My First Key Lime Pie

I have been hankering after making a Key Lime Pie for a few weeks now.   I would definitely make it again, though more now and then than frequently.  HK made the suggestion that next time I try it with orange instead of lime and ginger nuts instead of digestives.  I think my next hankering is Baileys and chocolate chip scones, courtesy of The Pink Whisk.


My Key Lime Pie

• 175g digestive biscuits
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 85g butter, melted

Filling

• 14fl oz can condensed milk
• 125ml lime juice
• finely grated rind of 3 limes
• 4 large egg yolks

1. Preheat the oven to 160c/gm3/325f.  Lightly grease a 9" pie dish
2. To make the crumb crust - put biscuits, cinnamon and sugar into a processer and blitz till fine crumbs, not powder.  Add the melted butter and mix together
3. Tip the crumb mix into the pie dish and press over base and sides.  Bake in oven for 5 minutes
4. Beat the condensed milk, lime juice lime rind and egg yolks together in a bowl until well blended
5. Pour the filling into the crumb base and bake in oven for 15 minutes until set around the edges and wobbly in the middle.  Remove from oven, allow to cool, then cover and chill in fridge for at least 2 hours

Notes

• I might use a few more biscuits next time for a slightly thicker base
• I use a fan oven so one or two minutes less baking won't go amiss
• The egg whites can be frozen and used another time, so they don't go to waste
• I am aware that there are lots of variations for this recipe - try them all out!

Thursday Afternoon Biscuits

I'm still running a little tired.  My cough/cold/chest infection seems to be on it's way out. Thankfully.  My IBS and related insides are still doing their merry thing and aren't quite right.  HK is wanting to get out and do some gardening and work on the veg patch.  Mary-Jane is sleeping slightly better (always looking for positives).  She is waking earlier, maybe quarter or half past six and eager to look out of the window at the sheep and the birdies.  It may be time to push her bed time back.  We tried it last Friday and it seemed to work.  We did think it may have been touch and go with her as she may have been over tired when we did put her down, but she had a good night.  Tonight she has new bedding on her bed, from Granma - Minnie Mouse sheets and for the first time, a proper pillow - cushion as she calls it - with Minnie Mouse on.  She also was treated to a Minnie mat.  She was very excited at bedtime, asking to go to bed and jumping up and down.  Then came the tears, soon resolved once her pillow had been put in the position she wanted it in.  So far, so good!

I have been to a friends house this afternoon and baked biscuits.  I cobbled the recipe together, and they came out alright.

Thursday Afternoon Biscuits

Makes about 40

• 225g softened butter
• 350g caster sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 350g self raising flour
• 50g cocoa powder
• 200g choc chips/chunks

1. Preheat oven to 170/gm 3.  Line two baking trays
2. Cream together butter and sugar
3. Mix in the eggs al little at a time
4. Stir in flour and cocoa powder until it comes together as a dough
5. Mix in chocolate  chips
6. Roll into walnut sized balls and place on baking tray
7. Bake for approx ten minutes.  Leave on baking tray of five minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

Biscuits will firm on cooling.

Feel tree to mak this recipe your own.  It is just a generic basic one!

On the way to Woodlands

I remembered to take my camera when I went to Woodlands Knitting Group yesterday.  I stopped at my usual spot on Irton Flats (I have been informed that the place may actually be called Irton Levels, I shall look into this, I am probably wrong).  The blob on the right is dust or something in the workings of the camera that we've not been able to get out yet.

This is looking to the left.  I must admit that I still don't know the names of all the fells.

In the direction of going to Woodlands.  Woodlands is at Santon Bridge.

Looking to the right, so a broken panoramic view

I literally stepped out of the car to this.  If I had been really lazy, I could have just wound the window down to take the shot.

A few yards up and around the corner


It is hard not to be affected by such natural beauty, to be in awe

Bambino Top

I'm a day or two behind with my posts.  I finished MJ's Bambino Top on Sunday Morning and naturally whipped off the one she was wearing and put her in her new one.  She was very happy with it, as was I.  I do like the sleeve straps, certainly a design style/feature to remember.  I love to see her running round in the clothes that I make her.  It is such a shame that I am not in a position to dress-make, if I was my head would certainly be falling off with all the ideas for clothes for her - and for me!

MJ looks quite serious here, but I was doing my best to chase round after her with the camera and snap her in those nano seconds that she stood still.



The pattern is called Tango Top, by Sarah Ronchetti, it is available on Ravelry and Petite Purls.

Of Sheep and Toddler Tops

I have very nearly finished Mary-Jane's Tango Top.  I wanted it done tonight so she could wear it tomorrow.  I am half way through the second shoulder strap, so following that all that needs doing is attaching the straps and blocking the lace hemline.  I don't want to rush to finish it, or stop up late.  It will be done tomorrow and it will be my Mothers Day gift to her.  Then I shall start on her cotton swirly skirt.  Once I have done my WI minutes of course tomorrow night!

 

I didn't get to freeze bananas today.  We were going to defrost the freezer, it really needs doing and the ice is taking up precious space.  But we didn't get to do that.  I did make a bit of space by cooking a summer fruit strudel.  A slice of which went down deliciously with a big blob of chocolate ice cream.  We also made a massive Shepherdless Pie for tea, for today and tomorrow, and maybe the day after!

 

Mary-Jane had a really good sleep last night.  She may have wakened during the night but she didn't cry and we had no need to go into her.  I think it did us all some good - and probably made us feel more tired.  Fingers crossed for more similar such nights!

 

I am in parlez with another knitter, from Kniterarti.   We are talking of doing a knit-a-long, or a project that may challenge us.  One of the contender projects is The Sheep Carousel Tea Cosy by Kate Davies.  I've been rather taken with this pattern since last years Woolfest.  It would be nice to do this with another knitter.  I do miss this kinda thing, I used to do this with Sally, in particular, and others from Stafford Knit Chicks (Hello Sylvia - I miss you too!).  I don't think I have a suitable yarn in my stash, I shall have to see about acquiring some in the next few months.

This is The Sheep Carousel, by Kate Davies.  The image is from the pattern page on Ravelry.

I need to go Stash Surfing.

Sour Cream Pumkin Bundt Cake

The baking offering of the day is Sour Cream Pumpkin Bundt Cake.  The recipe can be found here.  I've had one slice and I'm not overly sure.  It seems over moist, but cooked well enough on the edges.  It was in the oven for long enough - the recommended time, which is generally too long in this oven.  Maybe it needs a little lower for longer, or mixing longer, who knows.  It tastes okay, which it the main thing.

The brown in the middle is a hidden brown sugar streusel filling, quite spicy.


I am planning a Key Lime Pie next.

I am getting on well with MJ's tank top, then end may be in sight tomorrow evening, maybe.  The hem will need some kind of blocking as it rolls up a bit.

A New Tank Top

My knitting for Mary-Jane continues.  I have trawled Ravelry for ideas and tried to marry them to my own personal ideas and what yarn I have available.  I have had a degree of success.  I have cast on a tank top and am ready to cast on a twirly skirt.  I have tried not to think beyond these tow, once I had made the decision to start otherwise it would bog me down terribly and nothing much would actually get done.

 

The tank top is knit all in one, from the bottom up.  It starts with a 12 row pattern (after a couple of set up rows).  Alternate rows are done in stocking stitch, so during the patterned rows, the tv has been paused, then set off again for the plain rows.  Decreases are made every ten rows, following this.  I have been watching The Great British Bake Off, so nothing overly taxing and it does lend itself to this sort of knitting!

 

I still have a cold, with lots of crud on my chest.  HK thinks his cold is breaking and poor MJ is still coughing, although I'd like to think not quite as much.  She is sleeping slightly better.  She does get so tired during the day, this frustrates her terribly, being tired.  She doesn't help herself by not  having a rest or a nap on Daddy.

 

We did get to playgroup yesterday, and I was lucky enough to go to Kniterati in the afternoon.  I worked on the 22.5.2 Degrees Shawl.  This morning, I frogged the whole thing.  The middle point was far too long and the ends were not long enough.  Next time, I shall stick to a more tried method of knitting from one end to the other, increasing to the centre point then decreasing.  And of course I shall try and add a fancy edging to it.  However another scarf is not on the 'Got To Make It Now' list.

 

The new issue of Baking Heaven arrived with me today.  As usual there are lots of things I want to bake.  If I hadn't been feeling so grotty this morning (I had a bit of a nose dive after being on the go and chasing MJ around for a good few hours), I am sure that there would have been a few cakes and biscuits on the table.  All in the fullness of time.  Perhaps tomorrow I shall find a recipe for a Mothers Day cake to do on Saturday, for Sunday.  I might even try and sneak some time to bake as well.  I am quite tempted by a few featured Scottish recipes and other biscuits.  I have also had the urge to make cake pops.  I am stopped in my tracks by the lack of Candy Melts.  I know I can get these online, and the sugarcraft shop in Workington sells them (well they did a time or two when I was last in, granted that was several months ago).  I cannot justify a trip to Workington just to buy candy melts though!