Key Lime Pie Dip

.  Wow.  It's already February.

I'm trying to get into a routine again of blogging regularly but I haven't been too successful.  So as you can tell, January passed me by with a limited number of posts AND a few important dates appeared to have slipped by me.

One:  my two year blogiversary!  Uhhh, hello?!  This special occasion didn't even cross my mind until a day or two ago when I was reading another blog who had missed their blogiversary.  Then I realized that it was near February and it all clicked.  Dang it...

But this second event trumps all others: my Grahammy boy's 3rd birthday!  And hmmm, did I ever feel like the worst mom ever!  Fortunately Graham doesn't know a Saturday from Tuesday, so he was none the wiser.  And lucky for me, my mom reminded me of my special boy's day so I grabbed a big bone for Graham on my way home from work.  Crisis averted.

With the way things are going, you'd think I'd miss the Super Bowl that's...oh, today!...but it's a good thing for us we have the endless commercials and advertisements reminding us of the big game every second of the day.  No complaints here though, I can't get enough sports and who doesn't love a championship?!  The scrumptious Super Bowl eats ain't bad either, right?!

My co-worker and good friend is having a good sized get together for the Super Bowl tonight and I fully plan on enjoying the wonderful foods she'll be providing.  Unlike me, she is a gourmet cook, so you can always count on some outrageous dishes at her house.  No joke.

And of course I'll be bringing a dessert of my own to share, but that's for another post.  What I have for you today is for any of you people who need some last minute, quick, and crowd pleasing dips for your gathering.  Or just for yourself.

This Key Lime Dip is stupidly easy.  Yes, stupidly.  And downright addicting.  I've already made this dip a couple of times in the last couple of weeks, once for a going a away party for a dear friend and a second time to bring into work.  Just because it's that good and I felt the need to share it with my co-workers.  So that should tell you something right there!

I also thought this would be a fun recipe to switch things up during these bitterly cold winter months.  This dip is light [not in a healthy way, sorry...], tart, creamy, and refreshing.  The dip tastes just like key lime pie filling, so in conjunction with some graham crackers or vanilla wafers you've got bite-sized slivers of key lime pie!  And since we all know we'll be eating way too much during the Super Bowl, small bite dishes are always a plus.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday, I personally can't wait to see what commercials they have in store for us this year.  Any guesses as to what company the first commercial will be from?!  .

My Notes:

• The ingredient amounts below are the original recipe but I have both doubled and tripled this recipe, depending on the audience.  
• I've served this dip with vanilla wafers, honey graham crackers, and cinnamon graham crackers.  Personally, the graham crackers were my favorite.  But I also think this dip would be outstanding with pie crust chips.  Try using one of my favorite pie crusts, cut the dough into strips, add a little melted butter, cinnamon, and sugar, and bake!  

From Cookies & Cups

Ingredients:

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 c. plus 2 tbsp. key lime juice

1/2 c. marshmallow creme

Graham Crackers, Fruit, Wafers, etc. (for dipping)

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk and key lime juice until thickened.  Add in marshmallow creme and whisk until incorporated (this may take a couple of minutes).
2. Chill dip for 1 hour before serving.

Key Lime Pie Fudge

.  So it's officially Spring, eh?  Doesn't quite seem like it around Omaha since it's been raining the entire week.  But hey, let's not be a Debbie Downer about it!

I know I'm a few days past due [the first official day of Spring was on March 20th, oops] but I feel obliged to ring in the new season anyway.  Don't you agree?  I think you will after you take a whopping bite out of this breath-of-fresh-air fudge.  Yep, I totally think that.

So I refer to these little bites as a breath-of-fresh-air because well, they are!  They're so citrusy and refreshing, I can't really think of a better phrase to describe them.  And the heavenly light-tasting key lime fudge is paired with a crunchy, buttery graham cracker crust.  Duh, it's called Key Lime Pie Fudge for a reason.  Right?  And what's a pie without a crust?  Not a pie, I tell ya.

The one thing I will note in regards to this goodie is that the consistency is not exactly fudge-like.  I would say it's more of a chewy, chewy caramel.  Yeah, that about says it.  But caramel- or fudge-like, I know we'll all agree on how absolutely deeelish these are.  And addicting.  Which is always a good thing.

Well I hope everyone is off to a good spring.  The weather does seem to be turning here, so let's just keep our fingers crossed for bright, sunny skies.  Happy Spring!  .

My Notes:

• Unfortunately, the grocery store I went to didn't have any Key Limes, so I had to use regular ol' limes.  However, I still loved them.  So if you have the same problem I did, you'll need about 3 limes and use the juice from them as well.

From Sugar & Cooking

Ingredients:

1/3 c. unsalted butter

1/4 c. sugar

1-1/4 c. graham cracker crumbs

3 c. or 4 (4 oz. each) bars quality white chocolate, finely chopped

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 tbsp. finely grated Key Lime zest (about 5 to 6 Key Limes)

1/4 c. Key Lime Juice

Directions:

1. Line 8x8-inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper (leaving about a 2-inch overhang).  Butter sides and bottom of pan; set aside.
2. For crust, heat oven to 375°F.  In a medium bowl, melt butter in microwave.  Stir in sugar with fork, breaking up any lumps.  Add graham cracker crumbs and toss to mix well.  Spread evenly into pan and bake 4 to 5 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Let cool.
3. Meanwhile, for fudge, stir white chocolate and sweetened condensed milk in large saucepan over low heat until chocolate is melted and all lumps are gone.  Remove from heat and stir in lime zest and lime juice.  Spread mixture evenly into pan.  Cover and chill for 2 hours or overnight.  Lift fudge from pan using overhanging foil or parchment paper.  Cut into desired shapes.  

Yield: 64 (1-inch) servings