Hamilton Herald Masthead

Editorial


Front Page - Friday, June 19, 2009

Kay's Cooking Corner




It is summer and the heat is on – and no one knows exactly what that is all about better than me, as our air conditioner went out sometime during the night. It probably just needs some Freon, but the service company said it would be tomorrow before they could get here. I guess the good thing is today’s temperature is just a high of 88 degrees. I’m not complaining though – I know there are plenty of people who live without air conditioning on a daily basis. For some of us, just getting our electricity back on after the recent onslaught of storms has been difficult.

Regardless, the hot weather has my mind focused on cool treats! Not only cool, but easy. I have one that is cool, easy and delicious. Especially if you like key lime pie. Key lime pie is one of my sister’s favorite desserts.
This recipe is online at eaglebrand.com. It was the Eagle Brand State Fair winner in 2006, in Jacksonville, Fla. It is extremely good and so typical of something that would come out of Florida!
I love sweetened condensed milk. I can just open the can and start drinking! Probably not the healthiest thing to do, but I bet I’m not alone! Here is some information I found on the Web site about Eagle Brand Milk.
Eagle Brand was introduced in 1856 by Gail Borden to combat food poisoning and other illnesses related to lack of refrigeration and preservation techniques, but the Civil War brought Eagle Brand the recognition that made it a household name. The military needed milk that would keep well and the Borden’s product filled that need. As the convenience and popularity of the canned milk grew, Eagle Brand was credited with significantly lowering the infant mortality rate in North America.
Elsie, the Borden cow, made her debut in national consumer magazines in 1938 and starred in Borden’s exhibit at the New York World’s Fair in 1939. By the mid-1960s, Elsie had become America’s best-known spokes-cow — a recognized symbol of wholesomeness and quality.
The original sweetened condensed milk was introduced in 1856 and has been number one in its category for over 147 years. Low-fat sweetened condensed milk was introduced in 1994, containing half the fat of the original Eagle Brand.
It’s a combination of whole and skim milk for a low-fat alternative. In 1995, fat free sweetened condensed milk, containing skim milk, was introduced, allowing you make the same delicious Eagle Brand recipes without the added fat.
If you want to make your own sweetened condensed milk, it really isn’t difficult. This recipe could come in handy when you want to make something, but don’t have any on hand. Or when you just feel like eating some!
Home Mix For Eagle Brand Milk
1 c. nonfat dry milk
2/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. boiling water
3 tbsp. butter
Mix all in blender until smooth. Store in refrigerator. Makes about 1-1/4. Use in place of Eagle Brand in recipes.

Margaritaville Bars
1-1/2 cups finely crushed pretzels
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick butter or margarine, melted
2 cans EAGLE BRAND sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup freshly squeezed key lime juice (4 limes)
1 Tablespoon lime zest
Confectioners’ sugar
Whipped topping
Lime slices
Preheat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, combine pretzels, sugar and butter; mix well. Press mixture firmly on bottom of 13x9-inch baking pan, sprayed with non-stick spray. In large bowl, mix EAGLE BRAND, eggs, lime juice and zest; pour over crust. Bake 25-30 minutes. Cool. Chill. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar; garnish with whipped topping and lime slices before serving. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.