Let's Talk about Limes !

I happen to love Limes. I prefer cooking and baking with Limes over any other Citrus Fruit.
When I find a recipe I love that calls for citrus, I choose Lime. I'll convert a recipe to change it to Lime. Of course that's not difficult to do. Texans use Lime in a lot of Tex-Mex Recipes and when we drink a Corona Beer, you'll often see us squeezing a wedge of Lime into the beer and shove the Lime wedge into the bottle. It's just the way we drink our Mexican Beer. We use Lime in Salsa, Pico de Gallo, Pie, Cake, Margaritas, Fruit Salad, etc.

I've chosen a few recipes to post that include Lime.

I found this recipe on Food52, a blog that I follow and I adapted the recipe to make it with lime rather than any other Citrus Fruit. However, any other Citrus Fruit would work well.

Warm & Gooey Lime Pudding:

5 TBS butter, softened, 1 TBS, of the 5, reserved for greasing the pan
1 1/2 C sugar
2 TBS lime zest
3 large eggs, separated
5 TBS flour
1 C Half and Half
6 TBS Lime juice
Confectioner's Sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9"X9" baking pan.

In a large bowl using a hand mixer:
Butter
Sugar
Zest
Beat until pale and fluffy

Add, alternately until incorporated:
flour
Half and Half
Add:
Lime Juice and mix until smooth and silky

In a separate bowl, with a hand mixer:
Beat Egg Whites until stiff and glossy

Fold Lime batter and Egg Whites together just until combined.
Don't over mix.
Pour into baking dish

Place the baking dish in a Roasting Pan and fill 1/2 way up the sides of the baking dish with warm (not hot) water.
You can add the water after the pans are in the oven if it's easier.

Bake for 50 minutes.
The top should be golden brown and cracking.
It will still jiggle and that's OK, but the longer you bake it, the more "cakey" it will be and that's OK too.

Serve in individual bowls and dust with Confectioner's Sugar.

Note: Any Citrus will work.
Grapefruit might be nice!

Another Best of the Best Recipes from 1980

Lime and Melon Chutney:

This is a Chutney that is served with Crackers and Cream Cheese.

It may seem a bit decadent, but worth the work. This recipe will impress your guests!

1 1/2 C Plain Vinegar

1 1/2 C Sugar

2 - 3 TBS Coarsely Chopped Fresh Ginger

2 Cloves of Garlic, minced

2 tsp Mustard Seed

1 1/2 tsp Salt

1/8 - 1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

8 C  Cubed Cantaloupe

1 1/2 C Golden Raisins

1/2 C Fresh Lime Juice

1/2 C Chopped Walnuts

1 TBS Grated Lime Zest

In a Dutch Oven, Combine:

Vinegar

Sugar

Ginger

Garlic

Mustard Seed

Salt

Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Boil generously for 5 minutes

Add:

Cantaloupe

Raisins

Lime Juice

Return to a boil

Boil gently over medium-low heat stirring often for about 1 hour, until the mixture is the consistency of a Jam

Remove from heat

Fold in Walnuts and Lime Zest

Ladle into Hot Canning Jars to within 1/4"

Run a knife between the Chutney and the jar to release air

Wipe the edges clean and put the tops on

Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes

Remove from the bath and cool completely

Yield about 6 half pint jars

Serve with Crackers and Cream Cheese



Margarita Pie:

This recipe is from Love From The Oven, a Blog that I follow.

Thanks for sharing!

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups crushed pretzels
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 6 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup lime juice (you can use margarita mix in place of the lime juice or a combo of both)
• 1 env. KOOL-AID Lemon Lime Unsweetened Soft Drink Mix
• 1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided

Instructions

MIX pretzel crumbs, sugar and butter; press onto bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate. Refrigerate until ready to fill.

MIX next 3 ingredients in large bowl. Whisk in 2-1/2 cups COOL WHIP; pour into crust.

FREEZE 6 hours. Remove from freezer 15 min. before serving; let stand at room temperature until slightly softened. Top with remaining COOL WHIP.

Lime Cake with Lime Glaze and Frosting:

I've researched many Lime Cakes and this is my favorite.

350 degree oven

9x12 cake pan ( brushed well with Pan Release) recipe is on the Blog under ( Tips,Hints and More)

1-3 ounce package of Lime Jello

1 1/3 C Sugar

2 C flour, sifted

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp each of Baking Powder and Baking Soda

1 1/2C Vegetable Oil

3/4C Orange Juice with Pulp

1 TBS Lemon Juice

1/2 tsp vanilla

5 Eggs, beaten

2 TBS Lime Zest

Glaze:

1/2C Lime Juice (about 25 Key Limes or 4 large regular Limes, or cheat and use a bottled Lime Juice.

(I prefer Key Lime Juice)

1/2C Powdered Sugar

Frosting:

1 stick of Butter, room temperature

1-8 ounce package of Cream Cheese, room temperature

1- 1lb. box of Powdered Sugar

In a large bowl whisk together:

Jello

Sugar

Flour

Salt

Baking Powder

Baking Soda

Add;

Oil

Orange Juice

Lemon Juice

Vanilla

Eggs

Mix well and fold in the Lime Zest by hand.

Pour the Batter into the prepared cake pan.

Bake for 40 minutes.

Cool for 5 minutes in the pan.

Turn onto a cooling rack over a cookie sheet pan.

While the cake is still hot, mix the Glaze, pierce the cake with a fork and pour on the Glaze, spread evenly over the entire cake.

Cool completely.

Prepare the Frosting: (with a hand mixer or stand mixer)

Cream together the Butter and Cream Cheese.

Beat in the Sugar until smooth.

Frost the top and sides of the cake.



Lemon or Lime Curd from Scratch:

I'm adding the option of Lime since I live in Texas and we make a lot of recipes with Lime instead of Lemon. I would make Lime curd, with a bit of minced jalapeno in it, for mini tarts.

This is the perfect recipe for those who prefer the fresh taste of Lemon or Lime Curd or for those that do not have access to buy it.

Zest of 2 lemons or limes, wide strips

Juice of 2 lemons or limes,strained

6 TBS sugar

2 large whole eggs + 3 large yolks

1/2 C butter (8 TBS or 1 stick)

Place all ingredients in a heat proof bowl over gently simmering water in a saucepan, or in a double boiler.

Whisk continuously until sugar dissolves and butter melts.

Continue whisking until the Curd coats the back of a spoon ( about 3 minutes).

Do not let it boil.

Remove from heat.

Push Curd through a medium sieve with a rubber spatula into a clean dry bowl.

Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly onto the surface of the Curd.

Poke a few holes in the plastic to release steam.

Refrigerate at least 3 hours or up to 5 days.


Margaritas:

This is one of my favorite Margaritas because it doesn't have added sugar or simple syrup.

There's a twist in this Margarita because it includes rum.

2 oz. Patron Silver Tequila

1 oz. Triple Sec or Cointreau

1 oz. fresh Lime Juice

1 oz. fresh Orange Juice

1 oz. Dark Rum

Salt, Ice, Lime Juice

Blend the first 5 ingredients in a cocktail shaker.

Dip the rim of a  glass in Lime Juice and Salt.

Fill the glass with ice and add the Margarita.

Here are additional recipes!

Margaritas for a Crowd:

1 750 mll bottle of Silver Tequila

2 C Triple Sec or Cointreau

1 C Fresh Lime Juice

Ice

1n a 1/2 gallon pitcher, combine all ingredients and serve on the rocks.

Curacao Margarita:

1 part Lime Juice ( 1 shot )

1 part Cointreau ( 1 shot )

2 parts Tequila ( 2 shots )

Shake over ice in a cocktail shaker, strain into a glass

Serve straight up topped with a splash of additional Cointreau.

Mango Margarita:

2 shots of Tequila

2 TBS fresh Lime Juice

1 can of Mango Juice

Shake over ice in a cocktail shaker, strain into a glass and serve straight up.

Peach Blueberry Margarita:

10 Blueberries in a pint glass , muddled and filled with ice.

1.5 oz. of Silver Tequila

.5 oz. of Agave Nectar

1.5 oz. Fresh Lime Juice

3 oz. Fresh Pureed Peaches (place fresh pieces of peeled Peaches in a blender , with a tiny amount of water, depending on the juiciness of the Peaches and puree )

Combine:

Tequila

Agave

Lime Juice

Peach Puree

Pour into the glass with the Blueberries and Ice.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Lime Ricotta Bars:

Crust:

1 3/4 C Flour

2/3 C Confectioner's Sugar

1/4 C Cornstarch

1 TBS Lime Zest

3/4 tsp Salt

12 TBS Butter (1 1/2 sticks) cut into 1" pieces, softened + extra for greasing the pan.

Filling:

1 C (8oz.) Fresh whole milk Ricotta Cheese, drained

4 large Eggs, beaten

1 1/3 C granulated Sugar

2 TBS Lime zest

2/3 C Lime juice

1/4 tsp salt

Crust:

350 degree oven

Lightly butter a 9"X13" baking dish and line it lengthwise with a piece of parchment paper (butter the paper) lay a second piece of paper the width of the pan and butter it.

In a food processor:

Pulse Flour, Confectioner's Sugar, Cornstarch, Lime Zest and Salt.

Add butter and pulse until pale in color and resembles coarse meal.

Sprinkle mixture evenly into the baking dish and press firmly over the bottom and about 1/2" up the sides. Use the bottom of a metal measuring cup to smooth the crust.

Freeze for 30 minutes.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Filling:

In a medium bowl, whisk by hand:

Ricotta

Eggs

Sugar

Flour

Stir in Lime zest, Lime juice and salt.

Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees

Pour filling into the dish

Bake for 30 minutes

Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack and cool at least 2 hours.

Carefully transfer to a cutting board using the paper to slide out of the pan.

Cut into squares using a chef's knife, cleaning after each cut.

Dust squares with confectioner's sugar.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!