You Put the Key Lime in the Cookie and Shake it All Up

While visiting Jeff in White Salmon, WA one of his new friends mentioned Key Lime Pie. Well that started a ball rolling talking about Key Lime everything. Growing up in Florida I have always been a Key Lime fan. I just didn't feel like making meringue and lets face it, Key Lime Pie just isn't right without meringue. 

So leads me to the cookie. Oh the glorious cookie. Sort of a mildly sweet citrus taste. 



Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1 & 1/8 cup sugar
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
around 2 cups of AP flour (enough to get the right consistency, start with 1 1/2 cups and gradually add the rest at the end)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 + 2 tbsp Nellie and Joe's Key Lime Juice (DO NOT SUBSTITUTE unless you have fresh key limes)
the zest of one large lime or 3 key limes
Confectioners sugar for dusting

Directions

Cream together the butter, sugar, eggs, lime juice, and salt. 
Sift together flour and baking powder. Gradually add in. 

Add in extra flour if needed to get kind of a loose play dough consistency. Not quite stiff but not runny.  

Drop onto a non-stick or VERY lightly greased baking sheet in about 1 tsp amounts. 

Bake at 350F for around 10 minutes. The tops will turn just a tiny touch darker and they'll puff up and kind of shape into these cute rounds. If they spread thin at the edges, don't grease the sheet. 

Take off the sheet and place on a clean towel to cool. Let them cool about 5 minutes and dust with powdered sugar lightly. 

Oh sooo good! 

I would post a picture but I ate them all. My sincere apologies.

Liquor is Quicker but Tandy is Dandy!

I had a craving. It was one of those childhood cravings you can't get away from til you have it. Peanut Butter Tandy Cake. Now all you folks not familiar with TastyKake may have never heard of this spongy cakey concoction. Well I'm here to tell you all about it and trust me when I say you will never forget it! I will say that my version is slightly different than the packaged one so if you were a fan of the Tandy Cake from day one you may be in for a bit of a change of pace. But trust me on this, it's damn good. 


Ingredients

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tsp (I dump in more cause I like it) vanilla extract
2 cups AP flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
2 tbsp butter
Peanut Butter (this is your judgement call, use as much or as little as you like)
1 German chocolate bar (substitution of a Hershey bar or similar item is acceptable)
about 1/4-1/2 cup Nutella
Chocolate Chips for decoration

Mix together everything except Peanut Butter, Chocolate, and Nutella

I bake it in two pans for the sake of having extra crusty parts. I use a 9x9 metal baking dish. Make sure your oven is preheated to 345F or so. My oven runs hot so I knock it down just a bit to prevent it from scorching. Lightly grease and dust the pans with flour, pour the batter in evenly. Bake for around 25-30 min or until the top turns kind of a light golden. 

As soon as it comes out, scoop your peanut butter on top about a tablespoon at a time evenly over the top. Spread it around a little at a time. It melts from the heat of the cake into a nice even layer. 

Now let it cool for about 15-20 min. 

In a double boiler or microwave safe bowl mix together the broken bar of German Chocolate and the Nutella. Melt until smooth and then spread evenly over the top of the peanut butter. 

Add a grid of chocolate chips over the whole cake about an inch apart so you have cutting guides later. It makes them super cute to serve. 

Let everything cool for at least an hour. (You can totally speed it up in the fridge or freezer though)

Spray a knife with cooking spray and cut into inch-ish squares. 

Enjoy with your favorite drink whether coffee, milk, or tea. :)