Pie that's light, luscious and lime

There's no doubt that at the holidays, we had plenty of desserts that were not only delicious, but rich and filling. And, if you were like most of us, you got sweets as a gift sometime during the Christmas season. Great as they are, you may have grown tired of the rich, heavy treats and are looking for a dessert more on the lighter side.

That's what I have for you today! This recipe I'm giving is for "Lime Chiffon Pie". This is a light dessert that may be just what you're looking for in terms of what your dessert appetite wants. This pie is made easily and inexpensively and you may already have the ingredients on hand. There are numerous recipes for this type of pie, but this one has a rather interesting ingredient: applesauce! I had never seen a pie recipe like this call for applesauce, but this one does and it works in the recipe well.

The crusts used for this pie can be either pastry shells or graham cracker shells, whichever you prefer. It also calls for green food coloring, which you can add if you want a brighter green color in your pie. The real trick to the success of this recipe is the evaporated milk, which is whipped. There are some guidelines for whipping evaporated milk: first, the milk should be thoroughly chilled, at least overnight. The bowls and beaters should also be chilled to improve the whipping and help the milk hold a peak. Make sure NOT to use low fat or fat-free evaporated milk for whipping. The milk requires the fat in it to aid in whipping, so go with the regular evaporated milk and do NOT substitute!

This recipe will fill 2 large pie shells or 3 regular pie shells. Also, if you would like a lemon flavored pie, simply use lemon gelatin and yellow food coloring. This makes a pie that will taste good especially after a heavy meal. Topping it with whipped topping will make it taste extra good!

While on the subject of pie, if you're a fan of Key Limes, I shared a recipe for a low-calorie version of "Key Lime Pie" a while back. Here's the link to it, in the event you missed it:

http://www.examiner.com/article/key-lime-pie-luscious-and-low-calorie

When you want a dessert that's not very rich or heavy, count on this pie to satisfy your sweet tooth!

LIME CHIFFON PIE

• 1 large can regular evaporated milk, chilled (chill bowl and beaters, too)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 can (about 1 lb.) applesauce
• 3 tablespoons lemon or lime juice OR the juice of 1 lemon or lime
• 1 3 oz. pkg. lime gelatin
• green food coloring (optional)
• 2 large (about 10 inches) baked pie shells or 3 regular (9 inches) baked pie shells
• whipped topping for serving

In a saucepan, bring the applesauce and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat and add the gelatin, lemon juice and food coloring, if using it. With electric mixer, whip the milk using the cold bowl and beaters until stiff and holds a peak. Immediately fold gelatin mixture into milk. Turn into pie shells and chill for about 3-4 hours. Top with whipped topping for serving. Yield: 2 large or 3 regular sized pies.