Simply Luscious Lime Sugar

So I know you’re asking yourself, “What in the world am I going to do with lime sugar?”  Well, not only will I be posting a recipe that calls for it soon, but once you’ve made it, you’ll be asking yourself, “Why have I never had lime sugar?”  It’s super simple, and amazingly delicious.  Not to mention it’s like an air freshener in a jar.  I should note that although I haven’t tried them yet, I’m sure orange, lemon, or even grapefruit would be just as fabulous. 

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 3 cups sugar
• 2 Tablespoons lime zest

Go ahead and zest your limes.  Obviously, the amount of zest you’re going to get from each one depends on what size the limes are.  Mine were fairly small, and I got about 1 Tablespoon per lime.  A really fine microplane works great for this because you want really tiny pieces. 

When you remove the zest, be sure to only take the colored part.  The white stuff is bitter. 

 

Put your sugar and zest into some kind of jar or container with a tight fitting lid. 

Put the lid on, and shake the dickens out of it.  Seriously, think of it like a shake weight and work your arms out for a full minute or two.  Not only do you want everything evenly distributed, but the sugar beats the oil out of the zest releasing all that lime goodness. 

Now just take the lid off and inhale.  It has to be one of the most amazing scents I’ve ever smelled.  After making fabulousness for which I made the lime sugar (and I made it with Elise Logan, so you know it was seriously good) I went on to find other uses for this amazing new creation.  I put some in my ice tea with mint, and I even sprinkled some on toast as you would with cinnamon sugar.  As good as Seeley’s cinnamon toast looked, I’m going to say it’s got nothing on lime sugar toast. 

Caprese on a Stick

Admit it.  Most of you read the title and the voice in your head instantly switched to Jose Jalapeño.  As it happens, there are no jalapeños in this recipe.  It’s really just a traditional caprese salad turned into a delicious, cute, and easy to make, hors d'oeuvre. 

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Cherry tomatoes
• Mozzarella cheese
• Fresh basil leaves
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 1 Tablespoon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• pinch of garlic powder
• pinch of onion powder
• 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Toothpicks

These cute little balls of fresh mozzarella are the perfect size for putting on a toothpick.  If you can’t find them, though, you can just cut any mozzarella into small cubes. 

Now, the idea for this recipe came to me from my mom, but I’m pretty sure she got it from a member of her bridge club.  (Yes, I know it's a bit of a cliché, but my mom really is in a bridge club.)  That being said, I’ve never actually seen the original version, but thank you to whichever bridge lady it was who unknowingly inspired this recipe and blog post.  Here’s my take on what sounded like a fabulous idea. 

Slice your cherry tomatoes in half.  I had to get mine from the grocery store, so I bought 2 different colors.  If you can get some from your garden or local farmer’s market, it will be even better, no matter what color they are.

Slide one half of a tomato onto a toothpick.

Next, put the toothpick through a basil leaf, at one end or the other. 

On goes a piece of cheese.

Then slide on the other end of the basil so the leaf is wrapped around the cheese, and follow it with the other half of the tomato. 

Repeat.  As you’ll see, the yellow tomatoes were a little bigger, so for those, I used some mozzarella cheese that I cut into small cubes.  Aren’t they cute? 

That would be fabulous just as it is, but I thought they’d be even better dipped in a lovely balsamic vinaigrette.  Sure, you can get one in a bottle, but it’s so simple to make, I don’t know why you would.  Everything is better homemade.  Into a small bowl put your honey, mustard, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and balsamic vinegar.  I only had regular yellow mustard on hand, but if you have Dijon or whole grain mustard, it would probably be even better.

Whisk all that together. 

Continue whisking as you slowly drizzle in the olive oil. 

As you whisk the mixture will thicken slightly, and you’ll know it’s ready.  See, I told you it was simple.  Now just pour it into a little bowl. 

And dip away! 

I guarantee you’ll close your eyes and let out a long ‘Mmmmm” as your taste buds take in the smooth tang of the balsamic, the creamy saltiness of the cheese, the juicy sweetness of the tomatoes, and the bittersweet anise flavor of the basil.  I don’t know how something so simple can possibly be so amazingly alluring to the senses, but it is. 

What’s your favorite thing to do with tomatoes?