Gluten Free Quick and Easy Key Lime Pie Recipe

To help us eat healthier, we've subscribed to an organic vegetable/fruit delivery service. Every other week a box of goodies show up on our doorstep. This past week's box included several limes.

"What the heck are we going to do with those?" I asked Hubby, holding up the bag of limes. "Make limeade?"

"Nah," he replied. "I've got a better idea. Let's make pie!"

But it's hot and humid in the deep South right now. And we didn't want to turn on the oven. So Hubby found a pie recipe that uses the microwave and adapted it to be both gluten free and for key limes. I know. I know. Many people will roll their eyes when they read that last part. We don't usually bake with the microwave. But sometimes, like when the A/C can't keep up with heat and humidity outside, there really is no other choice. I mean, unless you don't want pie.

And I wanted the pie!

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups Gluten Free Chocolate Chip cookie crumbles (We used Immaculate Baking Co's Gluten Free Chocolate Chunk cookies--found in the refrigerator section. We baked them in the toaster oven for longer than the directions called for to take them from the chewy-gooey consistency to a crunchy toasted cookie.)

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup granulated sugar (We used raw sugar)

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (About 3 limes)

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 Tbsp grated lime rind

1 cup whipping cream (We used a reduced fat whipping cream)

Directions:

1. CRUST. In the microwave, melt 3 Tbsp of butter. It should take about a minute. Stir cookie crumbs into the melted butter until moistened and press into a 9-inch microwave-safe pie plate. Press against sides and bottom of the pie plate to form the crust. (Found that we needed to use our fingers to press the crumbs to form the crust.)

2. Microwave crust at HIGH for 1 1/2 minutes or until the crust is set. Let cool completely. (We put it in the fridge while we tackled the next part.)

3. FILLING: In a microwavable bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until well combined. Stir in the lime juice, melted (but cooled) butter, and rind.

4. Microwave on HIGH for 3 to 5 minutes until the mixture boils and thickly covers a spoon when stirred. (Stir twice when cooking.) Let cool. Put mixture in fridge until cool.

5. Whip cream. (Hint: when whipping cream, things will go faster if the cream is COLD as well as the bowl and the whisk. I placed them in the freezer for 15 minutes prior to whipping. And then whipped with my electric mixer.) Whip until stiff.

6. Fold half of the whipped cream into the cooled lime curd mixture.

7. Spoon lime curd mixture into the prepared pie crust. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour (overnight is better.)

8. For the remaining whipped cream, add a teaspoon of vanilla and powdered sugar to taste to make a whipped topping for the pie when you serve it.

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Dorothy McFalls is author of more than 13 novels (including the White House Gardener Mystery series written as Dorothy St. James).

The Huntress, a sexy romantic suspense adventure, is available now on Kindle for $2.99!

Praise for The Huntress

"...an action-packed adventure with sass and style. I absolutely loved it!" --Deborah Macgillivray, Author of A RESTLESS KNIGHT and Reviewer for The Best Reviews

"...delivers a plot ripe with suspense, tension, and conflict." --Amanda, Fallen Angel Reviews

Overview:

Spunky bounty hunter Vega Brookes meets her match when she hunts down a dangerous ex-special forces officer accused of murder.

Read more about Dorothy and her books at her website: www.dorothymcfalls.com

Gluten-free Sicilian Cream Puffs Recipe

Ever since my husband learned that he has a wheat allergy, we've (when I say we, I mean he since he's the cook in the family) been working to adapt recipes so he doesn't have to miss out on yummy foods. And I won't miss out either, since he's the cook!

We were watching a cooking show that made Sicilian Cream Puffs and thought, we could do that AND make it gluten free!

This is how we did it:

INGREDIENTS:

Gluten-Free Flour: (makes 2 cups)
(You can use a gluten-free all purpose flour premix or make your own. We made our own.)
1/2 cup of brown rice flour (We put this in a grinder to make extra fine texture since this flour can sometimes make a recipe's texture taste gritty.)
1/4 cup of tapioca flour
1/4 cup of potato flour
1/2 teaspoon of Xanthan Gum (Hubby says this is optional, but we included it.)

Filling: (Canolli Filling)
15 oz ricotta cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup grated sweet or dark chocolate (We prefer to cut up our own chocolate instead of using chips, but you can use mini chocolate chips)
1 Tablespoon of vanilla

Cream Puffs:
1 cup of the gluten-free flour (see above)
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1/8 teaspoon of salt
4 eggs

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven 450 degrees.

Mix ricotta with sugar, chocolate, and vanilla and set aside.

Put water, butter, and salt in a sauce pan and heat. When boiling, add flour all at once. Stir with a wooden spoon until leaves sides of pan clean. Remove from heat. Beat in one egg at a time. Beat until thick and smooth.

Spoon about 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls onto a greased baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 20 to 25 minutes longer.

When cool, slice in half and fill with ricotta mixture. You can sprinkle with powdered sugar. I didn't because I'm trying to watch our sugar intake. I know, I know there's plenty of sugar in this recipe already!

Free eBooks!

It's that time again...We're having another free eBook promotion!

And there's some super books to be had. You won't want to miss out!

You can find a full list of the books and the links to their Amazon pages at www.freepartay.com.

Two of my favorite books are being offered for free, and I'll let you know about them here.

FOR THE HISTORIC ROMANCE LOVERS:

LADY IONA'S REBELLION

Take a step back into the world of Regency England...

She was looking for freedom....

When the always obedient Lady Iona is pressured into accepting a husband of her father's choosing, she seeks out the notorious rake, Lord Nathan Wynter, for his help in learning how to standup for herself. 

He was looking for respect...

While Iona is seeking adventure, Lord Nathan is doing his honest best to reform his ways in order to repair his reputation and his disastrous relationship with his family. Winning the very proper Lady Iona for a wife would go a long way to achieving that end. 

They found each other.

The more Nathan tries to protect Lady Iona from running head-long into disgrace, the more he admires her daring spirit and unpredictable antics. Instead of returning her to the obedient world to which she was raised, he encourages her blossoming passions. Such a move is surely going to lead them both to ruin. 

But for love he is willing to risk everything.

"Filled with emotion and torment, a steamy romance in which the hero and heroine can barely keep their hands off of each other, and a tender, heartbreaking realization and reconciliation, LADY IONA'S REBELLION meets every requirement that we deem necessary for it to be a Perfect 10. The writing is crisp, the tension so thick that you can cut it with a knife, and the cast so alive and vivacious, down to even the most secondary of characters." ~ A Perfect 10! ~

--Amy Cunningham, Romance Reviews Today

FOR THE PARANORMAL ROMANCE LOVERS:

Mystical Seduction

Sometimes fate doesn't let you walk away....

The powerful Horace West doesn't want a woman in his life. Women are nothing but trouble. And that's what he gets when lust takes over and he has sex with Faith Summers--trouble. The sultry vixen was doing everything in her power to drive him crazy. Even so, it was a mistake. A huge mistake. 

Faith is human. He is not. He's a Protector--a race of beings with mystical powers--who protects the humans from otherworldly attacks. Somehow, while having sex with Faith, he transferred his powers to her. And now, unless he can undo what he's done, Faith will have to die.

Praise for Mystical Seduction:

"AMAZING!! ... I have never read Dorothy McFalls before but she has earned a place on my 'to-be-read' list!" ~ Just Erotic Romance Reviews

"Dorothy McFalls brings a would-be couple's battle of wills to new heights . . . A botched mating and scorching sexual tension certainly make things interesting for the author's like-minded protagonists, Horace and Faith." ~ Heartstring Reviews 

"Wow! ... Dorothy McFalls delivers an original, action-packed plot with plenty of steam." ~ Fallen Angel Reviews

COMING SOON TO BOOKSTORES EVERYWHERE FROM BERKLEY PRIME CRIME:

OAK AND DAGGER: A White House Gardener Mystery

(April 2013)

There's a spy in the White House Gardens?!

Missing documents, death threats, mysterious holes in the South Lawn, and now a dead body's been found in the garden. It's up to White House organic gardener Casey Calhoun to uncover the deadlink between the stolen papers, the holes in the lawn, and a rumored 200-year-old treasure--before the killer strikes again!

PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!

Praise for the White House Gardener Mysteries:

“A bright blossom in the garden of cozy mysteries.” —Jacklyn Brady, author of Cake on a Hot Tin Roof

“Credible characters, a fast-paced plot, and a light look at political life in Washington, D.C., will delight cozy fans.”—Publishers Weekly

“[A] delightful debut mystery…just the ticket for all us flustered and withered gardeners… Fans of cozy mysteries will adore this new series, and are sure to find themselves anxious for the next installment!” —Fresh Fiction

"A potboiler of homicide, blackmail, journalism, power and sex—but one that St. James handles with taste as well as verve —The Scarlet Pepper fulfills the promise of last year's series debut, Flowerbed of State, and then some."—Richmond Times-Dispatch

Congratulations Malice Domestic Nominees!

The Nominees have been announced, and I was pleased to see so many fellow Killer Character authors being honored at the upcoming Malice Domestic Reader Convention where Traditional Mysteries rule!

So please join with me in congratulating:

Krista Davis for The Diva Digs Up The Dirt (Nominated for Best Novel)



Duffy Brown for Iced Chiffon (Nominated for Best First Novel)




Mollie Cox Bryan for A Scrapbook of Secrets (Nominated for Best First Novel)

Erika Chase for A Killer Read (Nominated for Best First Novel)

Shelia Connolly "Kept in the Dark" (Best New England Crime Stories 2013: Blood Moon Anthology) (Nominated for Best Short Story)

Y'all are inspiring!

I've been tagged! Blog Hop...

Paula Benson from the Writers Who Kill Blog tagged me in the BLOG HOP! Congratulations, Paula, on the publication of your first story, "Nectar of the Gods!" I couldn't be more excited for you.

Other authors who hopped over at Writers Who Kill are E.B. Davis, Warren Bull, Gloria Alden, and Alyx Morgan. When you get a chance, be sure to hop over there are see what they've been talking about.

Now on to my upcoming release, and the questions the Blog Hop poses each author...

1. What is the title of your story?

Oak and Dagger (Book #3 in the White House Gardener Mysteries)

2. Where did the idea come from for the story?

I've always love a great spy story. For me, they add a little extra spark to a whodunit. It's all about the cloak and dagger, danger, and working for a higher purpose (be is good or evil.) When I started working on the White House Gardener Mystery series, I knew right away that there would have to be a spy involved at some point in time. And that time is now...or is it? Is there a spy in the White House or is there something else going on. That's something Casey Calhoun will need to find out.

3. What genre does your story come under?

Quirky cozy mystery. Yep...they're out there!

4. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your story?

When the head gardener is accused of murder, Casey Calhoun, White House assistant gardener, promises to find out what really happened in the White House's Children's Garden, even if it means chasing after a phantom spy.

5. Is your story self-published, published by an independent publisher, or represented by an agency?

It will be published April 2013 by Berkley Prime Crime. But you can pre-order your copy today!

6. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

First draft? Now this is a difficult question, because I write a bit and revise. Write some more and revise. I never actually have a messy first draft.

It took me about a year to get to "The End." And because I was writing and revising and pulling my hair out all along, I didn't have much cleaning up to do once I reached the end of the book.

7. What other stories would you compare this story to within your genre?

I always get nervous when comparing myself to other authors. Actually, I never feel worthy. But some of the authors who have inspired me and these books include Elizabeth Peters (Vicky Bliss Mysteries), Julie Hyzy (White House Chef Mysteries), and Lillian Jackson Braun (The Cat Who Mysteries). I love their writing styles and if you wish to compare me with any of these I'd be tickled pink!

8. Who or what inspired you to write this story?

My deadline. I'm an incredibly lazy writer and would sit and read novels all day if I didn't have a deadline licking fire under my seat.

9. What else about your story might pique the reader's interest?

Casey Calhoun, my gardening sleuth, is an organic gardener. She peppers organic gardening tips and fun projects throughout the story. But you don't have to garden or even enjoy gardening to have fun with this book.


Thank you, Paula, for inviting me to be part of your Blog Hop! Now, I'll have to think of someone to tag. Hmmm....any suggestions?

What the masters think of short stories...

If you don't have a lot of time on your hands, a short story can be just the ticket to take you away on a mini-vacation. The art of the short story is often overlooked. But it takes real talent to fit a full story into a small space.

What do writers think about short stories? Here are a few quotes from a few great authors:

“A short story must have a single mood and every sentence must build towards it.” ~ Edgar Allen Poe

“A good [short story] would take me out of myself and then stuff me back in, outsized, now, and uneasy with the fit.” ~ David Sedaris

“Short fiction seems more targeted - hand grenades of ideas, if you will. When they work, they hit, they explode, and you never forget them. Long fiction feels more like atmosphere: it's a lot smokier and less defined.” ~ Paolo Bacigaliupi

"I used to take my short stories to girls' homes and read them to them. Can you imagine the reaction reading a short story to a girl instead of pawing her?" ~ Ray Bradbury

"I decided to write short stories because they got rejected quicker." ~ Caroline B. Cooney

In short, short stories are fun!

Check out a new website, Lunch Time Reads, to browse through a variety of fun short stories that are available for your kindle!

The Power of the Short Story

In my busy life, there are times when I want to get lost in a story but I don't have time to get lost for long. What to do? What to do?

Read a short story, of course!

There are some who hate the short story. They feel cheated. Not me!

As a writer, I'm amazed when an author can tell a full story...let me fall in love with the characters, and hurt for the characters...in a short period of time. When that happens, it's magical. And magic is the power of the short story.

There's a new website celebrating these "bite-sized" reads called Lunch Time Reads. The stories I've found there really do prove the axiom: "Good things come in small packages." Check it out.

************************

NEW RE-RELEASE! A short mystery set in Hawaii.

BIRDS IN PARADISE BY DOROTHY MCFALLS

A bumbling P.I. with a big heart.
A missing sister.
And a hunky detective who is nothing but trouble.
Things are about to get messy!