Tequila Key Lime Meringue Pie

My husband love key lime pie and I loves tequila.  Fortunately or unfortunately, which ever way you want to look at it, tequila is easy on me.  Meaning it doesn't give me a headache if I've done a few shots.  I love the graham cracker crust, since I don't make pie crusts.  No Bitchy doesn't do pie crusts.  This would be a great dessert for the soon to be summer cookout.  Courtesy of Southern Living magazine:

Makes 10-12 servings





Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 6 tablespoons melted butter $
• 1/3 cup sugar $
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 8 large egg yolks $
• 2 (14-oz.) cans sweetened condensed milk
• 3/4 cup Key lime juice
• 2 tablespoons lime zest
• 1 tablespoon tequila
• 3 tablespoons cold water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2/3 cup boiling water $
• 4 large egg whites $
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 cup sugar $
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract $
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together first 5 ingredients; firmly press mixture on bottom and up sides of a lightly greased 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie plate. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack, and cool completely (about 30 minutes).
2. 2. Whisk together egg yolks and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; pour mixture into cooled crust. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until set. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour).
3. 3. Preheat oven to 375°. Whisk 3 Tbsp. cold water into cornstarch in a 1-qt. saucepan; whisk in 2/3 cup boiling water. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 1 minute or until a thick gel forms. Remove from heat; cool completely (about 30 minutes).
4. 4. Beat 4 egg whites and cream of tartar at medium-high speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer, using whisk attachment, until foamy. Gradually add 1 cup sugar; beat until glossy, stiff peaks form. Beat in vanilla and salt. Slowly beat in cornstarch mixture. Beat 3 minutes.
5. 5. Spread meringue over cooled pie, and bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until meringue is golden brown. Transfer to wire rack, and cool completely (about 45 minutes). Serve at room temperature, or cover and chill 8 to 24 hours.

Tim Byres, Recipe adapted from Smoke: New Firewood Cooking copyright by Tim Byres. Published by Rizzoli., Southern Living