Watermelon Granita

When it comes to fruit, I have to admit I'm a tad bit particular picky.  For me to want to eat it, fruit can not be overripe.  A speck of brown on a banana?  It's now in bread or smoothie territory.  I want my grapes to snap as I bite into them and my peaches to still be crisp.  Watermelon is no exception.  If it's getting the least bit squishy, I'm going to start avoiding it.

Conflicting with this snobbery (and perhaps redeeming it!), I loathe to waste food.  There must be some latent Depression-era mindset in me because I try my darndest to convert any scrap of leftovers into something edible.  Oftentimes (fortunately!), out of the sheer effort to not throw something away, a new and exciting dish emerges.  Enter this Watermelon Granita recipe.

This refreshing watermelon slush is a perfect use for some extra (and extra ripe) watermelon.  Aafter trying, you might even start buying watermelon specifically for this purpose!).  By the way, "Granita" is really just a fancy word for slushy.  There is no need for  any special equipment besides a blender or food processor (and a fork) and the hands on time is minimal.  What a delicious way to help  beat the heat that we've all been experiencing so much of these days!

Watermelon Granita
4 cups seedless watermelon, rind removed and cut into chunks
juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
1/4 cup granulated sugar

In a blender or food processor, combine watermelon, lime juice and sugar.  Blend until smooth.  Pour liquid into a wide shallow pan (like a 9x13" glass baking dish or one of those extremely helpful reusable plastic storage containers).  It will look a bit foamy on the top.  Place pan in freezer (carefully so you're not cleaning up watermelon juice from your kitchen floor).  Allow to freeze for about an hour.  Remove and using a fork or the back of a spoon, scrape the sides where the mixture is beginning to freeze.  Return to the freezer and repeat every hour or so a couple more times until mixture is completely slushy and shaved (it's also ok to do all the scraping after the mixture is frozen--it's really not too much harder).  Cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve by spooning into glasses.

Adapted from Pioneer Woman's Watermelon Granita

Coconut Lime Custard Parfaits

Sometimes recipes with very good intentions fail miserably.  Then, like a phoenix rising out of the ashes, they are reborn and soar.  This is one of those dishes.  Seeing a whole bunch of limes sitting on my parents' counter, I set out wanting to make a coconut lime pie.  Without a recipe, I started guesstimating and both the graham cracker-coconut crust and the coconut milk-lime filling didn't turn out quite the way I was hoping.  The crust was too crumbly and I had doubt that the filling would set up enough to be able to be sliced into a pie.  The moral of the story is that it's okay to improvise.  When we layered the filling and crumbled crust with whipped cream, these made for delicious enough desserts that everyone licked their dishes clean and is fighting over the leftovers.  Be encouraged to turn your culinary missteps into a new hit!  

pay no attention to the strange, small chair in the background...that's just a bonus feature of my mom's house...

Coconut Lime Custard Parfaits:
Coconut Lime Custard Filling:
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1 can coconut milk (about 14 oz)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon lime zest

Coconut Graham Cracker Crust Crumble Layer:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 6-7 whole sheets)
1 cup shredded coconut (mine was unsweetened from the health food store, but you can use sweetened instead)
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Whipped Cream for serving
thin slices of lime for garnish, if desired

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Make graham crackers into graham cracker crumbs.  I like to do this by putting them into a gallon sized ziplock bag and whacking the heck out of them but a food processor would work nicely as well.  Stir in coconut and then pour in melted butter.  Once thoroughly mixed, pat mixture into a pie pan and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.  Remove from oven and allow to fully cool.  Break into pieces if using as a crumble.

To make filling, place egg yolks in a small bowl and stir until smooth.  In a medium sauce pan, stir together sugar and corn starch.  Whisk in can of coconut milk and lime juice.  Stirring constantly, bring mixture to a boil over medium heat.  Once boiling, remove from heat and stir tablespoonfuls, one at a time, into the egg yolks (adding the hot mixture to the egg yolks slowly while stirring constantly is called "tempering" and it is done to prevent you from getting scrambled eggs).  Once you have added about half of the coconut mixture into the egg yolk mixture, pour the egg yolk mixture into the pan and return to medium heat and stir constantly until mixture again reaches a boil.  Pour into a wide shallow dish (or on top of cooled pie crust recipe if you're wanting to be daring--it did actually set up fairly well) and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of filling.  Chill in the fridge.

To assemble parfaits:
In a tall glass, layer crumble, filling and whipped cream as desired.  Garnish with additional crumbs from the crumble and slices of lime, if you like!

Virgin "Mojito" Slush

It is definitely summertime!  With temperatures climbing and a thoughtful friend bestowing upon me a huge bunch of fresh mint, I had been thinking about the refreshing combination of lime and mint all the days I was laid up last week (I hurt my ankle due to an unfortunate run in with a trampoline).  There was not really any cooking to be had (read: rotisserie chicken was our very dear friend) and what little kitchen action that did happen was focused on shortcuts as I rolled around the kitchen on a trusty office chair.  At my soonest opportunity, I wheeled over to the blender and zipped up this quick version of a mojito flavored slushie.  I am not much of a drinker, so I omitted the rum that would officially make this a mojito, but that makes it an all-occasion and family-friendly treat (feel free to make it "grown up style," if you prefer).  As I was injured and lazy, this mojito slush is also missing some other more traditional elements: there was no lime squeezing and no "muddling of mint leaves with sugar," just the employment of easy, accessible limeade concentrate.  And, I actually liked that shortcut so much that even now when I am only slightly limping around my kitchen, I'm looking forward to using it again.   

Virgin Mojito Slush
serves 1 (feel free to multiply for additional servings)
2 ounces limeade concentrate
1 cup ice
5-7 fresh mint leaves
water or sparkling water as needed
fresh lime wedges and mint leaves for garnishing

In a blender, combine limeade concentrate and ice.  Pour in about 1/2 cup water or sparkling water (adjust liquid amount to desired consistency).  Add mint leaves.  Blend on high until slushy or mixture reaches desired consistency.  Pour into glasses and garnish with mint leaves and lime wedges.

Key Lime Bars

Last night I had a run in with a trampoline and the trampoline won.  Today has been spent "icing and elevating" my very swollen ankle (I think I'd much rather be icing cupcakes).  I'm very thankful to my husband and in-laws who are taking care of things with my two small rug rats.  I'm also thankful that I have several recipes already in the wings to share because I'm not sure when I'll be getting downstairs to the kitchen again...

As we are approaching Memorial Day Weekend (thank you so much to the brave men and women who have served us!), my mind thinks on BBQ.  Obviously, BBQ-ing can mean very different things to different people depending on where in the country you hail from, but one thing is certain.  The accompaniments to a cook out are equally important.  These key lime bars are tart and refreshing, a perfect ending to a backyard bonanza. 

Note: the recipe calls for key lime juice.  Key limes are very small, yellow-green limes that make the pie famous.  If you can't find key limes, by all means, substitute the more common, larger and greener Persian Lime (the one that we all know and love).  You can also swap in lemon juice to make lemon bars if those are more your thing...

Key Lime Bars
Crust:
1 stick (4 oz, 8 tablespoons) butter, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
pinch of salt

Filling:
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/4 cup freshly squeezed key lime juice
1 tablespoon freshly grated lime zest
powdered sugar for garnishing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray.  In a medium mixing bowl, with electric mixer, blend together butter and powdered sugar.  Once thoroughly mixed, add flour and salt, mixing until a stiff dough is formed.  Press into prepared pan and bake, until crust is lightly golden, about 20-25 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, prepare filling.  Beat together eggs and sugar until smooth and lemon-colored.  Mix in flour and beat until smooth.  Whisk in lime juice and zest.  Pour into baked crust and return to oven, baking for an additional 25 minutes or until filling is set.  Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.  Dust with powdered sugar for garnish and top with tiny lime slices, if desired. 

Recipe closely adapted from Pat and Gina Neely's Key Lime Bars