I'm a klutz & Lime Squares (with Pistachio Graham-Cracker Crust

I'm a klutz! I often joke that I could trip over my own shadow. I have tripped over my own shadow. Last week, wheeling, what I affectionately refer to as my "Granny cart" home, filled to the brim with groceries, the two front wheels give out and break off causing me to fly nearly over the thing in an attempt to break my fall and save the goods. Stunned, I sat on the curb and began to cry, and then, realizing the sheer comic nature of it all, started laughing hysterically. This event resulted in bumps and bruises from the top of my thighs to my ankles. In the days to follow I would sprain a toe, and my most recent injury, a bruised heel incurred while wheeling my brand spankin' new "Granny cart" home from the fruit and vegetable store. Although the last (and most painful) injury kept me light on my feet for a few days, the trip itself was pretty successful; It garnered me a ginormous bag of baby spinach for 3 bucks, 2 beautiful watermelons for the same price and 20 limes at 10 for a dollar. What to do with all those limes?!

Keeping things in perspective, I tend to recover pretty quickly; Time away from the kitchen allowed me to finish the book I was telling you about last week, Markus Zusak's 'I am the messenger' and begin a new one, Chris Cleave's 'Little Bee'; Florence + The Machine's album 'Lungs' has been damn good medicine; I'm vertical again; My 31st birthday is in exactly one week (the 27th); And I found a purpose for some of the limes!

First, Citrus Sables
Followed By, Lime Ricotta Cake
Now...

Lime Squares with Pistachio Graham-Cracker Crust

Recipe courtesy and Adapted from MarthaStewart.com

Ingredients:

For the crust

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for pan
2/3 cup shelled pistachios
1 cup (4 ounces) graham-cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoons grated lime zest

For the filling

2 large egg yolks
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh lime juice

*Serve with gently whipped cream.

To Make Crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With melted butter, brush bottom and sides of 8-inch square baking dish. Measure a piece of parchment paper over baking dish to allow for 2 inches of overhang on two sides, either each of the long or each of the short.
Add broken graham-crackers to bowl of food processor and pulse until it becomes crumbs. Add in pistachios, sugar and zest, mix until finely ground. Add in butter and blend until incorporated. Transfer graham-cracker crumb mixture into parchment lined baking dish and press mixture into bottom and 1 inch up sides of pan. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, until lightly browned. Allow crust to cool for 30 minutes. Turn oven off.






















To Make Filling:

Again, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In medium bowl, add 2 egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk. Add in lime juice and whisk until incorporated. Carefully pour mixture into cooled crust; Spread to edges if necessary.
Bake until mixture is no longer liquid, about 15 minutes. Transfer pan to cooling rack. Once it has cooled down, cover and chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. Lift out of baking pan using parchment paper overhang and transfer to cutting board. Use serrated knife to cut into squares, clean knife with dampened kitchen towel before each cut for cleaner cuts. Cover uneaten squares with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator.