SPAGHETTI SQUASH "PASTA"

i totally meant to post this a couple weeks into march, but, alas, here we are again at the end of the month scrabbling to deliver my monthly post. i was really hoping to post once a week, but i may be working on another post based on being a mommy - again to keep for my record and to help new mommies alike. that's under construction...

anyway, back to food. in an effort to get back to my pre-baby weight, i have been diligent about how many calories i'm taking in and have been working to find healthy alternatives. if you haven't noticed, there has been serious buzz over spaghetti squash and i really wanted to give it a go. i love pasta, specifically capellini (similar to angel hair), but it's not a necessary evil of mine, in that i don't go out of my way to find it when thinking about where to eat.

so, the idea that a vegetable can be used as a substitute was incredibly intriguing. it's like when people use zucchini in place of pasta in lasagna - same mentality. plus, there are tons of recipes popping up! i went for the basic, newcomer approach and simply roasted it. i also just added my favorite, bottled pasta sauce and frozen meatballs. with a baby, this is the way to go these days. anyway, this is pretty versatile and you can add whatever you like to it.

overall, you can definitely tell you're eating vegetables and not pasta, but i really liked the crunch (i usually like my pasta al dente). and, the flavor is mild so it doesn't overwhelm and it is filling. all things you want in a healthy alternative!

SPAGHETTI SQUASH
posted on best recipe box

• 1 spaghetti squash, about 3 lbs
• 1 T olive oil
• salt & pepper, to taste
• pasta sauce of your choice
• meatballs (optional)

preheat oven to 375° F. oil sheet pan.

carefully cut squash in half, lengthwise. scoop out seeds and connecting strands. place cut side down on prepared sheet.

bake for 45 mins or until squash becomes tender and separates easily into strands using a fork.

serve warm with pasta sauce, cheese, or any other toppings.

my yummy tip: the shell is pretty strong, there is some serious muscle needed to get the cutting going. just be prepared for a little fight. also, i would spread a little oil onto the cut squash before putting into the oven to keep moist and avoid any burns.

BANANA CREAM PIE

one of my childhood memories was going to baker's square for a pie after enduring a doctor's appointment. it was definitely a ploy to make us feel better about the doctor and potential shots. is this the best place for pie...i definitely thought so when i was 10 years old with underdeveloped, uneducated taste buds. it was heaven. i can't say that i know that answer now because all of these restaurants have closed in california since. they're only in the midwest - if that says anything.

well, since this was no longer an option, trying to find a pie seemed too daunting of a task, so i needed a sure thing. mind you, i was pregnant at this time, so mama was having a serious craving. remembering a blog post from my dear friend, regina, i called upon her to possibly make me a pie to address this monster craving. and, like a true friend, she made the pie at 9pm in the evening and i was presented with one of the most perfect slices of heaven one can ask for. the graham cracker crust is like no other, which is what really made this recipe perfection.

i recently have been craving the deliciousness of that banana cream pie and attempted to make this myself. being a new mom has some serious side effects, one of them being mommy-brain and juggling. my time management and multi-tasking skills are no match for the unpredictable baby, so when i attempted to make the custard, it turned out extremely thick and was not what i remembered, which lead me to find another option. so, what you'll see below is the original recipe i followed from regina (who confirmed her custard is thicker in consistency) and a more runnier, vanilla pudding option.

BANANA CREAM PIE
posted on always remain awesome on november 15, 2012

CRUST

• 2 1/2c graham cracker, crushed
• 1/3c sugar
• 1/4c banana, mashed
• 1/4c unsalted butter, melted

preheat oven to 375°F.

in the pie pan, mix together graham cracker, sugar, and banana.

mix in melted butter until everything is moist. then, evenly press into the pie pan.

bake until golden brown for about 15 minutes. cool completely.

CUSTARD FILLING

• 1/2c sugar
• 1/3c cornstarch
• 1/4t salt
• 1 1/2c heavy whipping cream
• 1 1/2c whole milk
• 3 large egg yolk
• 1 vanilla bean
• 2T unsalted butter
• 1t vanilla extract
• 5 bananas (yellow with minor bruising), sliced

in a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt.

gradually whisk in cream and milk. then, whisk in egg yolks. 

cut vanilla bean in half, scrape the seeds and add the whole bean into the saucepan.

whisk over medium-high heat until custard thickens or comes to a boil.

remove from heat. whisk in butter and vanilla extract. discard vanilla bean

transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap so that it touches the surface of the custard.

cool completely.

CUSTARD FILLING OPTION 2

posted on what's gaby cooking on march 29, 2013

• 2c whole milk
• 3/4c heavy cream
• 1/2c sugar
• 3T cornstarch
• 2T all purpose flour
• 1/4t salt
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1/4c unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 vanilla bean, seeds removed

in a medium saucepan, bring milk and cream to a simmer.

meanwhile, whisk sugar, cornstarch, flour, and salt in a large bowl.

add egg yolk to sugar mixture and whisk until smooth.

while constantly whisking, gradually add milk mixture to yolk mixture in the bowl. once combined, return everything back to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until thick (about 2-3mins). add butter and vanilla until butter is melted.

transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap so that it touches the surface of the custard.

cool completely for about 2 hours.

WHIPPED CREAM

• 3/4c heavy whipping cream
• 2T sugar
• 1t vanilla extract

using an electric mixer, whip until stiff on high for about 5 minutes.

ASSEMBLY

1. spread about 1c of the custard into the pie pan evenly.
2. place 1/4 inch sliced bananas, covering the on top of the custard.
3. repeat first 2 steps.
4. spread whipped cream topping.
5. add bananas around edge and sprinkle any leftover graham cracker crumbs.

SMASHED POTATOES

one of my favorite things, especially when i was pregnant, were potatoes...fried, mashed, baked...so many options! one of the easiest side dishes i found were these little smash potatoes. instructions are: boil, smash, season, bake...wah-la! what's great about these is that the good-for-you skin gets crisp and they're totally customizable. i like them simple with rosemary, salt, and pepper. i also love using the trader joe's medley of small potatoes, which include red, gold, & purple.

CRASH HOT POTATOES aka SMASHED POTATOES
posted on the pioneer woman on june 8, 2008

• 12 small round potatoes (i love trader joe's potato medley)
• 3T olive oil
• sea salt to taste
• black pepper to taste
• rosemary (or other herb) to taste

bring a pot of salted water to a boil. add potatoes and boil until fork tender about 25-30mins.

preheat oven to 450°F. generously drizzle olive oil onto baking sheet. place tender potatoes on sheet with plenty of space between each potato.

with a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, rotate the masher 90 degrees and mash again. brush the top of each potato generously with more olive oil.

sprinkle potato with salt, pepper, and rosemary (or any other herb, like chives or thyme).

bake for 20-25mins until golden brown.

SAUSAGE & KALE STEW WITH OLIVE OIL MASHED POTATOES

mr. miles everett

first off, as you can see, i have not been contributing to my poor deprived blog. the last post was in april, which was when i found out i was pregnant with my first baby. a couple things were going on then: 1) i was too nauseous to even think about food (being pregnant is NOT a foodie's friend in the first trimester), then 2) when i finally got my appetite back, all i wanted was take out. i probably won't have time in the new year with a new baby, but i will try to post something at least once a month because blogging about food makes me happy and one of resolutions is to cook more. don't be surprised, however, if my next post are lactation cookies or baby food.

anyway…on with my comeback...

i found saw this recipe in the november issue of real simple and knew i wanted to make it. i assumed it was something that can be whipped up in a couple hours, but then quickly realized that it was a slow cooker recipe, which would take 8 hours of cooking time. so, i had to choose a time when i could make it in the afternoon for dinner that night.

typically for christmas dinner, the husband and i order a honey baked ham and i make all the sides. this year was not like any other…my new baby arrived the beginning of december and there was no way i'd be able to pull together any extensive sides or a dinner. the best thing about slow cooker recipes is that you literally put all the ingredients in, press a button, & wah-lah…dinner! this was exactly what we needed, plus i wanted to try something new. another bonus from this recipe is that i found a new way to make mashed potatoes…instead of using butter, you use better-for-you olive oil and the flavor is amazing!

also, good to know that this serves 6 and each serving is 459 calories; 26g fat (5g saturated); 25mg cholesterol; 1,196mg sodium; 19g protein; 39g carbohydrates; 7g sugar; 5g fiber; 4mg iron; 160mg calcium

SAUSAGE & KALE STEW WITH OLIVE OIL MASHED POTATOES
posted on real simple magazine in november 2013 issue

• 1lb sweet italian sausage links, casings removed & broken into pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 28oz can diced tomatoes
• 2T tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1c water
• salt & pepper
• 2 large russet potatoes (about 1lb)
• 1 small bunch kale, stems removed and leaves torn (about 7c)
• 1/2c milk
• 1/2c olive oil, plus extra for serving

combine sausage, onion, tomatoes & juices, tomato paste, garlic, water 3/4t each of salt & pepper in a 4-6qt slow cooker. nestle the potatoes in the liquid. top with kale.

cover & cook until potatoes are tender, on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.

transfer the potatoes to a medium bowl. add milk, oil, and 1/2t each of salt & pepper. mash.

serve the stew topped with the mashed potatoes. drizzle more olive oil, if desired.

my yummy tip: you can prep this the night before by combining everything, except the sausage and kale. refrigerate, covered. then, just add sausage and kale in the morning to start stewing.

CHICKEN PICCATA & LEMON BRUSSEL SPROUTS

one of my favorite notes in food is sour, usually from lemons. a dish that i think really captures this flavor profile is chicken piccata. i love this and it's incredibly easy to make. the added bonus for me are the capers, which add to the sour note. it seems like there are ways to adjust this recipe by either using white wine and/or garlic, which i may experiment with, especially since i just prepared a julia child's moules a la mariniere recipe that called for these ingredients and it was super delicious (post to follow)!

the other, very trendy side i wanted were lemon brussel sprouts. i've had and loved brussels with bacon, but to keep with the lemony theme, i found this extremely delicious recipe! it calls to add cheese, but i was fine without it.

these combined may be too much of the same for some, but it is what i considered a perfect homemade meal.

CHICKEN PICCATA
posted on food on the food on march 1, 2012

• 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/3 c all-purpose flour
• 4-5 T olive oil
• 3/4 c chicken stock
• 1/3 c fresh lemon juice (about 1-2 lemons)
• 1/4 c capers
• 2 T finely chopped parsley
• 2 T unsalted butter

wash & dry chicken in cold water. either butterfly each breast or cut all the way for a bigger piece or two thin slices, depending on what you like/need.

season breast with salt & pepper and dredge in flour. shake off excess.

heat 3 T of olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. in two batches, cook the chicken until brown, about 3 mins on each side. add more oil as needed to the next batch. set aside.

add stock, lemon juice, and capers to the empty pan. bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

add chicken and juices to the pan. simmer uncovered on low until sauce is reduced and chicken is heated through, about 5 mins. remove chicken, set aside. whisk butter and parsley into sauce. spoon sauce over chicken and serve.

LEMON BRUSSEL SPROUTS

posted on babble on november 10, 2010

• 1 lb brussel sprouts, washed, trimmed, & halved
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 t salt
• zest of 1 lemon
• 2 T lemon juice
• 1/4 t salt (more if you'd like)
• 1/4 c olive oil
• 3 T pecorino romano or parmesan (i didn't use this, but had it on the side for anyone who wanted it - aka the husband)

preheat oven to 375° F. toss brussel sprouts in olive oil and arrange on baking sheet. cook for 35-45 mins until edges are dark brown & slightly crisp, flipping at the halfway point. move to large serving bowl.

meanwhile, combine lemon zest, juice, and salt. slowly whisk in olive oil until thickened and emulsified. toss the brussel sprouts with the dressing. add salt as needed and cheese, if preferred, and serve.

ALEXANDER'S STEAKHOUSE INVITES A BEAR FOR HIS BIRTHDAY

it's been quite awhile since i posted and if you missed me, i apologize.

cute ox origami at the hostess desk

for my first post of the year, i wanted to highlight a wonderful night spent at alexander's steakhouse for the husband's (aka "bear") birthday. i call him bear because he's a little hairy, cuddly, docile, and bigger than me (in the picture below, i'm wearing 4in heels and barely shoulder height).

there are so many places i'd love to take him to experience food, but was inspired by a post from my friend regina when she took a friend for an expensive steak dinner. i thought this would be the perfect place to celebrate the husband - he likes steak and good food and i was intrigued by the restaurant that took the place of bacar.

the service is impeccable - a little too informational at times, but outstanding nonetheless. the ambience can be romantic, intimate, cool, whatever you need it to be depending on your visit. what's also very interesting about alexander's that sets itself apart from other steakhouses is that it has japanese influence. you come to alexander's to try the coveted wagyu and the fusion in other courses, like the hamachi shooters. i can't wait to have another reason to come back.

we started with an amuse bouche. i honestly can't remember what was i this little cube, but it was nutty and the saffron threads were nice.

i then got a refreshing beet salad. the beets were prepared perfectly - sweet, crisp, tender.

then we ordered hamachi shooters, which was beyond amazing! i could've just had multiple servings of this. the flavors of sweet, salty, tangy, were wonderful together.

to prepare for the main course, we got a kiwi palate cleanser.

so, i did say that you come here for the wagyu, but i couldn't help myself to the glorious 24oz dry-aged bone-in new york strip. i had them prepare it with a trio of salts and a roasted lemon. it was heavenly!

for dessert, we ordered the warm sticky toffee pudding. the toffee and date cake were great, but it was the thai tea ice cream that was show stopper. i would get this again!

one of the reason's i also chose alexander's to celebrate his birthday was that i saw cotton candy was part of the experience...ours was cherry flavored and it was fun!

just when i thought the dinner was coming to a close, out came an additional birthday dessert.

i didn't get a picture of my drink, which was amazing! it was called shiso bomb. one thing alexander's likes to do are puns and play on words to name their signature cocktails, the husband got a drink called miso honey...haha! anyway, i wish i took a picture of my drink because it was exceptionally made for me. it was sour and refreshing - hangar one kaffir lime, lime juice, ginger, & brown sugar. i also didn't take a shot of the glasses of cava they gave us to toast his birthday or the additional treats at the end, mexican wedding cookies, chocolate madelines, and black currant macarons. such an amazing place to spend a special celebration.

i'm pretty sure this was a great day for the husband. he got star wars x-wing fighter legos (doesn't he look like he's 14 again with his braces?), cotton candy, steak, and a day that was truly dedicated to him and all the things and people he love! happy BEAR day, here's to many more!

SF GIANTS WORLD SERIES 2012 CHAMPION CAKEPOPS

if you haven't heard, the SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS won the world series...again!! to have lived through one win in my lifetime was magical, but two? that's unbelievable!!! quite honestly, nothing beats the first feeling of victory when the boys won in 2010. because it had been so long since this franchise had actually won and the fact that it was the first win as the "San Francisco Giants", not "New York Giants", 2010 was so, incredibly sweet!!! don't get me wrong, there were some seriously awesome things that happened to get us to the 2012 win - two playoff comebacks, a well-rounded team with many firsts for some of the players (like marco scutaro), and a sweep for the underdog team that was counted out! take that, odds makers!

so, how do i celebrate? by baking! in 2010, i made caramel apple cider cupcakes...this year, i decided on pumpkin cakepops. i figured they are super of-the-season and i also hadn't made cakepops in quite some time. what was also perfect was the giants victory parade was set for halloween day and there was orange & black everywhere!

PUMPKIN CAKEPOPS
pumpkin cupcake recipe posted on allrecipes.com by javaru

• 2 1/4 c all-purpose flour
• 1 t ground cinnamon
• 1/2 t ground nutmeg
• 1/2 t ground ginger
• 1/2 t ground cloves
• 1/2 t ground allspice
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 T baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 c butter, softened
• 1 c white sugar
• 1/3 c brown sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 c milk
• 1 c pumpkin puree (i actually use the whole 15 oz can)

preheat oven to 375°F. grease 9x11 baking pan. sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, allspice, salt, baking powder, & baking soda. set aside.

in a separate bowl, beat butter, white sugar, & brown sugar with an electric mixer until light & fluffy. add eggs, one at a time, blending each before adding the next. stir in milk & pumpkin. stir in flour mixture until just incorporated. pour into greased pan.

bake for 25-30 mins until golden. cool in the pan for 5 mins, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

**my yummy tip: i bake the cake the night before and make the cakepops the following day. ideally, the cake should be completely cool.**

cream cheese frosting

• 4 T butter (1/2 stick), softened
• 4 oz cream cheese (1/2 package), softened
• 2 c powdered sugar
• 1/2 t vanilla extract

once the cake is cooled, prepare frosting. whip butter & cream cheese. mix in powdered sugar, then vanilla extract.

cakepop assembly

• prepared cake, crumbled
• prepared frosting
• 3-4 bags of candy melts
• 1/2 c vegetable oil, divided
• 40-50 lollipop sticks
• floral foam block

whip the cake & frosting together. roll about 40 golf size balls - the consistency of the mixture should allow the ball to keep its shape and stick together. place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

heat one bag of candy melts per bag instructions. add 1/8-1/4 c of oil to the melts. dip one end of the lollipop stick in the candy melt & stick into prepared balls. place tray into freezer for 30 mins.

remove from freezer and reheat candy melts, stir. dip the cakepops in the candy melt and stick upright into foam blocks to cool & harden the candy coating. add decoration, if desired.

CHICAGO-STYLE BASEBALL & FOOD

the husband & i have a bucket list of things we'd like to do together. they're mostly travel, sports, or food-related and categorized as pre-baby and post-baby. but, if things fall into the post-baby category, we're not opposed because the future babies get to have a fun story to tell themselves as their lives develop, but we'll see what happens when we cross that bridge. for now, we're keeping pre-baby bucket list items in that category.

in our sports/travel-related bucket list, we wanted to see historic baseball fields, one being wrigley (we'll plan on fenway next year, probably). what's fun about my marriage is having these similar interests, which is obviously great for any healthy, happy relationship to have. san francisco giants baseball is something we can root for and enjoy together. when i looked up the next time the giants would be facing the cubs in chicago so we could go to wrigley, i knew we had to make it happen!

i've been told that you can fall in love with chicago, especially during the spring and late summer, when you're not being attacked by blistering, humid heat or severe cold winters. but, it happened, i love chicago. the fans at the game were mellow and enjoyed friendly competition. the field is amazing and old-school and the giants won! we definitely will be back and probably stay in the city (we were staying with family friends an hour away, so we didn't really get the whole chicago experience).

SLURPING TURTLE
interestingly, the first thing we wanted to try was the slurping turtle that was suggested by my friend, hannah. her sister lives in chicago and when visiting stops here. i looked up and the menu and knew we had to try it out! it's the type of food we love, so we knew it'd be a winner!

[seared big eye tuna] the husband loves seared tuna, so this was a must! it was done perfectly and had a great acidic flavor. the avocado added a nice texture and flavor to complete the dish (honestly, if it was lacking avocado, i would've been upset).

[pork belly snack] ah-may-zing!!! we got another order of them before we even finished the dish. this was a great modern twist on the pork buns i've grown up with. the pork belly was so succulent & tender, the flavor combinations were sweet, salty, & tangy, and the silver of bun was fluffy & sweet! i dream of this dish...

[duck fat fried chicken] how intriguing, right? frying one bird in another bird's fatty fat! it was good, nicely battered, but a little overcooked and not as juicy as chicken usually gets when deep-fried correctly.

[grilled foie gras] ever since california banned the sale of foie gras, it has become something i think about every once in awhile. it's that "you always want what you can't have" mentality. anyway, i was so ready for this fatty, gamey treat and the slurping turtle did a great job in cooking it perfectly.

GIORDANO'S
so, we did end up getting our deep-dish on since you can't go to chicago without trying it! we have a couple deep-dish places in san francisco (patxi's & little star, which i have yet to try), but it is definitely necessary to go to the source and the experts.

there were some serious recommendations on which one would be best: giordano's, lou malnati's, gino's east, and if there's a key one i'm missing - please send it over...because i will be doing a deep-dish face-off on the next visit!

anyway, we chose giordano's because it sounded like the most traditional chain and was near the house we were staying in and was the pick of another friend who had also tried gino's east, but preferred giordano's.

so what did i think? i felt like i needed more salt or something on the stuffing. the sauce was nicely seasoned and the cheese to crust ratio seemed well proportioned. overall, i imagine that this is what a classic deep dish pizza is. i can't wait to do a face-off!

SF STREET FOOD FEST

i am known for going to big food events, so if you've ever wondered which one i look the most forward to...it has to be the sf street food fest!! where else can you find san francisco's best in one area, where there are 5 blocks of the best each place has to offer that you pay for with monopoly money! between regina & i we spent $50 and really had to stretch on where to spend that last $10 since we had tried most places here already and because we were utterly full! if you're ever in san fran in mid-august, make a stop here so you can get a taste of sf!

[STATE BIRD PROVISIONS - hand pulled burrata on garlic bread] this was incredible and i was so happy we started off with this and got before the rush (we got it later in the day because we loved it so much and the piece of burrata was much smaller and the bread was a little stale)! the bread was perfectly flaky and the burrata was well-seasoned. i cannot wait to get a reservation at the actual restaurant!

[PINX - sweet potato pie waffles] i loved the enthusiasm of the people behind pinx! it's always great to see how much pride chefs have for the food they present. the waffle was lightly sweetened and had a good crispy outside, fluffy inside effect that you look for in a waffle. the salted bourbon caramel sauce was also nice and light, not overwhelmingly sweet!

[AZALINA'S - chicken kaya penang chilaquiles] what a great combination of flavors! it had a nice kick, the chicken was tender, and had a nice penang flavor! the crushed raspberries gave a good break to the spiciness and the chips on the bottoms were nicely soaked in the juices.

[ZELLA'S SOULFUL KITCHEN - jacked up hush puppies] these were yummy deep-fried goodness. there were whole kernels of corn, which i love, especially in cornbread, and melted cheese in the middle! i think the melted cheese and jalapenos is what made these "jacked up".

[TACOLICIOUS - grilled squid veracruz] i actually really love tacolicious tacos - they're great! i also love squid (we were actually having a conversation of our love for squid ink dishes). so, when we saw this offering at a well-known restaurant booth, we went for it. sadly, it was pretty disappointing and lacked some serious salt!

[CLAIRESQUARES - deep fried caramel pops] oh my goodness! this was amazing! pure gold! we had been splitting everything up until this point. we really felt we needed our own pop, which turned out to be a good and bad idea. good because they were so yummy, bad because they were so rich! i would definitely get this again!

[15 ROMOLO - chicken wing boriquas] tasty little things covered in coconut milk & lime! the batter wasn't too think and the chicken was moist. i didn't really care for the plantain, but this was great!

[GOOD FOODS CATERING - pork belly sandos] i love seeing the word pork belly and am a sucker for tasting anything with this succulent meat in it! i really wish i wasn't too full, but the bites i took were super delicious - the pork belly was perfectly tender and that's all that matters!

[MISSION STREET CART - diabolito rasposado] i don't know if it's the spanish-influence in my culture, but i love chili and tamarind things! i was initially going to this cart for the chili mangoes, but was very intrigued by what the people in front of us were ordering, which was this amazing concoction! it was shaved ice, tamarind, strawberry puree, and a chili tamarind stick. i would've easily preferred just the chili tamarind stick, but was okay drinking this incredibly thick thing. i don't know that i'd ever get it again, but it was an interesting experience.

overall, another successful event! i can't wait for next year. i hope there's definitely new places to explore.

MINI KEY LIME MERINGUE PIE

for my father-in-law's birthday, i didn't have time to think about baking...so i went to my local pie shop to get him an assortment of his favorites: cherry, apple, key lime, & banana cream. i was actually really disappointed in myself for not making my own pie to celebrate his day...it's my ambitious drive that gets me to attempt things i never have. so, i chose to make the key lime pie for two reasons: 1) it's the father-in-law's absolute favorite and i've never seen anyone make one for him since i've been around (8 years) and 2) that was the least favorite of the slices i brought from the local pie shop...and i felt it needed some redemption. i also needed an excuse to finally use my mini keebler graham cracker crusts. by the way, he said it was the BEST he ever had...he was a little intoxicated so this statement may be slightly exaggerated.

MINI KEY LIME MERINGUE PIE
posted on plum pie by brooke on april 2011

CRUST (i cheated and used prepackaged crusts)

• 1 1/3 c graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 c sweetened shredded coconut (dethawed)
• 2 T sugar
• 5 T butter, melted

preheat oven to 350°F. lightly butter a 9-inch pie pan OR 4 mini tart pans.

in a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, coconut, sugar, and melted butter. press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan(s), stamping down the crumbs to form an even crust. bake for 8-10 mins until lightly golden. reserve and prepare filling.

FILLING

• 4 egg yolks (reserve the whites for the meringue topping)
• 1/4 t cream of tartar
• 1 14-oz can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 c key lime juice
• 3 T key lime zest (optional, but it's best to get the zest before squeezing the juicing from the limes)

in a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and cream of tartar. whisk in the sweetened condensed milk. gradually whisk in the lime juice until well combined. stir in lime zest, if using. pour mixture into the prepared shell(s).

bake for 15 mins, until filling is just set. remove from the oven, cool completely, and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. before serving, prepare topping.

MERINGUE TOPPING

• 4 egg whites
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1 t vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

place egg whites in mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until the egg whites form soft peaks, about 2-3 mins. slowly add sugar, vanilla, and salt. beat until the whites form stiff, glossy peaks, another 1-2 mins. do not over mix or the whites will dry out.

place meringue in a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe the meringue onto the chilled key lime pie in dollops that run in concentric circles, completely covering the top of the pie. OR, spread the meringue on the pie and using the back of a spoon, create peaks and dips in topping, or swirl like i did.

use a blow torch to caramelize the meringue. OR, broil the pie under the oven broiler until golden brown (watch carefully because the meringue will burn easily).