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Tuesday, February 3, 2009

When life gives you lemons..Make Lemon Bars!

Really there are no lemons in my life right now, but I had to come up with something catchy! I made these wonderful lemon bars for a United Way benefit I'm participating in. We are doing drawings and the winner gets a goodie of their choice..from a list of goodies that I wanted to make! The second winner picked lemon bars much to my delight. Here they are plated up and ready to go.



I Love them myself so I got the bonus of nibbling on a couple. But made sure to plate up the rest of the extras and brought them to share at work.



I used the wonderful recipe from Michael Lee West's awesomely funny book Consuming Passions. It's in the chapter about funeral foods. The only thing I changed was to use *gasp* bottled lemon juice because I found myself without the real thing and orange peel instead of lemon for the same reason. Also she suggested a powdered sugar and lemon juice glaze and I just sprinkled with powdered sugar. I also easily doubled the recipe Here's her version, posted with her permission. Check out her beautiful blog Designs by Gollum

Lemon Squares
Yield: 16 Squares

To make the crust:

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, cut up

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the mixture until it's crumbly. Press the dough into a greased 9x9 square pan. Bake 15-20 minutes. The crust should be lightly browned.

To make the Filling:

3 lg eggs
1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon zest, finely chopped
4 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, beat the eggs until blended. Add the sugar and blend. Add the zest. Gradually stir in the lemon juice. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the egg mixture and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture over the crust. Bake 25 minutes. Cool on a rack - do not remove from the pan.

To Make the topping:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 Tablespoons lemon juice

Mix sugar and lemon juice Spread over cooled filling. When the icing sets, cut into squares.

11 comments:

A Grain of Salt said...

Suzy, yum, lemon... I love anything lemon. Such a wonderful project you're doing. You're a good person! Super pic with the blues and yellows, great combination.

Carol said...

Love the lemon pic! I'd have picked that, too! They looks o good and so nice on the blues and yellow!

You are funny, glad you have no lemon life :) LOL!

Marsha said...

I agree, this was such a great thing you did offering those homemade goodies for donations. Have you tried any other recipes from the CP book? I would love to try the aunt's coconut cake but it sounds so rich, I need to do it someday when I bring it somewhere else so that I only eat a taste :-) I'm slowly reading all of her books.

Suzy said...

Thanks Jayne, Carol and Marsha! I actually am having a lot of fun with this. It's an excuse to bake at a time when I really shouldn't be lol.

Marsha this is the first one of tried, but if it's any indication of the others I'd say the coconut cake will be divine. I've read CP & Crazy Ladies and like both a lot.

Anonymous said...

Lemon is one of my favorite flavors for desserts. Orange peel sounds like a great substitute.

Kathleen said...

Those look excellent, Suzy, and what a pretty setting! Love blue and yellow..
And yes, you are such a busy person, and still find time to help others, you are a good doobee!

Hope you have a great weekend, no lemon days, just lemon bars...

Annie said...

Hello Suzy, I'm a reader of some blogs and also the GB forums and we have some mutual friends! Nice to see your new blog, I hope you have fun with it.

Your flower banner/header is BEAUTIFUL! Food and flowers, what a great combo and I love your title, Kitchen Bouquet - reminds me of the gravy stuff that my mom used to use :)

SavoringTime in the Kitchen said...

I love lemon anything, Suzy! What a wonderful cause and your bars sound wonderful. I've just been looking at lemon bar recipes as I found a small bag of Meyer lemons on sale and wanted to do something wonderful with them.

I love the lemon towel :)

Suzy said...

Hi Sara, Annie, Kathleen and Susan!!

Sara, the orange worked out well. A good substitute.

Thanks for stopping by Annie! I thought the title would be a little humorous to some lol. And yet it ties in my two loves.

Susan I added the recipe to the post. It really is a good one. I will be making another batch this week since the 3rd winner chose them as well! Popular item. Lemon towel was a 50c Goodwill find. I just couldn't leave it in the store.

Kathleen lol..doobee...hmmm. I hope to be doobeeing nothing this weekend.

Anonymous said...

Your lemon squares look heavenly (no pun on the Funeral Foods, lol). I love your blog--I hope it's okay if I add it to my sidebar?
Mlee/Gollum

P.S. Re the coconut cake...you almost have to rearrange the shelves in your fridge for this cake. But it is so delicious!
Designs by gollum

Suzy said...

Thanks Michael Lee! By all means please add it. I've already got you there on mine. I am just getting started. Hope I can keep it up.

I adore coconut cake. The taller the better lol. Like Marsha though I think I have to wait until I have someone to cook for (hopefully not a funeral!).

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