Celebrate A Birthday with Sugar Free Key Lime Pie and Caramel Whipped Cream at Summer Tablescape Outdoors

Today is the birthday of another one of my stardust sisters, Mary Cowan, who I call Mary Sunshine because of her effervescent glow. Mary is the child most like her mother, Dame Mildred Joy Cowan, who drifted off to heaven in Mary’s arms last year. Oh Mary has done more than most would experience in two lifetimes - waltzed at Versailles, cruised through the USSR, dined with the Aly Kahn, cooked with a Master Chef and now is home in Jackson Tennessee with her beloved Magnolia, Maggie for short.
Oh sure she could be on the beach at Malibu or guiding a jet into Jackson Hole, but she’s already done that, been there. Now she’s her happiest growing beautiful flowers, decorating her home, sipping coffee with friends, and helping those who need a little push along life’s path. She’s one of those souls who can make you feel better with a smile and a hug. Maybe it’s because she’s made of the right stuff or maybe it’s the collection of angels she surrounds herself with, morning, noon and night who come to life when no one is looking.
Whatever, Mary Sunshine is a dear friend and a spark who makes a big difference in this big old world. Compassionate, creative, and cool – that’s Mary. So twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder where you are. Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky. It’s Mary who makes the stars twinkle on the bleakest of days and the darkest of nights. Happy Birthday Sunshine!
We’ll be celebrating her birthday Friday evening and I am serving her favorite key lime pie rather than birthday cake. That’s after blue cheese burgers with grilled onions and honey barbecue sauce and a few sweet potato fries. I think we’ll dine outside, weather permitting, if not maybe in the sun room. Here’s a lovely tablescape my friend Kent Freeman recently set for a summer dinner party. Maybe we'll have him create somthing like this for us. Who knows!

For more Thursday Tablescapes visit http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com

Key Lime Pie with Caramel Whipped Cream (Sugar Free)
Cookie Crum Crust
1 1/2 cups sugar free shortbread or vanilla wafer crumbs
1/2 cup pecans toasted and finely chopped
1/3 cup butter melted
Combine all ingredients. Press mixture onto bottom of a 9" pie plate. Bake at 350ºfor 10 minutes.
Pie Filling & Topping
7 large egg yolks
½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 1/2 cups Splenda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lime zest
2 ½ cups heavy cream
1 small key lime, sliced for garnish
1/3 cup caramel topping (sugar free)
While crust cools, make the filling. In top of double boiler, whisk, beaten egg yolks, lime juice, Splenda and salt until well blended; cook about 5 minutes, stirring constantly until mixture is thick enough to coat back of metal spoon. Remove from heat; stir in lime zest. Refrigerate mixture about 45 minutes until cool. Mean while, in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed, beat cream until soft peaks form. Set 1 cup whipped cream aside for garnish; fold cooled lime mixture into remaining cream. Spoon filling into prepared crust; refrigerate at least 2 hours until set. To serve: Fold caramel topping gently into remaining whipped cream and spoon decoratively over top of pie; garnish with lime slices.

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