Key Lime Pie

To be honest, I wasn't even going to post this recipe because the ingredients aren't exactly something you'll run into at the grocery store.  But then Mark messed up my plans by adding it to his favorite recipe list in his guest post.  I figured I couldn't keep it a secret, even if one of the biggest ingredients came from Sanibel Island!

When we were in Sanibel, we bought a key lime pie at Jerry's.  Alex said it was his favorite, and it was our first night and we still had the whole lovely week stretching ahead of us.  Then I felt extra zealous and bought the ingredients to make my own, assuming we'd finish the one we bought and need fresh pies quickly.  I picked up cream to make whipped cream, a graham cracker crust, eggs, condensed milk, and a bottle of key lime juice.

We ended up not eating the whole pie until the last day; plus I got the flu halfway through the week and never made a single thing in the kitchen.  But I refused to throw the ingredients away - at least the ones that would travel well.  I put the juice and the can of milk in my suitcase and brought them home (please note, Mother dearest, that I did not try to carry them in my carry-on!  My mom ran into some security snafus when she tried to bring peanut butter with her! :) )

I made two pies on New Year's Day, one for us and one to bring to Mark's family party.  I was a little nervous, since it was at his Aunt Kelly's, and she's a caterer!  Mark's mom cut the first slice, and after she took a bite, she said, "oh wow! Very lime-y."  That made me nervous.  But then she kept eating it.  And then she ate a second piece.  Mark and his dad had two pieces, too.  And by the time I went to grab my plate, the whole pie was gone!  Everyone agreed that it was great, and that while the first bite is indeed very "lime-y," it is truly a delicious, tart-but-sweet key lime pie.  I got similar reviews at home.

So I'm sorry if I got you craving key lime pie.  I doubt you'll find the juice at grocery stores around here.  But if you're desperate, feel free to ship a bit of Florida home ;)  Nellie and Joe's Famous Key West Lime Juice delivers!

Recipe:

key lime pie
from the back of Nellie and Joe's Famous Key West Lime Juice bottle

Ingredients:

9-inch graham cracker pie shell (or make your own like I did: 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup melted butter, 2 tablespoons sugar; mix them together, press it into a plate, and bake for 7-10 minutes)
14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup key lime juice
whipped cream and lime slices, for serving (optional)

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine milk, egg yolks and lime juice.  Blend until smooth.

2) Pour filling into pie shell and bake for 15 minutes.

3) Allow to stand 10 minutes before refrigerating.  Just before serving, top with freshly whipped cream and garnish with lime slices.