My new back yard has a little lime tree smack dab in the center of the lawn -- and the tree has probably two dozen limes ready to be picked.

Besides cutting them up for tequila shots, margaritas, and Coronas - is there anything I could do with them?

Thanks!

I love limes - the taste, the smell, even the color.

The Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten, has a recipe for grilled chicken that I make often during the summer - Tequila Lime Chicken. And I have another recipe if you like lemon curd - it's a lemon-lime curd.

And then, of course, there's the old expression "When life gives you limes, make limeade!"

-Krista

What about lime marmalade? I've never actually made it, only eaten 'bought' stuff, but I'm sure homemade is delicious. I would imagine you make it just like orange marmalade as I have been sucessful with my recipe substituting lemons for oranges.

Key lime pie (sp?) ?
If you don't have a recipe I'll post my recipe for the cream as soon as I can, add your favourite pastry and meringue (I skip that because I don't like it) and you'll have a great dessert!
You can freeze the juice and peels in plastic or glass and they're ready whenever you wish!

Colleen! One word -- Limetta Liqueur
Make it just like you would Limoncello

Also makes a lovely marinade or cooking liquid.

Limes are wonderful - lucky you!

Great ideas - thanks, everyone! These will keep me busy and enjoying the limes for a while.

I woke up this morning thinking that home made key lime pie would be tasty, Giulia, so if you'd post or send me your recipe that would be wonderful. (I am also not a fan of meringue!)

Deborah!
I should have guessed what your recommendation would be. Now my curiosity is piqued to try my hand at limetta ...

Thanks again, all.
Colleen

Wow, Limetta liqueur sounds great!

I have also frozen lime juice in ice cube trays before. Once frozen, you can empty them into a freezer bag. That way when you need a little lime juice for a recipe in February, there it is.
Trade you some figs for some limes!

Christine

How about substituting lime juice, curd etc for Deborah's Lemon Blast Cake? MMmmmmmmm, that could be interesting.

Janel

Colleen,
I'm not very sure that my version of key lime pie has anything to do with the real thing.... anyway it's very yummy so here it goes (sorry in grams.... ):
400 gr sweet condensed milk
6 egg yolks
120 gr lime juice
grated peel of 2 limes
Beat the yolks and condensed milk until a bit thick, add the juice and peels.
Personally I make small tarts with this, more or less the size of a muffin (I use muffin-like tins but with less deep "holes"...).
My pastry is made with
300 gr flour
210 gr butter
75 gr sugar
1 pinch of salt
As the tarts are very small I form the tarts, put in the fridge for half an hour, add the cream and bake (180C) for 15 min.
You can use your favourite pastry and you probably wish to bake the pastry a bit before adding the cream if you're making a big cake...
The cream is enough for a 22 cm round tin.
I'll post more photos soon on my blog.

I can't seem to find my Mediterranean olive-oil recipes booklet (put out by an olive-oil company, but the recipes are very good); this recipe is similar to an almond-citrus-olive oil cake I have made. My recipe uses less sugar and fewer eggs (must find it, but this one is the first I found among several by Googling), and I can buy almond powder at the market. Note that this recipe is dairy-free so that can be a consideration for anyone lactose-intolerant, or as a parve dessert in a kosher meal:

Orange, Almond and Olive Oil Cake

Yummy as the Key Lime pie sounds, I have a hard time with such sweet desserts - I prefer Italian ricotta cheescakes with lemon ... er, with lime!

Just don't run into Harry Lime - he was a shady character!

Margaritas from scratch....

Preserved limes - good for tagine recipes instradof preserved lemons.

Oooh! I just saw this recipe posted on the Bon Vivant's website:

make very strong limeade with very cold sparkling water (flat is ok).Add a couple tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk, stir and add 2 ice cubes.

Her picture looks divine! (www.seattlebonvivant.com) It's called "Lime and Condensed Milk" if you want to see what it should look like. I think I'm going to try it this week!

Laura

Have some friends round to join you in a drink of Nimboo Pani.

2 Cups Lime juice
1 pint water
3Tbs sugar or to taste
salt to taste (optional)
crushed mint or rose petals to taste (optional)
Crushed ice

Mix togther until sugar dissolves.

Serve with a twist of lemon.
Try it with a nip of vodka or gin/

You all have made me very eager to try these ideas! And look what I found when I Googled "preserved lime recipe" - Lime bundt cake! Yum.

lagatta - you don't think a lime version of the orange, almond and olive oil cake (which sounds fab) would be too tart?

Thanks!

Colleen, I've often seen similar Mediterranean cakes made with lemons, which would be as tart as limes. It would be for people who find a certain citrus tartness refreshing...

If you find that too tart, the Italian ricotta cheesecakes would be gentler due to the ricotta.

Hi Colleen,

We have the same "problem" but with lemons.

I've made this version of lemon/olive oil cake quite a few times recently and it has been very well received. Especially by me I like it even better the second day when you can taste the lemon a little more but at any rate it's not overwhelming (not too tart).

Over the weekend I preserved some (first attempt, we'll see!). Today I made lemon poppyseed muffins and a lemon/fava/prosciutto risotto for dinner.

I think I have about 10 lemons left from what I picked over the weekend and there seem to be about 40 still on the tree looking more ripe by the day. So I guess there's also some limoncello in our future!

Here's to generous citrus trees,
Marcy

If you have Ice cube trays fill them up with the juice and freeze em. Then pop them out and put in a large plastic back for later use. I use lime and lemon juice when i grill my chicken. Freezing the cubes makes it easier to pop them in the micorwave and melt them for later use. I do this for extra chicken or beef broth when i am cooking and there is left overs
CigB

Slice them, Dry them in a low heat oven.
Make Things!!
Like potpourri,wreaths, ornaments for your Christmas tree.
Martha Stewart