The dull pencil colored in another bubble on the scantron. Each time I filled in one more I was a little closer. “Focus” I told myself. I continued to fill in the bubbles while tapping my foot on the floor. With one last marking my last final was done. I jumped in my car cranked the tunes, opened my window and cruzed home. The memories started flooding back. Sitting on the dirt ground, the only light from the moon and the stars, staring at a star lit lake. Looking around at cousins, my family all snuggled their gazes stuck on the lake. The warm breeze hitting our faces. The fish jumping, dancing on top of the rippling lake. All our family camping trip, eating loads of deviled ham, being burnt to a crisp, and making smores over the crackling fire. More memories kept flooding in.
Spending many warm summer days out at the beach. We would pack up our rickety minivan like there was no tomorrow. Once we arrived at the beach we would run straight towards the waves. The hot sand wedged between our little toes, gobs of sun block not properly rubbed in, and the sun beams greeting us like old friends. Little waves would lap over our feet with us squealing in delight from the icy water our feet were submerged in. After hours of my sisters, cousins and I swimming, sand castle building, and burying each other to our hearts content; we would all cram back into the van, our new sun burns being rubbed the wrong way by the scratchy seats.
These were just a few of the memories that flashed by in my mind as I drove home from my last final. When I got home, I immediately went to the kitchen pulled out some butter, sugar and eggs. As I started to toss ingredients into bowls I thought of the memories I will make this summer.
The recipes:
At the market behind my house they sell fruits and vegetable that are about to go bad, I have mentioned how I bought a huge bag of Key limes for $2, well also bought a huge bag of rhubarb for 79 cents. I couldn’t pass it up! The bread was moist, sweet and little tangy from the Rhubarb. The Key Lime curd was a complimentary to that tangyness. I think I will plan on making it again with some strawberries in the bread to add a bit more sweetness. Rhubarb Bread
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups rhubarb, rinse, chop
Directions
1. Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
2. With electric mixer cream butter, sugar and cream cheese until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in vanilla.
3. In separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Blend flour mixture with butter mixture just until blended. Add buttermilk and only stir until just combined; do not over mix.
4. Carefully fold in strawberries. Dough mixture will be thick.
5. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes.
Lime Curd
3 large eggs
1/3 to 1/2 cup (63g to 96g) of sugar (I used 1/2 cup (96g) in recipe above)
Zest of 1 lime
1/2 cup (0.118L) of fresh lime juice
6 tablespoons (3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla (optional)
1. Whisk the eggs and sugar in saucepan until a light lemony color. Alternatively this can be done in a stand mixer and then added to the saucepan. This will take a minute or two in the mixer and more if doing by hand. Add in the zest, lime juice and pieces of butter.
2. Place saucepan over medium heat and constantly whisk mixture until it starts to thicken. Allow it to come to a simmer for a couple of seconds and remove from heat. Add vanilla here if you choose to. Cool to room temperature and then place in a container in the frig. It will thicken more as it cools down.
Butter an Eggs 