Beach Food

This weekend Justin and I are taking our first vacation as a married couple (other than the honeymoon). We're going on a family vacation to Port Aransas! And, I'm not gonna lie, I'm stoked about the beach. I even ordered a new, ridiculously over priced, awesomely vintage (well, vintage style that is), swimsuit. Of course, i ordered the swimsuit online and haven't gotten it yet, but hopefully it will arrive before we leave, probably just in time for me to be tremendously disappointed that it doesn't look as fabulous on me as it did on the model online.

So the point of all this is that tonight I was on a mission. I baked 2 pies, made a double recipe of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and made an amazing cake called "blueberry boy bait." Granted, I still have plenty to do, like pack, and make something breakfast-y. It's likely I'll be freaking out tomorrow half an hour before we're supposed to leave with only half my stuff done and my entire suitcase left to pack. I didn't actually pack for the honeymoon until the day of my wedding (we were supposed to leave straight from the reception hall that night). In other words - I'm probably screwed even after all my baking tonight.

Key Lime Pie was first because it has to chill, the longer the better. This is a recipe my friend Jennifer gave me and my favorite thing about it is that it's cooked. As my husband will tell you, I have an unreasonable paranoia about raw eggs. Really, terror is a better word. I haven't eaten raw cookie batter since I was about 3 years old (you know, before they knew what salmonella was). I can't help it, that's just how I was raised. I've tried buying the pasteurized eggs, but it doesn't assuage my fear. So - no raw eggs.

Key Lime Pie
1 small Graham cracker crust (i use the pre-made ones, it's just easier in these beach kinds of situations)
3 egg yolks
1 tsp key lime zest
2/3 cup key lime juice
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Start by mixing the egg yolks and zest for about 3 to 5 minutes until yolks are thick and pale yellow. Something like this:



Slowly add the sweetened condensed milk, with mixer on low speed add in lime juice (also slowly). pour in the pie crust and cook 10 to 12 minutes at 350
cool at room temperature then refrigerate 3 to 4 hours before eating. if you absolutely must, you can freeze the pie for a slightly shorter wait period between cooking and eating. Whip cream is optional, but delicious.



Blueberry Boy Bait was my next project, recipe courtesy of www.smittenkitchen.com

cake:
2 cups plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon table salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (if frozen, do not defrost first)

Topping
1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (do not defrost)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and greasing and flouring a 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

Whisk, or in my case, mix with a fork, two cups flour, baking powder, and salt. With electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium-high speed until fluffy, about two minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated and scraping down bowl. Reduce speed to medium and beat in one-third of flour mixture until incorporated; beat in half of milk. Beat in half of remaining flour mixture, then remaining milk, and finally remaining flour mixture. Toss blueberries with remaining one teaspoon flour. Using rubber spatula, gently fold in blueberries. Spread batter into prepared pan.



try not to drop your spoon in to the bowl while you're mixing.



Next scatter blueberries over top of batter. Or, if you're anything like me, you can methodically place the blueberries over top of batter. Stir sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over batter.



Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan 20 minutes, then turn out and place on serving platter (topping side up).



Chocolate Chip Oatmeal cookie recipe coming tomorrow!