Recipe: Key Lime Pie

Lots of time spent in the kitchen this weekend!  Aside from the grilled chicken, rosemary roasted potatoes, Oreo mess, vinaigrette and croutons, etc... I tried a new key lime pie recipe from a coworker and James made kolaches (post to come).  Almost every week, James and I gather ideas for things we want to make over the weekend.  We both love to cook/bake and we just don't have the time during the week to enjoy it.

This key lime pie is super simple and super delicious!  Just a few ingredients and can (should!) be refrigerated overnight.  I love that--one less  thing to worry about at the last minute when you're having folks over.  Enjoy dinner with company and then just pull out of the fridge and serve!

I'm not a fan of graham cracker crusts at all, so I made a standard shortbread crust.  (I had honestly planned to make a crust with crushed up Pecan Sandies, but read in several places that it doesn't work out so well).  My coworker has made this recipe in a Marie Calendar's pastry crust and said it was delicious, too.  And of course, the graham cracker crust is classic.  If you like it.  :)

I made up this quick crust and baked it for fifteen minutes.  When it came out of the oven, I refrigerated it for about half an hour and mixed up the pie filling.  I bought the little key limes in a bag you see at the grocery store and zested and juiced all of them, after reserving a few for garnishing.  

There is also this if you need to supplement your tiny limes (and my coworker made her pie with only this).  

The filling is just sweetened condensed milk, zest, eggs, and key lime juice.  And no, I'm not

sure that key limes taste any different than regular limes, but I feel like they do!  Plus, I wanted those cute little guys to decorate the top of my pie.  So I whisked the filling and poured it into the chilled crust...

 and baked it at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes. And this is what I got!  

I'm not really one to "enhance" food colors, but I think there is enough lime zest in it to be pretty and green.  I made some whipped cream and topped it with tiny slices of key limes.  I hope those make up for my ugly crust!

Key Lime Pie

9-inch pie crust

14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 c. key lime juice

key lime zest (original recipe didn't specify, but I used a bunch!  probably 3 Tbs)

Whisk ingredients together and pour into partially-baked pie crust.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.  Refrigerate until chilled and serve with whipped cream.