Toasted Coconut Key Lime Pie

Yummm!! I can honestly say without any regret or guilt that I ate about half this pie myself and loved every bite. The toasted coconut on top of the bed of freshly whipped cream with the smooth tart filling and the sweet crumbly graham cracker crust makes for the perfect bite. It's not a very hard pie to make and it's a great dessert for a warm evening so give it a try before the summer is gone!! 

Ingredients for Pie:

14 oz can Sweetened Fat Free Condensed Milk

14 oz can Unsweetened Lite Coconut Milk

3 -5 Limes (1/3 Cup Fresh Juiced and 1 Tsp Zest)

7 Large Egg Yolks

Ingredients for Topping:

1 Pint Cold Heavy Cream

2 Tbsp Sugar

1/4 Cup Toasted Coconut

Adapted from: http://www.marthastewart.com/

Ingredients for Crust:

1 1/4 Cup Graham Cracker Crumbs

1/3 Cup I Can't Believe it's Not Butter - Melted

1/4 Cup Sugar

Pinch of Salt

Keebler.com

Preheat the oven to 375. In a medium sized bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs with sugar and a pinch of salt. In small microwave safe dish melt your butter or margarine. Pour the butter into the bowl with the crumbs and mix until just combined. Transfer the crumb mixture to a 9 in pie place.

Using the back of a fork push the moist crumbs into the bottom and up along the sides of the dish until it seems to be set and firmly packed. Bake in the oven 6-8 minutes until light brown. Allow to cool for about 30 minutes before filling.

In a large bowl pour in the coconut milk, condensed milk, lime juice and egg yolks. Using a whisk combine everything together until it's smooth. Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust. Take one of the limes you juiced and zest it over top of the pie before placing it in the oven for a little extra lime flavor. Reduce the oven to 350 F and bake about 40 minutes until the pie is just a little wobbly in the middle.

Let the pie cool for an hour or so on a wire rack and then in the fridge for 1-2 hours. While the pie is cooling you can make the whipped cream and toasted coconut. In a stand mixer bowl that has been in the freezer for about 10 minutes whip the cream and sugar together on a high speed until stiff peaks which should take about 3 minutes. In a small pan over low heat toast the coconut until it is just crisp and golden brown. Spoon freshly whipped cream over top of the pie before serving. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Slice and Serve!!

Enjoy!!

Linked at: http://www.thecountrycook.net/

Orange Sweet Rolls

We must be in a citrus mood lately because our last two recipes have been make with lemons and now today I have a version of sweet rolls made with oranges. I made these sweet rolls for Easter brunch and everyone loved them!! They are time consuming since you have to allow the dough to rise 4 different times but they were completely worth every minute. These Orange Sweet Rolls would be perfect to make for your mom to eat her breakfast in bed when we celebrate Mother's Day in two weeks.

Ingredients for the Rolls:

1 3/4 Cup Warm Water

1 Small Package Active Yeast

1/3 Cup Sugar

2 Eggs

1/2 Cup I Can't Believe it's Not Butter - Melted

1 Tsp Salt

5 Cups Flour

Ingredients for the Filling:

1/2 Cup I Can't Believe it's Not Butter - Softened

1/2 Cup Sugar

Zest of 1 Orange

Ingredients for the Glaze:

2 Cups Powdered Sugar

2 Tbsp Orange Juice

Zest of 1 Orange

Adapted from: http://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/

In a small bowl combine the warm water, yeast and sugar. Let the mixture rest for 15 minutes, you will know the yeast is active when the water becomes frothy. In your mixer bowl with the dough hook attachment add the yeast mixture, eggs, melted butter, salt and flour. Knead the dough for 3 minutes on a medium speed. Cover the bowl with a towel and allow it to rise for 10 minutes. You will knead the dough two more times with the same amount of time. 3 minutes of kneading on a medium speed with 10 minutes of rest afterwards.

While the dough is resting and rising one of the three time you can make the filling for the rolls. In a small bowl combine the softened butter with sugar and orange zest. Make sure to wash the orange before you zest it. Also you don't want to zest down to the fruit because the white part under the rind is bitter so keep turning the orange as you zest it to make sure you don't go too deep into any section.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Lightly flour your table or counter-top. Using a spatula take all of the dough out of the mixer bowl. I had a hard time with this because it was very sticky. Section the dough into 3 large balls, making them as even as possible. 

Take each ball of dough and roll it out into a large rectangle. Spread each sheet of dough with some of the orange filling. I made a mistake by leaving a border and not spreading the filling all the way to the edges so learn from me.

Roll each dough sheet with filling up as tightly as you can. Using a serrated knife cut each roll every 2 inches or so to make the individual rolls.

Spray a muffin tin with Pam and place the individual rolls into each muffin tin opening. I have never made cinnamon rolls or anything similar like this I generally put them all together in a baking dish but this worked just as well with out any mess of trying to separate them after they were cooked. Allow the rolls to rise and rest once more for 30 minutes before baking them in the oven at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes or until the tops have gotten slightly golden brown.

While the rolls are baking you can make the glaze. In a small bowl combine the powdered sugar, orange juice and orange zest. Allow the rolls to cool for a few minutes before taking them out of the pans and drizzling them with the glaze.

Enjoy!!

Linked at: http://www.thecountrycook.net/

Lemon Sugar Cookie Tart

It was almost 80 degrees today and sunny!  We have been waiting for this for so long in New Jersey. Everything is finally budding and sprouting and turning green.  The birds are chirping. People are jogging or walking their dogs and I heard the ice cream truck this afternoon.  

The sugar cookie tart is a nice change from the traditional pie crust for this spring time dessert.  This recipe is adapted from Inquiring Chef who made little tarts in mini muffin cups.  We had for this our Easter dessert.  

Ingredients:

12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2-1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder

4 eggs
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup whipping cream
juice from 2 large lemons
1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
15 raspberries for garnish

Directions:

For crust - In a standing mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg and mix on medium
until mixed fully.  Add flour and baking powder and mix on medium until no flour remains but do not overmix.  Wrap dough in parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly spray a tart pan with PAM.  While oven is preheating make the lemon filling by whisking together the eggs, egg yolks, whipping cream, lemon juice and granulated sugar until smooth.

Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator and spread evenly in prepared tart pan.  Use your hands or the back of a spoon to press the dough evenly over the entire pan.  

Pour the lemon filling into the tart pan.

Bake until the filling is set and the crust begins to turn golden brown about 30 minutes.  Allow to cool completely to room temperature and then refrigerate until ready to serve.  Before serving beat the remaining whipping cream with the powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.  Pipe around edges of tart and put a raspberry on top of each dollop of cream.

Serve chilled.

Enjoy!!

Linked at: http://www.thecountrycook.net/

Lemon Poppyseed Bread

This month for Secret Recipe Club we were assigned Fit Mama Real Food. Heather is a busy mom of two kids who posts not only recipes but ideas for what her family eats for an entire week at a time. I think that's a great idea to plan ahead for both cooking and shopping. I was looking for something to enjoy for breakfast and came across her recipe for Lemon Poppyseed Bread. I was considering making a glaze to pour over top but I'm so glad I didn't. The bread has enough moisture and sweetness by itself it doesn't need a sugary glaze.

Ingredients:

2 Cups Bread Flour

1 1/2 Tbsp Poppy seeds

3/4 Cup Sugar

1/2 Tsp Baking Soda

1/4 Tsp Salt

1/3 Cup I can't Believe it's not butter - Melted

2 Eggs

5oz Lemon Flavors Greek Yogurt

1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract

1 Lemon  for Zest & 3 Tbsp Juice

Pam Spray

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease a loaf pan with Pam spray and set aside. In a large bowl combine together all of the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and poppy seeds.)

In a medium sized bowl combine together all of the wet ingredients (eggs, vanilla, melted butter, yogurt, lemon juice and zest.)

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Using a spatula mix everything together until the batter is completely combined and the batter is thick. Transfer the batter into the loaf pan. Spread it out into the pan with the spatula and give it a few good shakes or taps to have it fill in the corners.

Bake about 40 minutes. Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan.

Enjoy!!

Linked at: http://www.thecountrycook.net/

An InLinkz Link-up

Carrot Slaw with Citrus Vinaigrette

 

I lack creativity when it comes to making side dishes, always concentrating on the main menu item and serving it with one of my usual starch or rice dishes. This carrot slaw came out of no where and I'm sure glad I stumbled upon it. I served it alongside a sandwich filled with my favorite avocado based chicken salad. This carrot slaw turned out to be light and summery just like our entree. The carrots are crisp, the craisins sweet, the pecans crunchy and the vinaigrette is bright. This slaw could also work well as a salad for a BBQ picnic you would just have to double or triple the recipe.

Ingredients for Slaw:

1/2 lb Carrots - Shredded

2/3 Cup Craisins

1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans or Walnuts

Ingredients for Citrus Vinaigrette:

3 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Tbsp Honey

3 Tbsp Orange Juice

2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1 Tsp Lemon Zest

1/8 Tsp Pepper

1/4 Tsp Salt

Garnish with a few Tbsp of fresh chives

Adapted from: http://www.onceuponachef.com/

In a medium sized bowl whisk together the ingredients for the citrus vinaigrette (Olive oil, honey, orange juice, lemon juice, lemon zest, slat & pepper)

I had a bag of baby carrots that needed to be used so I tossed them in my food processor using the shredding tool. You can also buy carrots that are shredded.or full size carrots to peel and shred yourself. Add your carrots, craisins and pecans to the bowl with the vinaigrette.

Mix everything together well so that the vinaigrette has dressed all of the slaw. Allow to sit in the fridge for a few hours so the vinaigrette has some time to soak into the carrots and craisins. Top with some fresh chives and serve immediately as a side with your favorite summer sandwich or at your next BBQ.

Enjoy!!

Linked at: http://www.thecountrycook.net/

Tiered Lemon Blueberry Cake

This cake was one of our Easter desserts but it would be great to serve on Mother's Day as well.  To me the perfect springtime dessert is something lemon and this did not disappoint. I used a combination of frozen and fresh blueberries because blueberries were ridiculously expensive right before Easter.  This recipe was adapted from Woman's Day - Easter with The Pioneer Woman April 2014.

Ingredients:
Cake
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
4 eggs
2-1/3 cups + 5 tbsp cake flour
1-1/2 tsp baking soda
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 tbsp zested lemon peel
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp whole milk
16 oz fresh blueberries, (I used 12 oz. frozen and 4 oz. fresh)

Frosting
12 oz cream cheese softened
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of one medium/large lemon

Directions:  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray three pans with PAM cooking spray.  I used a 8", a 6" and a 4".  Or you can spray 2 9" pans.  In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time.

In a small bowl combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract and milk.

In a medium bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Slowly add liquid and flour mixtures into butter mixture until everything is combined.  Pour into prepared pans and bake in oven for 22 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.  Let cool for 15 minutes and then remove from pan and cool completely on cooling rack before frosting.

In a large bowl beat the softened butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.  Add 2 cups of the powdered sugar and lemon juice and zest until combined.  Frost bottom layer, top with blueberries, frost middle layer, top with more blueberries, frost third layer, top with blueberries.  Sprinkle with lemon zest.

Enjoy!!



Linked at: http://www.thecountrycook.net/