The Charmed Kitchen

Key Lime Pie

I picked up a bag of key limes knowing I’d be making a pie with at least some of them. I made the pie for a dinner with friends and, as expected, everyone loved it. What’s not to love? I had decided to go with a classic version: graham crust, creamy filling and a little meringue to top it off.  The pie itself is simple and fast to make. I think it took more time to juice all those tiny limes than it did to make the pie.  One of the traditional ingredients in key lime pie is sweetened condensed milk. You can, if interested, make your own sweetened condensed milk. I’ve included the recipe at the bottom of this post.

Key Lime Pie

Crust:
1 ¼ c. graham cracker crumbs
⅓ c. melted butter
¼ c. brown sugar
Filling:
2 cans sweetened condensed milk*
1 c. key lime juice
Topping:
2 eggs whites
½ t. cream of tartar
2 T. sugar

In medium bowl, combine crust ingredients and toss until mixed well. Press crust into the bottom and sides of a pie pan. I use a 9-inch deep dish pan. Bake crust in a preheated 375 degree oven for 10 minutes. Cool. Reduce oven to 325 degrees. Combine filling ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir until well mixed. It will look sort of soupy, but as you stir, the filling becomes pretty thick- like pudding. Pour into crust. Prepare topping. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. Slowly add the sugar, while still beating the eggs whites, until stiff peaks form. Spread or pipe the egg whites over the filling. Bake pie 25-28 minutes- or until meringue topping is golden brown. Chill at least 6 hours before serving. Serves 6-8.

* You can make your own sweetened condensed milk, if you prefer. Here is the recipe.

Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 c. dry non-fat milk
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. boiling water
3 T. butter, melted and hot

Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Can be stored in the fridge and used within 3 days. This is the same as 1 14 oz. can.

Giant Blueberry Shortcake

I needed a dessert for a cookout with friends. Rather than make little shortcakes I decided to make one really big one. I wanted a red, white and blue dessert so I used blueberries inside the shortcake and added raspberries to decorate it. I made it in a star shape, just for fun. I used an old copper star shaped mold- but it could have shaped it by hand, if needed. Once baked, I topped it with whipped cream and raspberries.

Giant Blueberry Shortcake

2 c. flour
¼ c. sugar
1 T. baking powder
¾ t. salt
½ c. chilled butter
2 c. blueberries
1 t. lemon zest
2 large eggs
1/3 c. heavy cream

1 c. raspberries

whipped cream

Mix dry ingredients together in bowl and cut in butter to resemble coarse crumbs. Toss in blueberries and zest. Beat together eggs and cream and stir into flour mixture. Mix very gently to avoid bruising berries. Place dough on a baking sheet and form into a star shape or a circle or oval shape. Flatten slightly. Brush with a little cream and sprinkle with a little extra sugar. Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a rack. When ready to serve top with whipped cream and raspberries. Serves 6-8.

Blueberry Vanilla Ice Cream

I had some frozen blueberries and decided I wanted ice cream- blueberry ice cream. I made a batch last night. Great, creamy texture and a nice balance between the blueberries, vanilla and the sweetness.  Super creamy and good. Note: If you are lactose intolerant you can use almond, rice or coconut milk in this recipe. Also feel free to add other flavorings. I added vanilla extract to mine. While it is easier to make with an ice cream maker- you don’t have to have one for this recipe. Enjoy!!

Blueberry Vanilla Ice Cream

3 c. blueberries

1 c. sugar

1/4 c. water

1 T. vanilla

1 c. heavy whipping cream

1 c. half and half

Combine berries with sugar and water in saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Puree mixture and stir in vanilla. Refrigerate until completely cool. Stir in the whipping cream and half and half and freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Makes 6 cups.

Note: If you don’t have an ice cream maker, freeze in shallow trays and thaw a little before whipping with a hand mixer. Better if you re-freeze and whip again later.

Homemade Lemonade Concentrate

Lemonade will always be a favorite summertime drink for me. I make it plain or sometimes with berries added. I like the convenience of those frozen lemonade concentrates, but I prefer using fresh squeezed lemon juice.  I started making my own concentrate a few years ago when I got a whole case of lemons from a friend. I juiced the lemons  and froze much of the juice just plain. There was still a lot of juice.  I decided I might as well try to make some lemonade concentrate, too. I went to the store and read the ingredients on several brands of frozen lemonade concentrate. High fructose corn syrup and concentrated lemon juice. Well I decided that wasn’t going to work for me so I did something radical. I stirred some sugar together with lemon juice until the sugar dissolved.  There didn’t seem to be much point in adding water- that would defeat the purpose of it being a concentrate. Then I just froze the juice/sugar mixture.

Sometimes I freeze a whole batch together either in a plastic container or in a Ziploc bag.  I also froze some of this lemonade mix in ice cube trays. That way once frozen I could pop the cubes into bags and just take out what I needed at the time. I’ll often add some lemon zest, too. Don’t toss all that zest, either. If you are going to be juicing a lot of lemon just for the juice, zest them first- and freeze or dry the zest for later use.

Well here is the recipe for my lemonade concentrate.

Homemade Lemonade Concentrate

1 1/3 c. lemon juice- fresh or bottled

1 c. sugar*

lemon zest, optional

Combine ingredients and stir until sugar is dissolved. Freeze until ready to use. Makes a little over 1 1/2 cups. To use: combine three parts water to one part  concentrate.

* You can use honey instead of sugar- but only use 1/2 c. honey as it is much sweeter than sugar.

Blueberry Crumble

If you are pressed for time and need a really easy dessert you might want to try this one. This would make a great dessert for a picnic or cookout. I started with a jar of homemade blueberry pie filling, but you can use store bought. I topped it with an oatmeal crumble mixture and popped it in the oven to get all toasted and bubbly. It took longer for the oven to preheat than it did for me to assemble this dish. Great for dessert as is, or topped with ice cream. Not too sweet, it could easily work for a brunch, too. I used blueberry pie filling but you could use whatever fruit pie filling you prefer.

Blueberry Crumble

1 can blueberry pie filling – I make my own so I used homemade*
1 c. rolled oats
2/3 c. flour
½ c. brown sugar
2 t. cinnamon
½ t. salt
¼ c. butter
3 T. half and half – you could also use milk or whipping cream

Place pie filling in a deep dish 9-inch pie pan. In mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cut in the butter. Drizzle the milk over the oat mixture and stir to blend. Place oat mixture over the blueberry pie filling. Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 30-35 minutes- or until bubbly and the crumble topping has become golden. Serve warm or cold. Tastes great plain but also good topped with ice cream or whipped cream. Serves 4-6.

* You can also make the filling using fresh or frozen berries. In medium saucepan combine 3-4 cups of berries with ¾ cup of sugar, ¼ cup lemon juice and the zest of a lemon. Bring to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch (or Clear Gel if you have it) mixed with 3 or 4 tablespoons of cold water. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Mixture should be nicely thickened. Depending on the berries I sometimes use a little more cornstarch.

Cucumber and Carrot Salad

With cookouts and picnics it seems there is always a need for more salads. Sometimes I am in the mood for old favorites. Other times I am looking for something a little different. Here are some salads I have made that my friends and family really enjoyed. If you are looking for a salad for the holiday weekend – or any time – I think you will find one here that you and your family will enjoy.

Cucumber and Carrot Salad

This refreshing salad combines carrots and cucumbers in a simple dressing. So easy and fast. Perfect side for your picnic or barbecue.

4 cucumbers, peeled, leaving strips of skin

1 c. coarsely shredded carrots

1 c. thin sliced sweet onion

1/3 c. vinegar- I like cider vinegar in this dish

2 T. Balsamic vinegar

¼ c. oil

1 T. sugar

1 ½ t. salt

Fresh ground pepper

Slice cucumbers. Combine vegetables in bowl. Combine dressing ingredients and pour over the vegetables, tossing to coat well. Chill at least 1 hour before serving, Spoon over lettuce, if desired. Serves 4-6.

Cornbread Salad

 A little different- people always seem to like this salad. Also a nice way to use up stale cornbread, too. 🙂

4 c. crumbled cornbread or corn muffins

1 c. shredded mild cheese

1 sweet red pepper seeded and diced

1 c. diced celery

½ c. diced green onion

4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped

¼ c. chopped parsley

1-1 ½ c. mayonnaise or salad dressing, sometimes I use potato salad dressing or even slaw dressing

2 c. diced fresh tomatoes

1 c. toasted pecans

paprika for sprinkling on the top, optional

Place cornbread and next 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir in dressing until desired moistness is achieved. Chill and stir in tomato and nut just before serving. Sprinkle with paprika if you like. Serves 6.

Note: You can add whole kernel corn also if you like.

Sweet Potato Salad

A nice twist on potato salad.

 3 large sweet potatoes

2 c. corn kernels, fresh off the cob preferred but frozen is O.K.

2 ribs celery, sliced

1 sweet onion, diced

1 c. sweet pepper, seeded and chopped

2-3 T. fresh parsley

1/3 c. oil

1 t. Dijon mustard

3 T. apple cider vinegar

1 T. lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

½ c. cashews

In medium saucepan boil or steam potatoes until tender, about 20-25 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and place in a large bowl of ice water. Add corn to saucepan and cook until just tender about 2-3 minutes. Drain corn and add to ice water with the potatoes. Once the vegetables have cooled down drain them and peel and cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Place potatoes and corn in a mixing bowl with remaining vegetables. Combine remaining ingredients, except cashews, in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake well before pouring over the sweet potato mixture. Toss to blend and chill until ready to serve. Add cashews just before serving. Serves 6.

Multi- Bean Salad

1 lb. cooked green beans, sliced

1 can lima beans, rinsed and drained

1 can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1 medium sweet onion, chopped

1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley

1 c. apple cider vinegar

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. oil

2 T. Italian seasoning- or whatever herb blend you like

1 T. hot sauce, or to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine beans with onions and parsley in a medium bowl. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl and pour over the bean mixture. Stir well and chill a couple of hours before serving. Serves 8.

Cornbread Salad

Sweet Potato Salad

Multi Bean Salad

Pesto Potato Salad

Just in Thyme Potato Salad

Mustard Potato Salad

Artichoke and Edamame Salad

1 lb. edamame  (fresh soybeans)*

1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

2 c. cooked corn

1 c. chopped sweet onion

1/3 c. olive oil

1/2 c. cider vinegar

1 t. sugar, optional

fresh chopped parsley

fresh chopped basil

salt and pepper to taste

To prepare edamame steam them, in their pods, until tender, about 8 minutes. Place in cold water. Once cool enough to handle slip the edamame out of their pods. Discard pods and place edamame into a mixing bowl.  Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix well. Chill until ready to serve. Serves 4-6.

* A lot of stores have them in the freezer section. They are in the pods. The pods are not edible. If you don’t have edamame you can substitute fresh lima beans.

Cauliflower and Broccoli Salad

1 small head cauliflower, trimmed and broken into bite- sized pieces

2 broccoli crowns, cut into bite- sized pieces

1 sweet pepper, seeded and chopped

1 c. shredded cheese- I used a sharp cheddar

8- 10 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped

1/2 cup of mayo – or more according to your taste

salt and pepper to taste

Steam the cauliflower and broccoli until just tender/crisp. About 5 minutes in a microwave steamer, 6 minutes in a conventional steamer. Place in a bowl to cool down then combine with remaining ingredients and stir to combine well. Adjust seasonings, if needed. Serves 6-8.

Smoky Succotash Salad

1 lb. lima beans, cooked and cooled

4 c. corn off the cob, cooked and cooled

1 sweet pepper, seeded and chopped

1-2 c. cooked ham, diced

Dressing:

2/3 c. sour cream

3 T. apple cider vinegar

2 T. sugar

1 t. grated ginger

1 t. hot sauce, or to taste

salt and pepper to taste

Combine veggies with the ham in medium bowl. In small bowl stir together dressing ingredients until smooth and toss with the veggie mixture. Chill until ready to serve. Serves 6.

Artichoke and Edamame Salad

Cauliflower and Broccoli Salad

Smoky Succotash Salad

Mom’s Macaroni Salad

For summer cookouts we always had this salad. Back in the days when it was called macaroni, not pasta. I loved it then and I love it now. I won’t say I don’t make other pasta salads. I do. I make all sorts of combinations, but this is the salad that brings me home. Mom used mostly mayo, with a little salad dressing like Spin Blend. She felt it gave the salad just a little more zing. She added quite a few hard cooked eggs and I think they add a richness to the salad. My dad would cut up the celery and green onions for her. Mom liked the veggies cut into a fairly small dice in this dish and Dad had wicked knife skills.  I love the image of them cooking together. So here it is- a family recipe wrapped up nicely with some memories, too.

Mom’s Macaroni Salad

1 lb. uncooked pasta, shells are preferred
Salt and pepper
Mayonnaise, about 1 cup
Salad dressing, like Spin Blend or Miracle Whip, about ½ cup
3-4 ribs celery, sliced thin
4-5 green onions, trimmed and sliced thin
8-12 hard-cooked eggs, cooled and peeled

Cook pasta according to package directions, but do not overcook. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Place drained pasta in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Add dressings and vegetables and stir until well mixed. You may want to add more dressing to suit your taste. Chop eggs and stir into salad. Adjust seasonings if needed and chill before serving. Serves 8-10.

Thai Chicken Salad

When it is just too hot to cook, a nice main dish salad can be the answer. This Asian inspired chicken and pasta salad it light and satisfying at the same time. I used some mint from my garden, which gave it such nice fresh flavor. I think with the amount of mint in my yard, any recipe to use some of it is a good thing. Sometimes I also add some fish sauce to the dressing. This recipe can use a chicken you cooked yourself – or a precooked chicken from the store.

Thai Chicken Salad

1 (3 lb.) chicken, cooked, skinned, meat shredded
8 oz. angel hair pasta, cooked and drained
2 T. coarsely shredded fresh mint leaves
1/2 c. chopped cilantro
1 tomato
1/2 c. olive oil
1 garlic clove
1/2 t. red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 T. plus 1 t. soy sauce
1 T. plus 1 t. fresh lemon juice – lime juice works, too
1 1/2 t. brown sugar
Lettuce leaves for lining the platter

Place chicken meat and pasta in bowl and combine. Mix remaining ingredients, except lettuce, in blender until smooth and toss with chicken mixture. Salad can be served immediately or chilled. Line serving platter with lettuce leaves and spoon over chicken mixture. Serves 4.

Creamed Spinach

Some foods are just about more than food. Creamed spinach always makes me think of my mother. I can remember watching her make creamed spinach, thickening the sauce and watching her stir the spinach mixture as it became thickened and bubbly. She would let me stir it, to keep it from sticking. It was always one of my favorite dishes- as a kid and today. Mom really liked spinach. She also made pork chops Florentine, occasionally rolled spinach inside a boneless turkey breast and made a wonderful spinach salad with a sweet and sour dressing, hard cooked eggs and croutons. Here is her recipe.

Creamed Spinach

2 (10 oz.) packages frozen spinach or 2 lbs. fresh spinach, washed and stemmed
1 T. butter
1 c. milk – or half and half
2-3 T. flour
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 t. dill weed
Cook spinach in a small amount of water and drain when heated through or wilted. Return spinach to pot and add butter. Place milk and flour in jar with tight fitting lid and shake until well mixed. Add to spinach and cook, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly. Season to taste and serve.