Key Lime Pie

with chocolate cookie crust and raspberry sauce... 

Chocolate Cookie Crust

5 oz shortbread type chocolate cookies, pulverized (about 1 C when crushed.  I used Newman's Own Alphabet Cookies) 

4 T butter, melted

1/2 C shredded coconut (leave out or add more if you  like)

Crush cookies.  Blend in butter and then coconut.  Press into bottom of 9" pie pan.  Bake at 375 degrees for 7-10 minutes.  Let cool.

Lime Filling

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk (I used fat free.  Hey, saving calories counts!) 

1 to 1 1/2 C whipping cream,* whipped into stiff peaks  (Reserve a little for serving.)

@ 4 limes, zest and juice.  Juice should equal about 4 oz.  (Chop zest into smaller pieces if desired.)  Reserve some zest.

Mix sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, and unreserved zest well.  Fold in whipped cream.  Spoon into cooled pie shell.  Sprinkle with reserved zest.  Place pie in refrigerator or freezer.

Raspberry Sauce

Place fresh or frozen berries in a pan on stove.  Add honey to taste.  Let slightly boil for a few minutes.  Remove from heat and crush berries, mixing well.  

To serve:

Place a tablespoon or 2 of raspberry sauce in bottom of bowl or dish, spreading in a pretty manner.  Place slice of pie on top.  Put a dollop of whipped cream on top of pie.

*For easy whipped cream making, place mixer bowl, mixing attachment, and even the cream itself into freezer for a brief period till all is very cold.

This Fun and Fabulous dessert gets rave reviews every time I serve it.  This recipe is original to me, synthesized from several other recipes and honed over time.

Once again, I'm participating in Jenny Matlock's Fantabulous Alphabe-Thursday.  Come and join in the Fun!  You will be enlightened, charmed, and have some plain ole Fun!  See more entries HERE.  This week our letter is "F."  
photos by me © 2010 and 2011

Unveiled!...the mystery plant

It's a pumpkin!
In early August, I found a very vine-y plant with huge dark green leaves growing out of my compost pile. See it here. Many of you guessed correctly. The plant is now sporting 3 orange, rather small pumpkins. How fun!
PUMPKIN FACTS
Ѽ Pumpkins are believed to have originated in North America perhaps as far back as 7000 BC.
Ѽ The name pumpkin originated from the Greek word for "large melon" which is "pepon."
Ѽ Did you know that Native American Indians dried strips of pumpkin and wove them into mats?!
Ѽ Depending on the variety, pumpkins can weigh 2 pounds up to 100 or more pounds. The largest pumpkin ever grown weighed 1,140 pounds.
Ѽ Pumpkins belong to the Cucurbita family which includes squash and cucumbers.
Ѽ Pumpkins grow all over the world except for Antarctica.
Ѽ Pumpkin flowers are edible as are the leaves (see recipes below).
Ѽ In the US, 90% of pumpkins are grown in Illinois.
Ѽ The largest pumpkin pie ever made weighed 2,020 pounds. It measured 12 feet, 4 inches wide and 4 inches deep. See it here.Links
Ѽ recipes
Ѽ pumpkin records
Ѽ fried pumpkin flowers recipe
Ѽ an Indian style fried pumpkin flower recipe (note besan is chickpea flour)
Ѽ pumpkin leaves in peanut sauce recipe © by Melody Mundawarara

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
After removing the seeds for the pumplin, rinse to remove pulp. Mix with salt and spread onto a large baking sheet. Bake at 150 degrees (low heat to retain nutrients) till fairly dry, stirring occasionally.

And there's more! from tamdoll-- In my town we have a Giant Pumpkin Regatta - 1,000+ pumpkins are hollowed out - outboard motors attached - and town officials race them up and down the river... it's crazy!   Some pictures here!

photo © by me 2009 except pie photo which is also ©