Lime Granita with Pistachio Shortbread Cookies

Today I give you a two for one special here folks!

Summer is in full swing and I don’t know about you but we got triple digits over here.  Yesterday is was 103 degrees, as in, I walk out the door and sweat a full bucket of sweat in less than 60 seconds.  Hot summers and triple digits call for cool, easy and refreshing desserts.

Although granita takes time it’s incredibly simple to make.  All you have to do is make a simple syrup, add fresh juice, pour into a glass casserole dish and put it in the freezer then just run a fork through it every 45 minutes until it sets.

I am telling you crazy stupid easy!

The pistachio shortbread is also very simple to put together.  Basically toss everything into the food processor and let it run until it forms into a ball.

It will look a little something like this.  The cookies are even easier if you manage to find the pistachios already shelled.  Also if you can only find salted pistachios just skip adding salt to the dough.

I also figured out this little trick to roll out a log of dough.  Roughly roll the dough and place on a silicon mat or parchment paper.

Wrap the dough in the mat and roll back and forth, using gentle pressure.

TA-DA evenly rolled dough!  Before I figured out this trick it would look like a kindergardener who tried to make a snake out of Play-do.

Roll the logs of dough in parchment paper, fold the ends and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.  Slice the cookies and place them on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake the cookies at 325 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes and until barely golden.

You will be pleasantly surprised how delicious this dessert is and how much your guest will love it too.  I served this dessert over the weekend for some friends and I think they were surprised that I served flavored iced with a dollop of sweeten sour cream and a cookie on the side but they were slurping their cups and asking for more.

It was defiantly a hit! Sweet , tart and creamy all rolled into one!  The leftover cookies were perfect with coffee and did I mention addictive.

Print Recipe

Lime Granita with Créme Fraîche Bon Appetit Aug. 2007

Granita

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• lime zest

Créme fraîche

• 1/2 cup créme fraîche or sour cream
• 1 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar

For granita:

Bring 2 cups water and 1 cup sugar to boil in medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes. Cool syrup. Stir in lime juice. Transfer lime syrup to 11 x 7 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Cover and place in freezer. Stir every 45 minutes until frozen, about 3 hours.

Granita can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep frozen. Scrape granita to loosen and fluff before serving.

For créme fraîche:

Mix créme fraîche or sour cream and sugar.

This can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.  It also goes pretty good spread over a pistachio shortbread cookie.

Using fork, scrape granita to loosen. Spoon granita into bowls and top with a dollop of créme fraîche, garnish with lime zest, and serve immediately.

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Pistachio Shortbread Cookies Bon Appetit Aug. 2007

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup natural unsalted pistachios, lightly toasted, chopped
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix flour, powdered sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter, pistachios, egg yolk, and vanilla. Using on/off turns, mix until moist ball forms. Transfer dough to work surface. Divide dough in half. Form each dough half into 8 x 1 1/4-inch log (if dough is too soft, chill until firm, about 30 minutes). Wrap logs in plastic; refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours.

Can be made 5 days ahead; keep chilled.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Slice logs into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, rolling log after every few slices to retain round shape. Place rounds on ungreased baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake shortbread until barely golden, about 18 minutes. Cool shortbread on baking sheets.

Shortbread can be baked up to 4 days ahead. Store shortbread in airtight container at room temperature.

Coconut Cream Cake with Lime Curd

Last week I made a cake.  I didn’t make it just because I wanted to plant my butt on the sofa and eat a cake, (notice I didn’t say a piece) I made it because it was Obed’s birthday and birthday means cake.  Last year I made him a carrot cake but this year I decided I would do something different.  He is a ginormous fan of coconut….I mean HUGE fan, so I figured a coconut cake would be perfect.

Then I though I should put the lime in the coconut, you know your singing the tune now.

I was unable to do the step-by-step photos I usually take.  I was under a deadline and I was tripping over puppies.  Not to mention it got really cloudy and there was virtually no light in my kitchen at one point.

While I made the cake I sang “Put the Lime in The Coconut” and reminisced about a road trip with friends where we had that song on full blast and danced around like fools in our seats.  If I am not mistaken there is video evidence of this event.  I will pay good money to keep it off the internet. ;D

The cake was a hit at Obed’s office.  The coconut flavor was present with out being over powering and the curd….. tangy awesomeness!  The cake is very light and fluffy but it did fall apart some when cut, but it still tasted great.  I was told that I even managed to convert a coconut hater….. sweet!

The cake is a bit time consuming if done all at once, but if you plan you can make the curd and frosting ahead of time.  It worth the effort, time and opportunity to lick the bowl.  I am all about licking the bowl.

Print Recipe

Coconut Cream Cake with Lime Curd (Adapted from Gourmet | December 1995 & Bon Appétit | December 1999)

For Lime Curd

• 3 large egg yolks
• 6 Tbs sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 Tbs heavy cream
• 3 Tbs cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 tsp freshly grated lime zest
• 1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut

For Cake

• 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup canned sweetened cream of coconut (such as Coco López)*
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 1  tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk

For Frosting

• 1 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
• 1 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup canned sweetened cream of coconut (such as Coco López)*
• 1/2  tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted

Make Lime Curd

In a heavy saucepan whisk together yolks, sugar, lime juice, cream, and butter and cook over moderately low heat, whisking constantly, 5 to 7 minutes, or until mixture just reaches a boil (do not let boil). Strain curd into a bowl and stir in zest. Cool curd, cover its surface with plastic wrap, and chill at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.

Make Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter and sweetened cream of coconut in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla extract. On low speed, beat in dry ingredients and then buttermilk, each just until blended.

Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites with pinch of salt in another large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold beaten egg whites into batter.

Divide cake batter between prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on rack 10 minutes. Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely.

Assemble cake layers and lime curd:

Put 1 cake layer on a cake plate and spread evenly with lime curd. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut and chill 15 minutes, top with remaining cake layer. Chill cake 15 minutes.

Make Frosting

Beat cream cheese in medium bowl until fluffy. Add butter and beat to blend. Add sugar, sweetened cream of coconut and vanilla extract and beat until well blended.

Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle coconut over cake, gently pressing into sides to adhere.

Coconut Layer Cake can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours before serving.

*Canned sweetened cream of coconut is available in the liquor section of most supermarkets.

Strawberry Lime Squares with Almond Graham Cracker Crust

I have been a slacker.  It takes a little while to get back into the swing of things after two weeks that consisted of a family visit and vacation.  Also I got sucked into a few books that I couldn’t put down.  I was literally up until 3 am one night.  I am ashamed to admit what I was reading. Maybe you can guess, it’s a four book “saga” about some depressed love sick vampires.   I am ashamed a grown woman, hooked on some teenage melodrama.  Don’t judge me.

But I have moved on and back into my kitchen, so I present you with some delicious sweet and tart bars that I promise you will love!

Here is a quick and simple way to hull a strawberry, if you have some frosting tips laying around.  Pull the leaves off the top of your strawberry and grab a star tip, about 1m should do it.

Stick the tip into the top of the strawberry, not very far.

Twist and scoop out the stem.  Ta-DA a perfectly hulled strawberry.  You don’t even have to worry about trying to get the stem out, it will push out when you move on to the next strawberry.

To slice the strawberries I used an egg slicer.

You end up with perfectly uniform sliced strawberries, and run less of a risk of slicing off your finger tips.

In the food processor combine blanched almonds and graham crackers.

Process until coarsely ground, add lime zest and sugar.

Now blitz it until finally ground.

Take 1/2 a cup of sweet nectar…..I mean butter and drizzle into graham mixture, while running processor.

Process until the graham mixture comes together and runs up the sides of the bowl.

Pour into prepared pan.  I lined mind with aluminum foil, because I was out of parchment, and buttered the foil.

Press the graham mixture down and 1 inch up the sides using the back of you hand.  Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes.

While the crust is cooling, juice 2 to 3 large limes, about 1/2 cup of lime juice, set aside.

In a bowl combine egg yolks and sweet condensed milk, whisk together until smooth.

Whisk lime juice into lime mixture until smooth.

Pour mixture into cooled crust.

Spread evenly and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Cool on baking rack, top with strawberries, patting off excess juices.  Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Using parchment paper overhang, lift out of pan, and transfer to a cutting board. With a serrated knife, cut into squares, wiping knife with a damp kitchen towel between each cut.

I happen to have a mild love affair with key lime pie and these little squares are pretty close to the real thing.  The crust is crumbly goodness and the filling is the perfect combination of sweet and tart.  Tart enough to sometimes give you that little tickle in the back of you jaw but without being over powering.  The strawberries are just a sweet icing on the….bar.

Excuse me I have a breakfast bar in the frig that needs my attention.

Print Recipe

Strawberry Lime Squares with Almond Graham Cracker Crust (adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food)

CRUST

• 4 Tbs (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for pan
• 2/3 cup blanched almonds
• 1 cup (4 ounces) graham-cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 Tbs grated lime zest

FILLING

• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
• 1 Tbs sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush an 8-inch square baking dish with melted butter. Line bottom with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. (If you don’t have parchment paper, use aluminum foil and butter the foil.)

Hull and slice stawberries, sprinkle 1 Tbs of sugar over the strawberries, stir, cover and refrigerate until needed.

In a food processor, finely grind blanched almonds with graham-cracker crumbs, sugar, and zest. Blend in butter. Press mixture into bottom and 1 inch up sides of prepared pan. Bake until lightly browned, 8 to 12 minutes. Cool crust, 30 minutes.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and condensed milk. Add lime juice; whisk until smooth. Pour filling into cooled crust; carefully spread to edges.

Bake until set, about 15 minutes. Cool in pan on rack; top with strawberries, patting excess juices off, then chill at least 1 hour before serving. Using parchment paper overhang, lift out of pan, and transfer to a cutting board. With a serrated knife, cut into squares, wiping knife with a damp kitchen towel between each cut. To store in refrigerator, cover with plastic wrap.

Southwest Eggrolls with Avocado Creme Dip

I would have had this post up earlier but Hubby and I decided to go for a ride on his bike.  It was a beautiful night and perfect to go for a ride.  I wish I could get a photo of us riding on the bike but it is hard to be in two places at the same time.

Well this evening I thought I would convert a previous recipe of Spicy Lime Chicken with Black Bean and Corn Salsa into some Southwest Eggrolls.  One of my favorite dishes from Chili’s is their Southwest Eggrolls.  I was craving these suckers but I didn’t want to go out.  I had some eggroll wrappers sitting in my refrigerator for forever now and I figured it was time to get some use out of them.

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Spicy Tequila Shrimp

 

When I saw this recipe I just had to try it. I have never done any kind of flambé. I found it because I was looking for a recipe that used tequila, since I still had some left from my birthday celebration. (We each had a horny toad margarita, thank you Amber)I was very excited to do this dish. I gave Hubby a heads up just in case the fire brigade was in front of the house when he got home, he would know why.   This was a risky choice because I cannot find a fire extinguisher anywhere in the house. But I got some sand so I should be ok..

Well the flambé was cool, I recommend everyone tries it once, and the dish was super YUM-E! Even though it has jalapenos it isn’t very spicy, really almost not at all.  It was fun to start a fire. lol.  Hubby walked in right after I had lit it, just in time for the show.  It had a great flavor to it, I loved the lime.  I complimented the shrimp with”Green” Rice which has cilantro and lime tossed into it. It was F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S !  I made it with jasmine rice which gave it a great aroma. 

I am so proud that I pulled this off with out burning down my kitchen, singeing my eyebrows or arm hair. (My fore arms are a little on the fuzzy side)  Oh and no fire brigade.

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Spicy Lime Chicken with Black Bean and Corn Salad

Grilled Spicy Lime Chicken with Black Bean Salad

1/3 cup lime juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
2 chipotle chiles, roughly chopped, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce (I had a puree of chipotle chilies and just did 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon honey
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Salt and pepper
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
2 (16-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chopped scallions (or red onion)
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 ripe avocado, sliced thin (optional)
Lime wedges for serving

Light grill, or heat grill pan to medium. (I used my sweet cast iron pan that I won from Foodbuzz.com) Whisk lime juice, cilantro, oil, chiles and sauce, honey, garlic, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in small bowl.

Toss chicken with 1/4 cup lime juice mixture in separate large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Marinate chicken in refrigerator while grill (or grill pan) continues to preheat.

Toss beans, scallions, red pepper, and avocado with 1/4 cup lime juice mixture in serving bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Grill chicken over very hot fire (or in grill pan) until well-browned on both sides and cooked through, 8 to 13 minutes. Transfer chicken to serving platter and drizzle with remaining lime juice mixture. Serve immediately with black bean and avocado salad

 

This dish was a hit!  It was even better the next day because the chicken got to sit in the sauce…..Mmmmmmm good! I loved the way the flavors blended and the hint of smokey heat from the chipotle.