Lactose Free Key Lime Pie

Lactose-Free Key Lime Pie

Tastes Like Regular Pie, But Less Evil (For The Lactose Intolerant, That Is)

Prep time: about 35-40 minutes
Bake time: about 5 minutes (at 425 degrees F)

** SPECIAL NOTE: Once you start making this pie, the steps roll right along. Be sure you have everything measured and ready before you begin the first step (otherwise you might burn your filling or it might get lumpy).

Lime Filling Ingredients	Meringue Ingredients
3 egg yolks (save the whites for the meringue) 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 3 tbsp cornstarch 1/4 tsp salt 2 cups water 1 tbsp butter 1/4 cup key lime juice (about 8 key limes or 2-3 regular ones, or you can get key lime juice at the store) zest of one lime	3 egg whites (use the saved whites from the filling) 1/4 tsp cream of tartar 6 tbsp sugar (9 tbsp for sweeter meringue)

Crust

You’re on your own for the crust. I used a ready-made graham crust because I am lazy. You can make a pie crust and pre-bake it or make your own graham crust or whatever.

Directions

Separate the eggs, beating the yolks in a medium bowl and setting aside the whites in a large bowl. Combine the 1 cup sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Gradually stir in the water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 5-6 minutes). Reduce heat to low and add the beaten egg yolks, still stirring constantly. Cook (still stirring) about two minutes then stir in the butter, lime juice, and lime zest. Once everything is nicely combined and smooth, remove from heat and let cool slightly while you prepare the meringue. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. (You can do it at the beginning but I prefer to wait until I’m about ten minutes away from needing it.) To make the meringue, beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining 6 tablespoons sugar and beat until the meringue is stiff and glossy. (When you think you’re done, give it another minute or so to really make the meringue stiff and glossy.) Pour the lime filling into your pie shell (if you’re using a pastry crust, it should be pre-baked). Top with meringue, spreading it evenly and to the edges of the pastry to prevent shrinkage. Bake pie at 425 degrees for 5 minutes or until meringue top is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack 1 hour then chill 3-6 hours before serving. Cover for longer storage.

It’s best if you make it while wearing a key-lime apron.

Taken from: http://letter9.wordpress.com/2008/05/18/lactose-free-key-lime-pie/

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

Serves: 18

• 250g plain flour
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 170g unsalted butter, melted
• 200g dark brown soft sugar
• 100g caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 325g chocolate chips

Preparation method

Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 15 mins

1.

Preheat the oven to 170 C / Gas mark 3. Grease baking trays or line with parchment.

2.

Sift together the flour, bicarb and salt; set aside.

3.

In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and caster sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough onto the prepared baking trays, with each cookie around 4 tablespoons of dough (for smaller cookies, drop 1 rounded tablespoonful and adjust baking time as necessary). Do not flatten the dough. Cookies should be about 8cm apart.

4.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking trays for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Taken from: http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/4807/best-big--fat--chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies.aspx

Alik's Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup soft margarine
3/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon H2O
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 package (12 oz) chocolate chips (i usually use milk chocolate)
Beat butter, sugars, vanilla, water and eggs together until fluffy
add dry ingredints, mix thoroughly
add chocolate chips, mix gently
spoon out on to a greased cookie sheet
bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown

How to make breadcrumbs

posted in Pantry by Kathy Maister

Bread Crumbs are just that - crumbled bread which, when added to even the healthiest of foods, makes them a bit more sinful! Bread crumbs are also used as a filler in things like meatloaf, as a coating for fried food like pork chops, eggplant Parmesan or chicken cutlets, or as a topping to a baked casserole.

Crumb toppings or coatings can actually be made from a variety of foods. Does anyone remember (from their childhood days) tuna-noodle casserole with crunched up cornflakes on the top? Then, of course, along came “Shake and Bake” and the pork chop never looked or tasted better!

Ritz crackers also make a great topping for vegetable casseroles! (See what I mean about turning healthy into sinful?)

If you’re reading a recipe, watch out for whether it calls for “dry” or “fresh” breadcrumbs; the two are not interchangeable! You can buy dry bread crumbs at the grocery store but you have to make your own fresh bread crumbs.

I always have a box of dry breadcrumbs in the cupboard. I particularly like the seasoned variety.

I never bother to make my own dry bread crumbs. (That falls into the category of “life’s too short”.)

On the other hand, fresh bread crumbs are a snap to make! You can use any bread you have in the house.

There are basically three ways to make bread crumbs; with a knife, a food processor, or a blender. As you would expect, the food processor and the blender make really fine, uniform crumbs that are just perfect. But if you don’t own either of these pieces of equipment, a knife will work just fine.

Fresh bread crumbs made from slices of white bread need the crusts trimmed off first. (By the way, Pepperidge Farms bread makes really tasty fresh bread crumbs.)

Then with a bread knife, cut the bread up into crumbs. If the bread is really soft just let it sit on the counter to dry out for a bit, and it should then be easy to cut into crumbs. Try to cut the bread as fine as possible.

Approximately 4 slices of bread will make one cup of crumbs.

Onion rolls make great, already seasoned, fresh bread crumbs! One big roll will make about 2 cups of fresh crumbs. A food processor makes perfect fresh bread crumbs in about 30 seconds.

You can also use a blender to make fresh breadcrumbs. While the motor is running add small chunks of the bread through the hole in the cover of the blender. Don’t over-fill the blender!

“Panko” bread crumbs are a Japanese version of dry bread crumbs that were once only available in Asian markets but you can now get them at the grocery store.

These (trendy) dry bread crumbs are very light and SUPER crunchy. The Whole Foods grocery store in my neighborhood sells spinach flavored ones as well.

You can flavor your own dry or fresh unseasoned bread crumbs with different spices and herbs as well as cheese. The recipe below is one of my favorites that I have used for a topping over baked fish. (But that’s another day!) Cheers!

Seasoned panko bread crumbs:
Makes 1 1/3 cups

• 1 cup plain panko crumbs
• 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons of minced garlic
• 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 Tablespoons fresh basil

Taken from: http://startcooking.com/blog/185/How-To-Make-Bread-Crumbs

Simple Meatloaf

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 to 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1/2 to 1 cup cup milk
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon Worcestshire sauce or steak sauce
• Seasonings, to taste
• 1 chopped onion or 1 package onion soup mix
• 1 chopped green pepper
• 1/2 cup crumbs (bread, cracker, oatmeal or cornflakes)
• 1/2 cup tomato soup or sauce or ketchup

Preparation:

I crumble my ground beef in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl I combine my liquid ingredients; i.e. eggs, milk, and ketchup, worcestershire sauce, and/or steak sauce (whatever I happen to have on hand.) I beat well; if I use any seasonings I add now (oregano, basil, parsley, paprika).

I pour over the meat and mix well. If I am using chopped veggies (onions, peppers) and/or onion soup mix I add now and mix again. I then add my crumbs, (bread, cracker, oatmeal, and/or cornflakes) and mix again. I then put in a loaf pan, and top with tomato soup, or sauce, or ketchup. I then bake it for 1/2 an hour at 400 degrees, then lower to 350 and continue baking for an hour.

Mixing the meatloaf in steps ensures a more evenly seasoned and textured loaf. - SCJL

Taken from: http://homeparents.about.com/od/meatloafrecipes/r/simple_meatloaf.htm