Key limes and stone fruit make perfect seasonal desserts
While I’ve been getting plenty of vegetables out of the garden,
we have not fared as well with fruits. We have two miniature fruit
trees in our yard. One is a nectarine tree that has not done well
since the first year we planted it when we first moved into the
house, about five years ago. The fruit doesn’t grow very big, and
usually falls off the tree before it ripens enough to eat. We’ve
chalked the tree up to being a lost cause.
Key limes and stone fruit make perfect seasonal desserts
While I’ve been getting plenty of vegetables out of the garden, we have not fared as well with fruits. We have two miniature fruit trees in our yard. One is a nectarine tree that has not done well since the first year we planted it when we first moved into the house, about five years ago. The fruit doesn’t grow very big, and usually falls off the tree before it ripens enough to eat. We’ve chalked the tree up to being a lost cause.
This spring we planted a Meyer lemon tree, and though there are lemons on the tree that are bright green and growing, I’m not sure the tree is old enough yet to produce any fruit that will be usable anytime soon.
Despite the lack of fruit from my yard, summer is a great time to get fresh fruit at local farmers markets, grocery stores and other locations. A few weeks ago when I saw a bag of key lime pies at the grocery store, something I’d never seen before, I was inspired to make a key lime pie. I’ve never been to Florida, where key lime pie is supposed to be amazing. I’ve only had frozen versions of it so I thought it would be nice to make something fresh. The pie was simple to make since it just takes a graham cracker crust and few ingredients for the filling. The pie required one and half bags of key limes to get one cup since these limes are much smaller than typical limes. The pie was sweet with the extra sour tang of the key limes.
At this time of year, stone fruits are also coming into their own. Peaches and nectarines are at their best in August. I shy away from making my own pie dough so a peach cobbler seemed like a great way to get the same flavors and textures as a pie without the work. The easy peach cobbler recipe we found uses Bisquick as a base for the top of the cobbler and it provides a crisp outer layer with a fluffy, biscuity feel underneath to top the fresh fruit.
Key lime pie
Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1/2 c. granulated sugar
4 tbsp. (1/2 stick butter) melted
2 (14-ounce) cans condensed milk
1 c. key lime or regular lime juice
2 whole eggs
1 c. sour cream
2 tbsp. powdered sugar
1 tbsp. lime zest
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter with your hands. Press the mixture firmly into a 9-inch pie pan, and bake until brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature before filling.
Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
In a separate bowl, combine the condensed milk, lime juice, and eggs. Whisk until well blended and place the filling in the cooled pie shell. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Once chilled, combine the sour cream and powdered sugar and spread over the top of the pie using a spatula. Sprinkle the lime zest as a garnish on top of the sour cream and serve chilled.
Peach cobbler
Recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker
1/3 c. sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
6 peaches, peeled, and cut into ½-inch slices, about 6 c.
2 tbsp. water
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 c. Original Bisquick mix
2 tbsp. sugar
1/3 c. milk
1 tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
Sweetened whipped cream, if desired
Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a four-quart saucepan, mix 1/3 c. sugar, the cornstarch and the cinnamon. Stir in peaches, water and lemon juice. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; boil and stir one minute. Pout into ungreased 8-or9-inch square glass baking dish.
In medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix, 1 tbsp. of the sugar, the milk and melted butter until a soft dough forms.
Drop dough by 6 tbsp. onto hot peach mixture. Sprinkle remaining 1 tbsp. sugar over dough.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with whipped cream.
