Friday, June 28, 2013

Bake Sale Lemon Bars



I was on the docket to make cookies for the social hour after church last Sunday. I'd signed up weeks before and carefully picked the date, considering what I knew we had going on. We'd be back from our fishing trip, hay making should be over, no company visiting, no parties to attend. Perfect. No stress timing.

Trouble was, we were right smack dab in the middle of making hay. We had lots of volunteer helpers who needed food and drink. And granddaughter Emma wanted to come visit and help with hay. So, I got up extra early Saturday morning and started baking these lemon bars.

I chose the lemon bars because a new magazine, Taste of Home, had just come, and these just grabbed me. I love lemony things; Mr. Rosemary doesn't. He's a chocolate, peanut butter and nuts fan. I like those, too, but I also crave something lighter and tangy once in a while. The church social is a great excuse to get to make something I want to sample.

But something about the date kept nagging at me.   Maybe it was next Sunday, I worried, not tomorrow!  I checked the calendar on my iPhone. (I'm really surprised at how much I really use the phone for more than phone calls and games!) 

Yep. Said it was next Sunday all right. But still I don't trust myself. Maybe I entered it wrong. So I called a woman from church who assured me it was indeed the following Sunday.

So I had lots of extra cookies to share. My volunteer farmhands were happy. And I think I'm going to be making these again. On the right Sunday.

.
Bake Sale Lemon Bars
from Taste of Home, June-July 2013
contributed by Mildred Keller, Rockford IL 1996

3/4 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
Additional confectioner's sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, beat butter and confectioners' sugar until blended. Gradually beat in 1 1/2 cup flour. Press into bottom of greased 13 X 9 baking pan. Bake 18- 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Meanwhile,, in a small bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, lemon juice and remaining flour until frothy. Pour over hot crust and Bake 20-25 minutes or until topping is set and lightly browned.
Cool completely on a wire rack. Dust with additional confectioners' sugar. Cut into bars. Refrigerate leftovers.
Makes 4 dozen (if you cut them that small!)

26 comments:

  1. Love! Although I'm a chocolate girl through and through, there are times when I just MUST have a lemon dessert. Lemon cakes and buttery lemon bars are my favorites. If I made these in a lemon mood ( and I am currently in a lemon mood and baking a lemon dessert tonight) these would not make it to a bake sale!

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    1. I'm with you. I have t re-make these in the morning (for Sunday.) Maybe I should make 2 batches.

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  2. Ohh these look wonderful!! my eldest daughter LOVES lemon bars - I'm bookmarking this recipe :))
    Mary x

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    1. My granddaughter loved these, too, Mary. Maybe even more than I did. Hope you try them.

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  3. I bet people went crazy for those great looking lemon bars.
    Sam

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    1. So far, three requests for the recipe, Sam. Must thank Mildred!

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  4. These are a favorite around here too!

    Best,
    Bonnie

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    1. Funny that I never made such a classic as these before, Bonnie. What I've been missing!

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  5. I would buy all you were selling my friend :D

    Cheers
    CCU

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  6. They look so perfect with that dusting of 10X! Yum! I'd buy them at a bake sale or knosh them at church ... either way, I'd be a happy girl! And oh, how exciting to have a newly remodeled kitchen!

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    1. A little dusting of sugar goes a long way to disguise teeny tiny mistakes, Susan!

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  7. Tangy, sweet..I love these luscious lemon bars!

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    1. The second batch is on its way to church, Angie - we'll see if they get noshed down!

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  8. They were delicious, lemon bars are one of my favorites. I know they were supposed to be "for the boys", but we had to at least sample them...just doing our parental duty ;)

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    1. Glad you liked them (but I'm glad they're gone -- I like 'em too much!)

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  9. I'm sure that your lemon bars were a huge hit at the church Rosemary! I didn't know that you lived on a farm where you cut/baled your own hay! It's rained so much this year (and as of this moment too), that we've had grass as tall as corn stalks . . . and we can't keep up with cutting it. The horses are have (pardon the pun) a 'hay day' with all of the fresh grass that we're blessed with this summer.

    Happy 4th of July!
    xo
    Roz

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    1. Although I selfishly love the break the rain gives from keeping up with the task of mowing our (too) huge yard, the rain is a blessing to the garden; last year the earth was cracking! And our horses are loving the great grass and fresh hay this summer.

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  10. I love lemon bars. I don't know why I never make them. Now I'll be thinking about them all night. Yours look delicious.

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    1. I never think to make them either, Vicki. Until I had four lemons begging to be used!

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  11. I love anything lemony...especially lemon bars. They look delicious!

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    1. Me, too. Karen. I always try to have lemons around. Just a hint of lemon is all you need sometimes.

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  12. I adore lemon bars. These now have me craving one or ten.

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    1. It was easy to have more than one, Karen. I've made them several times since my calendar snafu!

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  13. Lucky farmhands to benefit from your diary mishap, Rosemary. These look stunning. I'm always lured towards lemony flavours on the dessert trolley/cafe cake display so I would have snapped these up if I'd been at your bake sale.

    Glad to see you back after your blog-cation. Hope you are enjoying the summer.

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    1. No one complained, Hester. Although I've still been cooking and baking this summer, things get eaten before I can photograph them! More discipline! More whip cracking! "Get your grimy meathooks off them so I can take a picture!"

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