It's Been Awhile

Jumping jelly beans! It sure has been awhile! What can I say, I've been (select one or more of the below)
a) Attempting to develop a new form of renewable energy
b) Trying to be a peacemaker since people are blaming me for World War III
c) Avoiding blogging as there has been a disturbance in the Force and Skywalker strongly advised against doing so
d) Frantically prepping for the Queen's visit. We had tea and crumpets.
e) Busy trying to be less popular. Someone's got to do it!

Okay so none of those are true, but surely they provided a giggle or two.

Anyway to celebrate me being "back" ("Whatever I said, whatever I did, I didn't mean it, I just want you back for you. Want you back, want you back, I want you back for good") here is a recipe for a delicious Key Lime pie that I made over the Thanksgiving Holidays.

Key Lime pie?! In the Fall? For THANKSGIVING?

Imma rebel! Plus my SIL and I have been craving a good Key Lime pie since early summer. Hehe

Ingredients: 
Crust
3/4 lbs graham crackers
4 tbsp. granulated sugar
2 sticks melted butter
1/4 tsp sea salt

Filling
4 egg yolks
1 can (14 oz) condensed milk
2/3 cup fresh Key Lime juice
1 lime, grated zest

Topping
1 cup heavy or whipping cream, chilled
2 tbsp. confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
For graham cracker crust
1. Pre-heat over to 325 degrees
2. Break up the graham crackers, place in food processor and process to crumbs. Add the melted butter* , sugar and salt and pulse until combined.
3. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan, forming an even layer on the bottom, sides and edges. Bake the crust for 10 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and allow crust to cool

For the Filling
1. While the crust is resting, in an electric mixer with the wire whisk attachment  whip the egg yolks and lime zest at high speed until fluffy (5-6 minutes).
2. Gradually add the condensed milk and continue to whip until thick (3-4 minutes longer). Lower the speed of the mixer and slowly add the lime juice until incorporated.
3. Pour the mixture into the cooled crust and bake for 15 minutes, or until the filling has just set. Cool on a wire rack and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

For the topping
1. Whip the cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until nearly stiff.
2. Evenly spread the whipped cream on top of the pie, and place the in the freezer for 20 minutes prior to serving.

Note: 
If you notice in the picture above, my Key Lime Pie is missing the whipped topping, that's because a) My SIL and I didn't realize that the whipping cream we had got needed to be chilled so it was a fat fail, and b) the egg whites which I had saved from the 4 egg yolks (from the filling) to make a replacement meringue topping was eaten by my niece earlier that morning. Oops.

Recipe from OPRAH