Key Lime Pie
Key lime pie is not a holiday season regular for me, but I have made this for many friends-givings and potlucks. You can see my friends-giving menu here or if you’re a going to friends-giving, find my favorite potluck sides here.
Key lime pie came into my recipe box because of an invite to a get together. I wanted to make something different than my go-to. So, I asked the host if I could use everyone as a guineapig and make a key lime pie. They said, “You better.” And there is how my recipe came to be.
Key Lime Pie
Equipment
- Medium mixing bowl
- Large mixing bowl
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- 9 in pie pan
- Whisk
- Fork
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ c graham cracker crumbs
- â…“ c sugar
- 6 T salted butter melted
Filling
- 2 cans sweetened condensed milk
- 1 c key lime juice
- 4 large egg yolks
Instructions
- In a medium bowl combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Mix with a fork.
- Press mixture into a 9 in round pie pan. Bake at 350 for 7 min.
- While pie crust is baking, whisk sweetened condensed milk, lime juice and egg yolks. Pour mixture into the pie crust. Bake for 10-15 min, until the center is set but still a little jiggly.
- Let the pie cool to room temp and refrigerate for at least 3 hrs (overnight is better)
Notes
Petite Fruitcakes
These petite fruitcakes are my go-to fruitcakes for the holiday season. People who don’t like fruitcakes have liked these, which is amazing to me. This recipe comes right from good ole Betty Crocker, don’t know what cookbook but the written recipe in my mom-mom’s recipe envelope is where I got my copy.
I do NOT recommend eating them right out of the oven. They’re going to be rock hard and get stuck to your teeth. Put them in an airtight container and let them sit for at least a week, ideally two. This lets the cakes soften and release from the baking papers.
Petite Fruit Cakes
Equipment
- mini cupcake pan
- Stand mixer
- 2 medium mixing bowls
- sifter
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- cupcake liners
Ingredients
- 1 c flour
- 1 t cinnamon
- 1/8 t allspice
- 1/2 t salt
- 1 c raisins
- 1 c chopped nuts optional
- 1/4 t baking soda
- 1/2 t ground clove
- 1/8 t mace
- 1/3 c shortening
- 1/4 c buttermilk
- 2 c chopped candied fruit
- 2 eggs
- 1 c dark brown sugar
Instructions
- Sift flour with baking soda, spices and salt in a bowl and set aside. Beat shortening until light, gradually beat in sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add dry ingredients a little at a time. Blend in buttermilk.
- Mix in raisins, fruit and nuts if using them by hand. Spoon into baking cups, fill ¾ of the way full (or drop by rounded tablespoons onto a greased cookie sheet).
- Bake at 350 deg for 20-25 min.
- Do NOT eat them fresh, you will not be able to get the wrapper off. Put them in an airtight container and let them sit for at least 1 week before eating them. This will let the moisture soak back into the cake and fruit.
Notes
Fruitcake is a staple in my family at the holidays, petite fruitcakes are the go-to because you make them early and forget about them until the week of christmas when you’re making your cookie trays.
Get Ya’ Drunk Fruitcake
This drunk fruitcake is the most polarizing Christmas cake in my family. No joke. The only two people who ate it were my Pop-pop and the dad-man. All the dad-man’s sisters hate it. Hated that Pop-pop made it. All because it smelt so bad. Well, it’s got two full bottles of brandy and a month of sitting under its belt. It’s not going to smell like an apple simmer pot.
This recipe took multiple phone calls to three of my aunts and one very confusing interview with my mom-mom Diane. From which I learned that Pop-pop just used a boxed cake and put random spices in it and hid the rest of the baking sins in Brandy. Now, in my defense, I have never made this recipe to its full potency. Mostly out of fear.
To quote my aunt who got the recipe from mom-mom, “It’s pound cake Diane; you just season it. Then get it drunk.” Which isn’t exactly a recipe, but that’s how pop-pop would explain drunk fruitcake to anyone who would ask.
Get Ya’ Drunk Fruitcake
Equipment
- 2-3 loaf pans
- glass bowl w/ lid
- Stand mixer
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
Ingredients
- 1 box pound cake mix
- 1 bottle brandy
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 c butter
- 1 t ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 t ground mace
- 1/2 t ground allspice
- 1/4 c Candied ginger
- 1/2 c Candied pineapple
- 3/4 c Candied cherries
- 1/2 c Raisins
Instructions
- Put fruit into a sealable glass bowl and pour 3/4 c to 1 c brandy over the fruit. Give it a good mix and let sit for at least 24 hours.
- Make the cake according to the box, adding in the cinnamon, ginger, mace, and allspice and replacing the water with the brandy. Fold in the candied fruits and brandy that didn’t soak in.
- Bake according to the back of the box for the appropriate pan.
- While still warm, drizzle with 1/4 c of Brandy. After they’ve cooled, wrap them in cheese cloth and liberally soak them in brandy. Place the loaves into an airtight storage container and store in a cool, dry place. Soak wrapped fruit cakes every few days for at least 3 weeks before serving.
Notes
Nothing says merry Christmas like big bottles of booze and saturating a cake in it. All jokes aside, this drunk fruitcake is not for the weak, or lightweight. I don’t personally drink and therefore do not make this cake every year. You can find my go-to fruitcake recipe here, the petite fruitcake. Or my rum fruitcake.
Best Ever Butter Cookies (Sugar Cookie)
They might be called butter cookies, but they are in fact a soft sugar cookie. The best sugar cookie, in my opinion. This recipe came from my neighbor Ms. Beth. They are her go to cookie for any potluck and they are worth it! I have taken to making these whenever I want to give a cookie as a gift.
Best Ever Butter Cookies
Equipment
- Stand mixer
- Spatula
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 c butter softened
- 1 c sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 ½ c all purpose flour
- 2 T orange juice
- 1 T vanilla
- 1 t baking powder
- Pinch of salt
Frosting
- 4 c powdered sugar
- ½ c butter softened
- 3-4 T milk
- 2 t vanilla
Instructions
Cookies
- Beat butter, sugar and egg until creamy. Reduce to low; add flour, orange juice, baking powder and salt. Beat until well mixed. Divide dough into thirds & wrap. Refrigerate until firm (2-3 hrs).
- Heat oven to 400 deg. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough one third at a time into ⅛ to ¼ in thick. Cut with a 3 in cookie cutter. Place on a baking sheet 1 in apart. Bake for 6-10 min or until edges are golden. Cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
- Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in vanilla. Beat in milk, one tablespoon at a time until desired thickness is reached (spreadable, but not too thick).
Old School Mashed Potatoes
Everyone needs a recipe for mashed potatoes in their back pocket. Simple, delicious and goes with most any gravy. Now, it’s no surprise that potatoes are my favorite thing. These, though simple are one of my favorites; the creaminess just lends itself to any meal you could think of.
There’s no fancy story with this one. Just me in the kitchen at thanksgiving using what I had in the fridge to add some creaminess to the mashed potatoes.
Old School Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 lbs russet potatoes peeled and cut into cubes
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter cubed
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 4 ounces cream cheese cubed
- 2-3 tablespoon Lawry’s season salt or to taste
- Pepper for seasoning
Instructions
- Fill a large pot halfway with water and add a tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil. Add the potatoes and boil until fork tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Drain the water and rice the potatoes back to the pot. See notes for pre-cooking instructions.
- To the potatoes, add the butter, half and half, and cream cheese. Season with salt, Lawry’s, and pepper to taste.
Notes
If I’m feeling extra fancy with my mashed potatoes, I’ll add some shredded cheese to the pot.
East Coast Chicken Bowl Pie (Flat Dumplings)
Chicken Bowl Pie is about as simple as it comes, while still being hearty and stick to your ribs. It is a staple back east where the dad-man and ma’ grew up. We call it bowl pie, but to others it is chicken and dumplings. To me, they are two different things even though I put similar things into both.
In its most basic form, the recipe came from the dad-man’s childhood best friend, Shemp. Specifically, it was Mrs. Shemp’s chicken and dumpling recipe. I changed the name when I got this recipe plus the one from my Aunt Linda, which used biscuit dumplings. The dumplings in bowl pie are pasta like and flat and I personally like the texture over biscuit dumplings.
Chicken Bowl Pie
Ingredients
Bowl Pie
- 3 c cooked, shredded chicken
- 2 qts chicken broth
Dumplings
- 2 c all purpose flour
- 1 t salt
- Ice water
Instructions
- Combine chicken, and broth in a Dutch oven and bring to a boil.
- For Dumplings, place flour and salt on a clean work surface. Slowly work in the water until a firm dough forms. Lightly flour the work surface, and roll out dough to one quarter inch thick. Cut dough into 2 inch squares.
- Place dough squares in the pot and cook at a boil for about 5 min. Add frozen vegetables and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Serve warm.
Spicy Pretzels
Spicy pretzels are not in fact spicy, but heavily seasoned pretzels. They make a great snack with a long shelf life. Great any time of year, these have become a staple on my holiday cookie trays as well as a go to snack.
The story behind these is pretty simple… I wanted something salty on the cookie trays because I make so many sweets at the holidays. So, I combined seasonings that sounded good and put them on pretzels. As is with many things that I make, I mix things together until they look good.
They are a bit labor intense. Simply because you have to keep an eye on the pretzels while they’re in the oven so that they don’t burn.
Spicy Pretzels
Ingredients
- 2 12 oz bags pretzels
- 1/2 c butter, melted
- 1/4 c canola oil
- 3 T ranch seasoning
- 1 t garlic powder
- 1 t cajun seasoning
- 1/4 t onion powder
- 1/4 c grated parmesan cheap works best
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250 deg. Pour pretzels onto two sheet pans.
- Whisk melted butter, oil, ranch seasoning, garlic, cajun seasoning, and onion powder. Pour over pretzels and mix to combine.
- Sprinkle parmesan and mix again.
- Bake until dry and crunchy (30-45 min), stirring every 15-20 min. Let cool completely and store in a sealed container.
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
My family calls them stuffed cabbage rolls, but others call them pigs in a blanket. I’ve even heard them be called cows in cabbage. Which is kind of a fun name. I find cabbage rolls to be a great, quick cool weather dish. Yes, even in the desert we like a cozy warm dish.
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 c day old rice
- 8 large cabbage leaves
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1/4 c chopped onion
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- 1 t salt
- 1/4 t ground black pepper
- 1 can condensed tomato soup 10.75 oz
Instructions
- In a large, wide saucepan bring slightly salted water to a boil. Cook for 2-4 minutes, until softened; drain water.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine ground beef, rice, egg, salt, pepper, along with 2 tablespoons of tomato soup. Mix thoroughly.
- Divide beef mixture evenly among the cabbage leaves. Roll and Securewith a toothpick or kitchen string.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, place cabbage rolls, and pour the remaining tomato soup over the top. Cover and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring and basting with liquid often. Serve hot.
I find that this meal is the best with mashed potatoes or simple buttered potatoes because the tomato gravy provides so much flavor. I also like to top my plate with a little bit of cheddar cheese.
Farmhouse Succotash
Succotash is one of the Dad-man’s favorite sides for thanksgiving, or really any time of year. This adapted recipe from an old church community cookbook has become his favorite for Thanksgiving. The addition of the onion, tomato and roasted peppers adds just enough flavor to make you go “hmm” without taking away the flavor of the corn and lima beans.
Farmhouse Succotash
Ingredients
- 1 bag frozen corn, thawed 10 oz
- 1 bag frozen lima beans, thawed 10 oz
- 1 tablespoon jarred roasted red pepper, diced
- 1 T jarred sun dried tomatoes in oil, diced
- 1/4 c chopped onion
- 1/2 stick Butter
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the bottom of your skillet, saute onions until golden brown.
- Add corn, roasted pepper, sun dried tomatoes and lima beans into the pan on medium heat. Heat veggies through; add butter and melt butter to coat veggies.
- Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
Top 10 Foodie Gifts for Anyone on Your List
Foodie gifts can be among the hardest to get the hang of. Gift giving is an art form that allows you to express thoughtfulness and consideration towards your loved ones. When it comes to catering to special interests, the process becomes even more intricate and rewarding. Finding the perfect foodie gift can be a challenge. But the perfect gift brings joy and satisfaction, making any occasion truly special.
Delving into the world of foodie gifts opens up a plethora of options that cater to their passion for all things culinary. From gourmet food baskets filled with exotic treats to high-quality kitchen gadgets that streamline their cooking experience, the choices are as diverse as the flavors they savor.
Foodie Gifts with Zero Experience
Likewise, consider exploring unique and artisanal food items that can tantalize their taste buds and introduce them to new culinary experiences. Opting for cooking classes or workshops can also provide them with the opportunity to enhance their skills and knowledge, allowing them to further indulge in their love for food.
Extravagant Truffle Selection
Indulge your foodie friend with a luxurious assortment of truffles from around the world. These earthy delights are sure to elevate any dish.
Artisanal Cheese Sampler
Rather than simply choosing cheeses at random, explore a selection of handcrafted cheeses to choose the ones that speak to you or intrigue you. Perfect for pairing with wines or creating a gourmet cheese board.
Gourmet Infused Oil Set
Contrarily, elevate any dish with a set of oils infused with herbs and spices. Ideal for drizzling over salads or dipping with fresh bread.
Handmade Chocolate Bonbons
Treat the sweet tooth of your loved one with a box of artisanal chocolate bonbons crafted with the finest ingredients. A true delight for any chocolate connoisseur.
Japanese Matcha Kit
Instead, for your international foodie friends, dive into the world of matcha with a traditional Japanese matcha kit. Perfect for creating the perfect cup of antioxidant-rich green tea or incorporating into desserts.
Exotic Spice Blends Set
Additionally for your international foodie, add a touch of global flavors to your foodie friend’s pantry with an exotic set of spice blends from different regions. Spice up their culinary adventures!
Specialty Coffee Selection
For the coffee aficionado, curate a collection of specialty coffee beans from different regions. A perfect way to start the day with unique and rich flavors.
DIY Artisan Bread Kit
Let your foodie friend unleash their inner baker with a DIY artisan bread kit. From sourdough to focaccia, this kit has everything they need to create delicious bread at home.
Luxury Tea Collection
Explore the world of teas with a curated collection of luxury tea blends from renowned tea estates. From floral to robust, there’s a tea for every mood.
Homemade Pasta Making Set
For the pasta enthusiast, gift a homemade pasta making set complete with a pasta machine, assorted cutters, and recipes to create fresh and flavorful pasta dishes.
Final Foodie Gifting thoughts
Remember, the essence of gift giving lies not only in the material item itself but in the sentiment and care behind the gesture. By selecting a gift that resonates with the recipient’s passion for food, you are not only offering them a tangible present but also a heartfelt expression of understanding and appreciation.
If you want to explore more culinary delights or share your favorite foodie gifts, feel free to let us know in the comments below. Happy gifting!
