Bring On…THE SUNSHINE

Denise Gianatasio is a Northport Village resident and freelance writer. She is a licenced agent at Signature Premier
Properties, Platinum Circle of Excellence, 172 Main Street, Northport 631-754-3600. Denise enjoys cooking and sharing her recipes and family stories, as she wants to inspire a warm sense of home with her readers. Please feel free to contact her for any advice you may need at dishinwithdenise@yahoo.com.

My trip to South West Florida proved fruitful again with a delicious refreshing Key Lime Pie. The taste was absolutely irresistible and I definitely will be making this for my family and friends real soon. I’m not big on sweet deserts, but this pie had the perfect combination of tart and sweet. The filling was only made better with a delicious buttery graham crust. It was joyfully presented in person by the talented Chef Leory.  Thank you Chef and thank you to our “passion to please” server, Johnathan, who convinced me to give this Florida favorite a try at The Pink Shell Beach Resort and Marina’s Restaurant, Rae’s on the Beach. Wow! A vibrant classic desert in southern Florida, especially in The Keys, for over a century; I’m happy I didn’t wait much longer to sample. A truly refreshing taste of sunshine, anytime! ENJOY!! Dishin’ With Denise

Graham Cracker Crust:
7 T melted butter
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup sugar
¼ t sea salt

Pie Filling:
1 ½ T of zest from limes
3 egg yolks
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened and condensed milk
¾ cup fresh lime juice

Topping: 
1 cup heavy cream
1 ½ T sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use about 12 graham crackers or so in a food processor. Place crumbs in a bowl, add butter, salt and sugar; mix until combined. Place crumbs into a 9-inch pie dish and pat down with your fingers to form a crust into plate, including the edges. Bake for 10 minutes or until light brown. Allow to cool.

Whip egg yolks and zest in a large bowl for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add lime juice, condensed milk and mix until combined. Pour mixture into graham crust and bake for 15 minutes. Pie will rise slightly. Allow to cool in refrigerator ~ about 2 hours.

Whip your cream and sugar with an electric mixer for a few minutes until stiff peaks form. Top the pie and garnish with extra lime zest.