and put it in the bowl with the ice cream.
I usually use three peaches, cut in half gives you six small servings or 3 large servings.
This can be served warm or cooled.

my photo isn't very good -I was in a BIG hurry to take it-because it smelled so good!

Live Well Network

If you have not heard about the Live Well Network, I highly recommend to you, find out if it is playing on your local stations.  If not - then check out their website, it is FILLED with these wonderful shows, stories & clips of my FAVORITE shows!
My top favorites from the Live Well Network:
Motion - every time I watch this show I want to go explore & be adventureous and do my own awesome videos and photos of my adventures.  It is really well done, and very inspirational.
Food Truck - this dude owns a couple restaurants, a food truck and a catering company.  He has a lot of flavor in his personality and it is a really fun show to watch.
Sweet Retreats - I WANT this lady's job!!  This is a enjoyable show that takes you all over the place and you get to view these really amazing houses and apartments.
My Family Recipe Rocks - Joey Fatone...how many of you remember him?  He is playful as ever as he travels across the country meeting new people and learning about their family and favorite recipes.

I bring these shows up and this network because I have had many enjoyable moments relaxing in front of the tv watching these shows.  The other reason is the featured recipe of today - a Pumpkin Caramel Praline Bread Pudding, which was featured on My Family Recipe Rocks with Carnie Wilson.  She shared the recipe and details on how to make it.  With encouragement from my boyfriend I tried the recipe, WOW!  It was pretty easy and incredibly delicious!!  I credit all photos, videos, etc used in this sharing of recipe to the show & its creators of My Family Recipe Rocks.  I shall share a photo of my own Pumpkin Caramel Bread Pudding soon - (I left out the pralines in my recipe)  I did not use "challah" bread, but I found something that seemed "eggy" as that was part of the description of challah bread online-and it still turned out great!


My Family Recipe Rocks - Pumpkin Caramel Praline Bread Pudding

Ingredients Print Recipe

• 2 tabs butter for greasing a Nonstick 13x9
• 1 loaf challah bread cut into 2 inch cubes (You can do this a day ahead and keep in a bowl with a paper towel loosely over it.)
• 1 bag white choc chips (12 oz)
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbs maple syrup
• 1- 15 oz can Libby's 100% Pumpkin
• 1 tbs good vanilla
• 1/4 cup butterscotch caramel sauce (Mrs. Richardson's)
• 7 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
• 3/4 stick room temp butter for topping
• 1 cup pecan pieces for topping
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar for topping
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon for topping
• Dash salt
• 1/2- 1 cup Mrs. Richardson's (depending on how jacked up you want it) topping

Directions

1. Grease a 13x9 pan and the sides, too. 2. Place 1/2 of the cut bread cubes into a single layer into prepared pan.
3. Sprinkle half the bag of white choc chips all over bread cubes starting in a corner and working your way towards center.
4. Place the rest of bread cubes over it.
5. Sprinkle remaining half of chips in same pattern.
6. In a large mixing bowl; crack eggs. No shells! Add the sugars, cream, half and half, maple syrup, caramel , pumpkin Cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
7. Whisk until all ingredients are well combined and the sugars are pretty well dissolved.
8. Slowly, and carefully pour the combined ingredients all over bread cubes, starting at one corner and circling around the pan to each end - finishing in middle. You should use just about all the liquid - you might have a half a cup or so extra. Do not over saturate.
9. Wet hands with liquid Mixture and push down with your hands until you hear juicy squishy sounds. Feel the density and liquid amount in each area, making sure that all the liquid is evenly distributed.
Do this for a minute all over. Wash your hands.
10. In a medium bowl, add the brown sugar, pecans, butter, cinnamon and salt.
11. Mix with both hands with pinching motions (both hands and fingertips like a crab pinching) until it's combined and crumbly.
12. Sprinkle this mixture evenly on top of bread mixture. Pat down, tucking in all sides and corners slightly.
13. Let it sit for 10 minutes or overnight covered in foil in your fridge!
14. Preheat oven to 350.
15. Bake in center rack for about 45 minutes or until puffing, golden brown and sizzling. Check with a knife inserted in center - if comes out pretty clean ( minus a white chip that's melted) you are good to go. Normal for center to be just slightly more loose than edges. But you don't want raw. You'll know.
16. Cut with a sharp knife into a row of four one way and three the other way. It makes 12 pieces . Put on a serving platter and drizzle each piece with lots of that gooey love.
17. Get an extra fork to stab yourself in the eyeball. After you eat this! Enjoy!



A photo of what I made - it was absolutely delicious and excellent when paired with ice cream and a little caramel drizzle...and some berries!