Kitchen Happenings

This is what's been baking in our kitchen this week.

Jon seriously makes the BEST key lime cups out there.  I love it when he puts on his chef's hat--usually once a year at Christmas--and struts his baking skills.  YUM!

Jon's Key Lime Cups
 Crust:
3/4 cup crushed graham crackers
1/4 cup melted butter
2 Tbsp. sugar
"touch" of maple flavoring
"a bit" of vanilla
Distribute evenly in muffin tin with liners.  Press graham cracker crust firmly down and bake for 6 minutes at 325 degrees.
 Filling:
3 egg yolks
1 14 oz can condensed milk
1/2 cup key lime juice
Distribute filling to all cups and bake for 8 minutes at 325 degrees
Garnish with whipped cream with a "dash" of extra lime juice and lime zest. 
Yield:  12 cups

Let's face it, cake is cake.  What really separates the men from the boys in these cupcakes is the icing.  I think my kids could each eat a gallon of it.  And, I'm pretty sure their mama could, too.  YUM, again!

So Bad, But So Good Buttercream Icing
3 sticks of butter, softened
2 lbs. bag of powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup of half and half (you could also just use whole milk)
sprinkle of salt

Mix it all together (with your big mixer, of course), and frost that cake.