Key Lime Meltaways

From Smitten Kitchen, adapted from Martha Stewart.  My kids were really into these.  I didn't use key limes.  We have both key lime and regular lime trees, and the regular one was producing.  I will probably try this with key limes later when we have a key lime harvest.

You could also keep the logs frozen for up to two months, and use them as the meltaway craving hits.

Yield: 5 dozen

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks, 170 grams or 6 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (120 grams) confectioners’ sugar
Grated zest of 4 tiny or 2 large key limes
2 tablespoons (30 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon (15 ml) pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (235 grams) all-purpose flour (a.k.a. 2 cups minus 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons (15 grams) cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon fine sea or table salt

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream butter and 1/3 cup sugar until fluffy. Add lime zest, juice, and vanilla; beat until fluffy.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt. Add to butter mixture, and beat on low speed until combined.

Between two 8-by-12-inch pieces of parchment paper, form dough into two 1 1/4-inch-diameter logs. Chill at least 1 hour.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Place remaining 2/3 cup sugar in a resealable plastic bag. Remove parchment from logs; slice dough into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Place rounds on baking sheets, spaced 1 inch apart.

Bake cookies until barely golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool slightly, just three or four minutes.

While still warm, place cookies in the sugar-filled bag; toss to coat. Bake or freeze remaining dough. Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Slow Cooker Spicy Red Beans and Rice--Cooking Light

3 cups water

1 cup dried red kidney beans

1 cup chopped onion $

1 cup chopped green bell pepper $

3/4 cup chopped celery

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon paprika

3/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 (14-ounce) package turkey, pork, and beef smoked sausage, thinly sliced (such as Healthy Choice)

1 bay leaf

5 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups hot cooked long-grain rice

1/4 cup chopped green onions

Preparation

Combine first 12 ingredients in an electric slow cooker. Cover with lid; cook on high heat for 5 hours. Discard bay leaf; stir in salt. Serve over rice; sprinkle servings evenly with green onions.

Pork and Black Bean Chili--Southern Living

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

4 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

3 pounds boneless country-style pork ribs, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided

9 medium tomatillos, diced

3 cups chopped poblano peppers

2 cups diced white onion

3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 (15-oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons plain cornmeal

Chipotle Cream

Garnishes: corn chips, lime wedges, fresh cilantro

Preparation

1. Stir together first 3 ingredients and 2 1/2 tsp. salt in a large bowl; toss with pork. Sauté half of pork in 2 Tbsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 10 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a 7-qt. slow cooker. Repeat procedure with remaining oil and pork.

2. Stir tomatillos, next 7 ingredients, and remaining 2 tsp. salt into pork mixture. Cover and cook on LOW 8 hours.

3. Uncover and stir in cornmeal. Cover and cook on LOW 1 hour. Serve with Chipotle Cream.

Chipotle Cream:

1 cup sour cream

3 canned chipotle peppers (in adobo sauce), finely chopped

1 tablespoon lime juice

Salt to taste

Preparation

Stir together sour cream, finely chopped chipotle peppers, and lime juice. Add salt to taste.