Lime Pepper Chicken

• 1/3 cup lime juice
  
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
  
• 2 minced garlic cloves
  
• 1 teaspoon basil
  
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  

Mix juice and oil with spices, marinate chicken several hours or overnight.  Grill over gas or hot coals.

Creamy Key Lime Pie

It's turning out to be Pie Month in the Kitchen. I made this for a dinner we're hosting tomorrow night.

• Graham cracker crust (homemade or purchased)
  
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  
• 3 eggs yolks (save white for meringue, if desired)
  
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  
• 1/3 cup key lime juice
  
• 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
  

Meringue: (optional)

3 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon corn starch

1/3 cup sugar

Beat cream cheese with electric mixture until fluffy. Over double boiler, cook egg yolks, milk and lime juice for 10-12 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and gradually beat into cream cheese, until smooth. No need for further cooking if you are skipping meringue; just chill overnight. If you want meringue, beat egg whites until foamy, add starch and cream of tartar, then gradually beat in sugar until stiff peaks form. Top pie, swirl, then bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes until browned. Chill pie several hours or overnight.

Italian chicken and broccoli impossible pie

Makes an extra-large casserole: halve the recipe for a family-sized pie.

• 1 1/2 cut nonfat cottage cheese
  
• 2/3 cup grated Parmesan
  
• 3 cups cooked cubed chicken
  
• 2 cups cooked chopped broccoli
  
• 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  
• 2 teaspoons oregano
  
• 1 teaspoon ground garlic
  
• 2 teaspoons parsley 
  
• 16 oz can tomato paste
  
• 2 cups skim milk
  
• 4 eggs
  
• 1 1/3 cup Bisquick
  
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Grease casserole dish. Put cottage cheese on bottom, top with Parmesan, then broccoli. Blend spices with tomato paste, add to chicken and stir to coat. Mix milk, eggs, Bisquick and pepper; beat with wire whisk. Pour over chicken.  Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees or until golden brown and crust is firm. Serves 12-16.

Peach Pie

My daughter came home with a bag full of fresh peaches from a day camp field trip to Chiles Peach Orchard. Way too many for the family to eat, so naturally, I made a pie.

• 6 cups fresh peaches, peeled and sliced.
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 tablespoons butter
• double recipe pie crust

Line pie pan with crust. Mix peaches, sugar, flour and nutmeg and let sit for 30 minutes or so, until it gets syrupy. Cook to boiling over medium heat, then lower to low and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in vanilla and butter. Pour peaches into crust. Slice second crust into strips and top lattice style. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, then lower heat to 350 and bake another 20-30 minutes, until crust browns.