Key Lime Pie



Picture is from Cooks Illustrated. I was so busy getting everything packed up to take to our neighbors
I forgot to take a picture.

 When our neighbors brought home their new baby this week I decided that I would make them a meal. I knew the new dad loved Key Lime Pie (so do I) so I thought I'd make him one.  I've tried lots of recipes but this recipe is by far my favorite because it includes lime zest. The recipe comes from Cooks Illustrated magazine which is the print version of my favorite cooking show America's Test Kitchen.   I used a pre-made graham cracker crust but you can always make it from scratch.

Ingredients

• 4 teaspoons grated key lime zest
• 1/2 cup lime juice from 3 to 4 key limes
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 graham cracker crust

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Whisk zest and yolks in medium bowl until tinted light green, about 2 minutes. Beat in milk, then juice; set aside at room temperature to thicken.
3. Pour lime filling into crust; bake until center is set, yet wiggly when jiggled, 15 to 17 minutes. Return pie to wire rack; cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours. (Can be covered with lightly oiled or oil-sprayed plastic wrap laid directly on filling and refrigerated up to 1 day.)

The thing I like about Cooks Illustrated and America's Test Kitchen is they test out a recipe and tell you what works and what doesn't work. According to them, bottled reconstituted lime juice gives the pie an “off” flavor. Always use fresh lime juice. If you can't find key limes use what you can find. It won't truly be a Key Lime Pie without key limes but the pie will taste better with fresh lime juice and not bottled juice. A true Key Lime Pie should never be green.

Spaghetti Pie

Our neighbors had a baby girl last week so I took them dinner Saturday. This was the first meal I've cooked in a week or so since we did some work in our kitchen. I decided I would make spaghetti pie, salad, bread, and key lime pie since the new dad loves key lime pie and the new mom loves spaghetti.

 This picture is from the Sargento website because I forgot to take one with my camera.

Spaghetti Pie

6 oz. spaghetti, cooked

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 eggs, well beaten

3/4 cup (3 oz.) parmesan cheese divided

1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (you can use cottage cheese but I prefer ricotta)

1 cup pasta sauce

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook the spaghetti like you normally would and then toss the cooked spaghetti with the olive oil in a large bowl.

Stir in the eggs and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Pour spaghetti mixture into greased 10-inch pie plate; form into a crust.

Spoon ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese) over spaghetti crust. Top with pasta sauce. Bake in preheated 350°F oven 25 minutes. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Cool 10 minutes before cutting. (You cut/slice it like a pie)

I've been making this for years. I got the recipe from a former boss who found it on the Sargento website.

My First Mother's Day

Today is my first Mother's Day. I knew I would be excited but I didn't realize just how excited I would be on Sunday morning.

Saturday Molly and I went shopping for something for me to wear. I wanted a pink hat (I love hats...I get that from my mom. I wear hats to church. Hats aren't just for horse races). I wanted to wear pink on my first Mother's Day since I had a baby girl (plus, Molly was going to be wearing pink as well). While we were shopping we had several people stop us and tell me how beautiful Molly was and that she smiled with her eyes. It was strange to her people tell me "Happy Mother's Day".

I woke up before Keith and Molly and took my shower. I was so excited it was Mother's Day that as soon as I got out of the shower I went to Molly's room to get her. She was just waking up. I love being the one who gets to get her out of bed. I love to see her smile and get excited when I walk into her room and she sees me first thing. I love unwrapping her out of her swaddle and watching her stretch.

Molly gave me her gift which was a necklace from Tiffany and Company. Keith and Molly gave me another necklace that says "I Love You to the Moon and Back." I've been telling Molly that since the day she was born.

I received cards from Keith, Molly, my mom and dad, and my brother.

I love these two cards. The one on the left is from my mom but the baby on the card looks so much like Molly, especially the long eyelashes. The card on the right is my 1st Mother's Day card from Molly.


Today was a great and special day! I will never forget today! I'm so blessed to have such a happy, healthy, and beautiful baby! God has truly blessed me beyond my wildest dreams.

Molly also turned 5 months old today AND had cereal for the first time. I'll do a separate post for each of those things later this week.

Danny Thomas Stamp

I love getting snail mail. Who doesn't love walking out to your mailbox and finding a card or letter addressed to you? I also love the different stamps you can buy...from the generic to the customized I love them all.

The newest stamp out has Danny Thomas in the front and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in the background. What an incredible man with an incredible dream (or mission) that no child should die in the dawn of their life.

Children come to St. Jude to be treated for catastrophic diseases (not only cancer). Children are treated regardless of race, religion, or the family's ability to pay.

The stamp was issued in February in Memphis to celebrate St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's 50th anniversary.

Sweet Baby Molly's Birth Story

Today Molly turns 6 weeks old so I figured I better post her birth story before she turns 6 years old.

On Friday, December 9th I went to meek weekly doctor visit. This was the start of week 40. During the appointment the doctor decided that she would induce me on Monday but not to write it in stone because she wasn't sure if the hospital could schedule me. She told me to go home and she would call me on Monday morning to let me know (I had the last appointment of the day on Friday and the scheduling office at the hospital was closed). So, I went back to work and told my boss I was starting my maternity leave. We went about our weekend and went to a Christmas party.

large and swollen me

ugh, large and swollen me, again

First thing Monday morning I received a phone call from the doctor telling my she had scheduled my induction at 7:00 p.m. that night. I couldn't eat anything after 12:00 noon so Keith and I jumped up and went to Chick-Fil-A. After breakfast we ran a few errands and then Keith took me to Fazzolli's where I ate so much pasta I thought I was going to be sick. I ate right up to 12:00. After lunch we went home, took a nap, Keith packed, and I took a shower and got ready.  The next thing I knew it was 6:00 p.m. and we were walking out the door going to the hospital.



ready to go to the hospital




off we go...

 Once we got settled into the room, they started the pitocin at 7:00 p.m. and told me to get some sleep. I think I slept maybe 2 hours.

ready to get this show on the road and meet my Sweet Baby Molly

When they started me on pitocin at 7:00 pm I was already 1 cm dilated (and had been for about 3 weeks).  I could see the contractions on the monitor but they weren't very strong nor were they coming very often.  Keith was able to get some sleep but I was not. They wouldn't give me anything to help me sleep because (in their opinion) that also made the baby sleepy. They didn't want the baby to get sleepy...they wanted the baby to head out (no pun intended).

So, my doctor came in around 9:00 am on Dec. 13th and I was still at 1 cm. They increased my pitocin. She came back a few hours later to check on me and I was at 2 cm. They increased my pitocin. She came back again and I was still at 2 cm. She decided to break my water. I must say, that has got to be one of the strangest feelings ever. They also decided to insert an internal monitor onto Molly and that was slightly uncomfortable. After the water broke they also increased my pitocin. The nurse was watching my monitor and said "you must have a high threshold for pain because these contractions are huge and you aren't even making a face. Do you even feel them?" I laughed and told her that I did feel them. About 20 minutes later I was asking for the epidural.

In comes Doogie Howser and tells me he's training and would it be ok for him to administer the epidural. I looked at Keith and Keith told Doogie, "I'm all about people learning but I don't want you learning today on my wife." I laughed and told Doogie I wanted someone else.  I received my epidural and things were great.

The doctor came back to check on me and I was at 5cm. Long story longer...I never got past 5 cm. After some discussion the doctor decided that I had to have a c-section because although she could feel Molly's head she felt that I could run the risk of hemorrhaging if I did not have a c-section. They gave me 30 minutes and I went through a wide range of emotions but finally came to peace with it.

They wheeled me to the OR and within a matter of minutes at 5:01 pm Sweet Baby Molly had arrived!After 22 hours of labor and a c-section she was here! I was very fortunate that as soon as Molly was born I was able to hold her! She was crying but as soon as I started singing the "Baby Molly" song (a song that I made up that Keith and I sang to her while I was pregnant) Molly stopped crying. It was such a special moment. Keith said "she knows our voices!" I looked at him and we both were crying.

Our first time holding her

My Sweet Baby Molly

I remember while the nurses were cleaning Molly one of them said "she looks just like her mom!"

Looking back, I'm so glad I had a c-section. I remember telling Molly (while I was pregnant) "please be gentle to Mommy when you are born. Please don't hurt Mommy. Please don't tear Mommy." She listened to me and decided the best way for her to "not hurt mommy" was to try to come out sideways (which obviously doesn't work) which forced me to have a c-section. Molly was gentle to her mom and didn't tear her. My recovery has been so easy. I felt like myself within 7 days.

My parents came up from Memphis to the hospital the following day. It worked at great! They were able to spend the entire day with Molly and I!

My parents and their granddaughter

God's plans are not always our plans but His plans are always better than ours!

Molly is here!

On December 13, 2011 Keith and I received the most beautiful Christmas gift ever. After 22 hours of labor and a c-section later, at 5:01 pm our daughter, Molly Diane, was born. She is the love of our life! We have truly been blessed!

Keith, Molly, and I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and that the new year will be a good one for you!

11-11-11

Did anyone make a wish at 11:11:11 on 11/11/11? I did. Not only is today 11/11/11 but it is also Veteran's Day as well as the 9th month of my pregnancy.

I can't believe Sweet Baby Molly's due date is just around the corner...4 weeks.  It feels as though the first 2 trimesters went by so slow but this last one has flown by. As I look back on this incredible journey I've taken with Molly, it's bittersweet. I'm sad to see it come to an end. I loved being pregnant. I'm going to miss feeling her kick or being the only one who can feel her kick each and every time she does. It's super sweet because i know in a few short weeks I will finally get to hold my sweet baby. I will be able to kiss her little toes, her feet, her sweet face, and hands.

As one chapter of my life closes another chapter begins and what a chapter Molly and I will write together!