Saint Patrick's Day: Key Lime Pie

I'm not a huge fan of lime, but this pie makes me change my mind.  It...is...so...good.  Since it's lime, and lime is green, this counts as an appropriate dish for St. Patricks' Day...and every other day in between. 

This is my friend Debbie's recipe, and trust me when I say, that information alone is enough to move this up any list of dishes to try.  She's a fabulous chef.  I decided to make it in mini versions to give out as gifts, but it works in any and every form. 

Keebler Sells these in six packs, and the following recipe will fill up about nine of these pie shells.  I'm going to type up the recipe as one whole pie. 

Key Lime Pie Recipe

Ingredients:  1 1/4 c. graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar, 1/3 c. melted butter, 2 (14 oz each) cans sweetened condensed milk, 1 c. fresh Key Lime juice (this took about 30 little Key limes/one bag), 2 egg whites, 1/4 t. cream of tartar, 2 T. sugar

Instructions:

1.  Combine first 3 ingredients.  Press into a 9 inch pie plate.  Bake at 350 for 10 minutes until lightened browned.  Cool. 

2.  Stir together sweetened condensed milk, and lime juice until blended. 

These were little stinkers to squeeze, but aren't they cute?

3.  Pour into prepared crust. 

4.  Beat egg whites and cream of tartar on high with an electric beater just until foamy.  Add sugar 1 T at a time.  Beat until sugar is dissolved and the meringue forms soft peaks (this took me about 4 minutes). 

5.  Spread over the filling. 

6.  Bake at 325 for 25 minutes.  Chill for at least 8 hours before serving.  I bagged and bowed these up as gifts...mostly so I wouldn't eat them all!  YU-UM!