Lemon Bars

Now I'm not a big lemon custard/curd girl because I'm not a huge tart person. But a friend of mine made lemon bars for the Memorial Day BBQ, and I've been craving them insanely ever since. I was stumbling around the other day and came across Bumbleberry Cakes and was drooling pretty much instantly. And lo and behold, a lemon bar recipe!

I tried to stick to the recipe, I really did. But I accidentally (wear to God) added about 1 1/3 cups of white sugar to the "dough". It didn't seem to affect it too much, but it did seem to make it a bit more of a crumble and less of a dough. However, I liked it and no one else has complained.


BAKE SALE LEMON BARS
Submitted by: Elaine, modified by GOURMETMOMMY (and screwed up by me)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter or margarine, softened
1 cup white sugar (this is the part I mussed up so totally optional)

6 eggs
1 3/4 cups white sugar
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

2. Combine the flour, 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar, 1 cup white sugar and butter. Pat dough into prepared pan.

3. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until slightly golden. While the crust is baking, whisk together eggs, white sugar, flour, and lemon juice until frothy. Add 3 drops yellow food coloring. Pour this lemon mixture over the hot crust.

4. Return to the preheated oven for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Dust the top with confectioners' sugar. Cut into squares.

Any Good Recipes?

So, by some insane fluke I managed to get a "tasting" (aka interview) for a local coffee shop to make their pastries and breakfast stuffs. I have some things floating around my head (I've seriously been driving Lila and Gracie insane because I won't shut up about recipes) but I really really want to try out as many things as I can!

Anyone have any tried and true or interesting recipes they'd like to share?

On the Prowl: Kid Friendly Eater Treats

I was recently invited to a friend's families annual Good Friday celebration. This involves a lot of different things, but I'm basically planning to spend an entire day at their home. The Boy will probably be in heaven, he loves playing with other kids so an entire day of playing is going to be surreal for him. Lots of things are planned, including an Easter Egg hunt, so it should be fun.

My dilemma is this: it's a potluck style lunch. Normally this would be easy, I have a bazillion potluck-style ideas, and a bunch more I'd like to try. But this one has to be uber kid-friendly, and Easter themed. I have a feeling I'm going to end up being asked to bring "cookies or something". In case you don't remember, I'm not a baker. I'm not that good at it. Period. I can make basic cookies, but when it's time to impress I'm at a loss.

I asked my sister, the "Baker" of our family and she told me to take pita and hummus. I'm sorry, sister say what? Hummus? This is little kids. I need child-proof finger food, preferably dessert-ish. Where did you get hummus?

My mom was also little to no help. Gracie gave me a couple ideas, and so did Lila but I'm generally drawing a blank. I want to do something more creative then sugar cookies, but still simple as I have to perfect it in one night only.

I'm currently obsessed (No, really) with Cake Pops from Bakerella. The possibilities are endless, and Bakerella made some adorable Easter bunny pops that I might be able to handle if I simplify the faces a bit. I'm very aware of what I can and cannot handle, and teeny tiny bunny faces I'm pretty sure falls into the latter. I've been browsing for the pastel candy corn, and have yet to find it so I think I might have to expand the search area.

I also consider making some meringue cookies like these Easter Story Cookies. Having the boy pound pecans and explain that Jesus was beaten is a little further then I'm willing to travel per say, but meringue cookies are my favorite. We have a mint chocolate version my family makes every year at Christmas, so I'm pretty sure I could hack it.

Other then that, I'm pretty well out of ideas. Anyone have any suggestions?