Saturday, February 14, 2009

Cheater's Key Lime Pie

How many times have you been inspired about the lovely dinner you're making and suddenly realize, 'Crap! I need a dessert!" This recipe is one of my old stand-by's. Best of all, the kids love it.

INGREDIENTS:

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup key lime juice (fresh is best but I'll admit it's a pain to squeeze all those key limes)
1 container of Cool Whip (about 2 cups)
Lime zest
Green food coloring (This is optional. Traditional Key Lime Pie is not green, but the kids get a kick out of green. Just add a dash for fun.)

1 store-bought graham cracker crust
Some more cool whip for the top
A lime, cut up fancy if you wish

Mix the first 5 ingredients together and pour into the crust. Cover and stick in the freezer for as long as you can. When it's time to serve, spread the top with more cool whip and decorate with some lime if you have it. (Once I sprinkled on toasted sweetened flaked coconut which was a hit.)

NOTE: This recipe can be made without fresh ingredients which makes it real handy in a pinch. The Cool Whip and pie crust can be kept in the freezer, and of course the sweetened condensed milk is in a can. I always have this juice on hand which I keep in the fridge:
Nellie & Joe's Key West Lime Juice*

*Goes very well with gin (the juice, not the pie)

3 comments:

  1. Ha! I love it. You don't mean you put gin in it? I think if you used a pretzel crust and added some tequila and cointreau you'd have yourself a margarita pie like Grandma's. Do you have that recipe, by the way?

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  2. Dahling, you don't put gin in this Key Lime Pie. Gin is the reason I always have the Key West Lime Juice.

    Grandma-ma had a great recipe for Margarita Pie and I will dig it out and post it. It's the To-Die-For Dessert when you're serving Mexican food.

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  3. Comment from Chef Lynn:

    OMG I can hear you saying the words in a meek Miss Manner's type voice:"the lovely dinner you're making and suddenly realize, "CRAP! I need a dessert!" I am still laughing

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