Key Lime Pie

Judson and I started dating in 2009, and it was early in 2015 before we realised that we were planning each other's birthdays based on what we ourselves want for our own birthdays. That is, for years I made him a cake every year because (to me), a birthday is not a birthday if you can't have cake (with frosting). And for years, he suffered through slices of cake in which he had no interest*, because he didn't want to hurt my feelings.

I, on the other hand, suffered through years of birthdays with no cake (my birthdays were, obviously, much worse than his cake-filled ones) because he hates cake, and so it never even occurred to him to buy one, much less make one. It wasn't until I turned 29 last fall that I realised I would have to do something about my cakeless birthdays because they were bumming me out so badly, and when I mentioned to Judson that cake was kind of central to my birthday experience, he hesitated for a brief second before suggesting, “Ok, I'll make sure to handle cake on your future birthdays... But do you think you could stop making me cake on my birthday?”

At least it only took us five years instead of thirty to figure this out, I guess?

Oh well, I took my mission seriously this year and successfully made NO CAKE for Judson's 35th birthday this year... but when I found this 3 ingredient Key Lime Pie recipe in the box (handwritten in pencil on the back of a class schedule), and remembered that key lime pie is the only dessert Judson will put up with (besides root beer floats), I knew I had to make it anyway. And it got two thumbs up from the birthday boy, so I think I chose wisely.

We had a busy weekend celebrating Judson's birthday with friends on Friday night, with my dad on Saturday (who happened to be in town), and with an amazing dinner high over the city at a fancy restaurant on Saturday night, so I only had a few minutes to make this. Thusly, I chose to use a pre-made crust. But before you judge, keep this in mind: I've probably made more pie crusts in the last two months than most people have in the last five years, and I've discovered something important: pie crusts taste roughly the same whether they are homemade or store-bought, but they are infinitely more difficult to make than they are to buy. Making a good one is a skill that everyone should have, but this time around, I didn't particularly feel the need to do so. If you, like me, need an amazing summery dessert but don't have the time to make an elaborate one, try this. It's delicious.

So if you're celebrating the birthday of someone you love as much as I love my amazing, supportive, bearded, silly, video-game-playing, song-writing husband, make this quick and easy pie. Even if your dearly beloved doesn't like birthday cake, chances are they'll still love this pie.

*HOW does someone have no interest in cake, and WHO is this man who I have committed my life to?

P.S. I recognise that this pie is, strictly speaking, a lime pie, since it's made with Persian Limes (the only kind I can get my hands on over here), but if you can access key lime juice (or, even better, key limes), you can make it the way it should be, and it would be even more delicious. But don't feel bad if all you have is regular limes. No one will know the difference.

The verdict:

5 spoons out of five. I grew up in Florida, I love key lime pie just as much as Judson, and we had a blast celebrating his birthday with this amazing pie. If you're feeling ambitious, make this with a homemade crust (might I recommend this one?). But if you're like me and need a corner to cut, this is the perfect recipe on which to use a pre-made shortcrust or graham cracker crust (if you're in the US). You know, I think I'll go have a slice right now.

The recipe:

(Key) Lime Pie

the directions:

Preheat oven to 176C/350F.
Mix all ingredients together and pour in pie shell.
Bake 15 minutes until just set but not yet browned.
Serve chilled.

the ingredients:

1 can condensed milk
½ c lime juice
4 egg yolks
1 pre-made pie crust

Spicy-Sweet Barbecue Sauce

Have you ever thought to yourself 'boy, I would like some barbecue sauce, but I wish it was spicy?' No? Then you're not thinking broadly enough.

During an ill-fated attempt at being a vegetarian when I was a teenager, I never really missed meat very much, but whenever I did, I'd just eat some veggies (usually in the form of french fries) smothered in barbecue sauce. It satisfied my cravings for something meat-like and was as close as I could get to the flavour I wanted without breaking my quest for meatlessness.

Anyway, I became quite adept during those years at modifying barbecue sauces and bottles of A-1 to taste the way I wanted them to, and then I'd dump the sauce over my black-bean burgers and imagine I was being healthy. (This was before I knew much about food. Or nutrition. Or cooking. Or... anything, really.) But one of the flavours I like best in barbecue sauce is the spiciness, and it's kind of hard to find in a bottled sauce. NO MORE, though, friends! This barbecue sauce is the perfect blend of sweet, spicy, and smoky, without being too much of any single flavour.

And even if you, like me, live in a place where chili sauce is not available, you can still make this. Thanks to my awesome mother-in-law, who sent me a photo of the ingredient label from a bottle of chili sauce, I was able to come up with a vague approximation made with ingredients even I could get. You can tweak this to be as hot or mild as you want, but I recommend making it as explained below-- it's the perfect summer meal for those long evenings where it doesn't get dark until midnight and you just want to sit on the porch with your friends...

Unless you live in Scotland, where a sudden cold snap has taken the temperature back down into the 15C/60F range. Oh well, I built up my heat threshold as a kid in Florida, so I guess it's about time I lived somewhere cold.

The verdict:

4 spoons out of five. This barbecue sauce is awesome, but I'm taking off a spoon because it's not intended to be smooth. If you have an immersion blender and can be bothered to do so, I highly recommend blending this until thick and smooth.

The recipe:

Spicy-Sweet Barbecue Sauce

the directions:

Heat oil over medium heat in small pan.
Add onion and saute until tender.
Stir in sriracha, brown sauce or A-1, ketchup, water, corn syrup, vinegar, and worcestershire sauce.
Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
Let mixture reduce until thick and sticky.
Use on chicken, beef, or pork, brushing on frequently during last stage of cooking.
Serve additional sauce on the side.

Makes 1 ½ cups.

the ingredients:

2 tbsp vegetable oil
¼ c onion, minced or grated as finely as you can
¼ c sriracha
¼ c brown sauce or A-1
½ c ketchup
1/3 c water (or to taste)
¼ c dark corn syrup or black treacle
¼ c vinegar
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce

Single-Rise Rolls

Have you ever noticed how sometimes when you're stressed, the simple act of doing something repetitive and easy can be the best possible therapy, even if it makes you slow down in your productivity?

For me, making these rolls was that therapy yesterday. We're having a great summer over here, but it's a busy one: guests coming to visit, projects to finish, a busy season for both of us at work, an impending holiday in California and Mexico, and Scottish sunshine that just begs us to go outside and spend time in it. After a busy weekend that was full of Checking Things Off My List, Sunday night seemed as good a time as any to stock up on some easy breakfast rolls for the week... and the fact that this is basically just a new rendition of these recipes made me sure I could succeed, even if my mind was elsewhere. Because seriously, is there anything more soothing than the smell of bread baking in your own kitchen? (Ok, ok, maybe laying on the beach with a coconut drink in hand, but I can't do that for another few weeks, so for now, it's baking bread in my Scottish kitchen while I listen to the rain fall).

The best part? Not only did I cross another recipe off the list, but I also ended up with breakfast for the week-- for me AND Judson! And on a week that requires all of my concentration just to keep my head above water, anything that makes my day easier is a win in my book. Paired with apricot jam (my current favourite) and a warm slather of salted Irish butter, these rolls are the perfect accompaniment to your morning coffee or tea, and because they're made in a muffin tin, you don't even have to worry about slicing them up. Like I said, this week in my house, we are all about convenience.

This is a Betty Crocker recipe that comes from a wee pamphlet with a half-dozen versions on it, but I'm not complaining about the lack of originality-- it's kind of nice making something that I know how to do for a change (unlike the total unknowns I seem to fall into often in this project). And even if you aren't experienced with bread or yeasted doughs, this is still an easy one. Plus, you don't even need a mixer or a muffin tin to do this recipe right. The dough mixes easily by hand, and the rolls could just as well be dolloped onto a cookie sheet instead of into a muffin tin. And when it's summer in a flat with no air conditioning, the 50-minute rise time flies by, so seriously, why are you not in the kitchen yet?

These rolls will impress you with their simplicity, and since they don't last long (no preservatives in homemade goodies!), you'll be happy you ate an innumerable amount on the day you made them. But if a dozen rolls is too much for you (are we even friends?), it's an easy recipe to cut in half-- just scramble the egg lightly and scoop out two tablespoons of it to divide it in half.

The verdict:

4 spoons out of five. These rolls are delicious, easy, and cheap. You probably already have nearly all of the ingredients in your pantry. But I'm knocking off a spoon because the dough is really sticky and hard to handle, so if you're not careful, it's easy to add too much flour and render them pretty dry.

The Recipe:

Single-Rise Rolls

The directions:

Grease 12 muffin cups.
In large bowl, dissolve yeast in hot water.
Add 1 1/3 c flour and all remaining ingredients.
Stir until only pea-sized lumps remain, about 15 seconds or so.
Stir in remaining flour thoroughly, scraping sides of bowl until mixture is almost smooth (as my mom taught me, you want a few lumps to remain or the rolls won't rise).
Batter will be very sticky, so avoid going at it with your hands; instead, use a large spoon to scoop heaping spoonfuls into the greased muffin tin, then smooth out the tops of each portion.
Let rise in warm place (aka anywhere in my apartment) for 50 minutes.
Batter will rise slightly but not double.
Heat oven to 176C/350F, then bake 20 minutes or until golden brown and firm on top.
Immediately remove from pan and serve warm.

the ingredients:

2 ¼ tbsp active dry yeast
¼ c hottest tap water
2 1/3 c flour, divided
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda
1 c sour cream*
1 egg

 

*The recipe actually calls for 'dairy sour cream,' as if there were any other kind. But the more I think about it, the more I want to know if there is another kind, because if so, gross.