Key Lime Pie! Minus the Keys ...

Ok so it's been a few years...

But since posting my pic of my Key Lime Pie I have gotten so many requests that I decided to make it easier and just post the recipe here. This is so easy, so summery and so delicious your guests will begging for more. And if they don't ... they have no taste.

Ingredients

For Crust
1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup of melted salted butter
1/3 cup of sugar

For Pie
1/2 cup of fresh lime juice
1 TBSP of lime zest (heaping tablespoon! don't be shy)
1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk
2 whole egg yolks


Here's how you do it.
Preheat oven to 350. Mix butter and sugar into crumbs with fork until just moist. Gently press it into a pie plate. 8 or 9 inch. I did 9. Not deep dish though. Put it in the oven for 5 to 8 minutes until golden. Put on rack to cool. Now take a sip from your cocktail.

Meanwhile ....

Zest the limes. Then roll them on the cutting board and juice the suckers. (You don't need key limes for this. Just regular ones. And depending on size and juiciness, 6 to 8 should be plenty. If you have any leftovers... more margaritas!) Mix egg yolks, lime juice and zest until combined. Add sweetened condensed milk and with your trusty stand mixer on high mix until smooth and thick. Possibly 90 seconds to two minutes. Dump this into the crust and put it back in the oven (probably on a baking sheet would be best) for 15 minutes or until it no longer jiggles. Cool on rack and then put it in the fridge for at least an hour. Serve with whipped cream and a little more lime zest on top of that. And that's it! Excuse me but I have to go now and wipe this drool away.

The BEST Baked Potatoes

Many people have no issues microwaving baked potatoes. They always end up tasting like.. well.. microwaved baked potatoes. They ooze that puss and inevitably always end up like sheet rock on the bottom. So, if you have an hour please always bake them. This is how I do it and it's delicious! First, take a large baking potato. NO other potato will do. Scrub, rinse and dry. Poke with a fork on top and bottom a few times. Rub a little bit of Canola oil or Veg Oil all over. Then cover with Kosher Salt. Place in a preheated oven at 350 for an hour or so, depending on the size of the potato. Once out, take a fork and make a diagonal line on top of the potato, creating an "X" then push sides together. It'll be the fluffiest most tasty potato. Cover in butter/sour cream/bacon bits whatever you'd like and enjoy! Happy Eats!

Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes!

MY FLUFFY BUTTERMILK PANCAKES

I will never buy box pancake mix again. These are perfect for Sunday morning breakfasts. This will make enough for two people. You'll need to double it for four and triple for five or six. To keep pancakes warm, set your oven at 225 and put a baking sheet fitted with a metal oven safe cooling rack in it. Once cooked put the pancakes in the oven until ready to serve. I always enjoy these with a side of bacon and orange slices. Oh, and don't forget the butter and warmed pure maple syrup!

Ingredients.
1 cup Buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/4 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
1 teaspoon of pure Vanilla Extract

Directions

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk egg, vanilla, melted butter and buttermilk. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until lumps are gone. (don't over mix!) Let batter sit in bowl for ten minutes.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side.

Chicken Parm!!!

DAN’S DELICIOUS AND HEALTHIER CHICKEN PARMESAN

Here is a healthier way to eat and enjoy Chicken Parmesan. Be sure to use fresh spices and fresh parmesan. No KRAFT cheese in a bottle!

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound of Chicken, breast, raw, without skin & bone, cut into four pieces
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
½ cup of all-purpose flour
¾ cup plain dried bread crumbs
¼ cup of fresh Italian flat leaf parsley chopped
1 Tbsp italian seasoning
3/4 tsp table salt, or to taste
2 tsps olive oil
2 cups basic plain pasta sauce or homemade.
3/4 cups part-skim, low fat mozzarella cheese, shredded.
3 Tbsp FRESHLY grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh Basil, chopped.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. (this makes cleanup much MUCH easier)
2. Place chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap; using a rolling pin or a meat mallet, pound chicken to 1/4-inch thickness. Pat dry with paper towels.
3. Place flour in a shallow bowl. Then place egg whites in a shallow bowl. In a third shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs with Italian seasoning, salt, pepper to taste and chopped parsley.
4. Dip chicken in flour, shaking off the excess. Then dip in egg whites; turn to coat, letting all excess drip off. Then dip chicken in bread crumb mixture; turn to thoroughly coat patting down to adhere.
5. Coat a large skillet with olive oil cooking spray and add oil; heat over medium to medium high heat. When hot, add chicken and cook until lightly browned and no longer pink in center, about 4 minutes per side (cook chicken in batches if necessary).
6. Place chicken on baking sheet, put in oven for 10 minutes.
7. Remove chicken from oven and put equal amounts of sauce, cheeses and chopped basil on top of the breasts. Place back in oven until thoroughly cooked, around 15 minutes.
8. Place under broiler for a minute or two if you like your cheese crunchier.
Serve with salad and fresh steamed veggies, or whole wheat pasta if you prefer

Rudloph and Roxanne Mash up!

A Penguin Dilemma!

HeyFattboy's Snickerdoodles!

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup butter, softened
* 1/2 cup shortening
* 1 1/2 cups white sugar
* 2 eggs
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 tablespoons white sugar
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, the eggs and the vanilla. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls.
3. Mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
4. Bake 8 minutes or until set but not too hard. Remove immediately from baking sheets and cool completely on wire rack.