Lemon Bars and Other Tasty Treats

Randy says he doesn't like lemon.

I've never really understood it. If we go out to eat, he's the first one to say, "Water with lemon please." He likes lemonade. So why not lemons in baked goods?

Like I said: He says he doesn't like lemon. But when I had Lemon Bars left over from serving my PEO group refreshments, he didn't shy away from them.

Maybe it's more accurate to say that, given a choice between lemons and coconut, for example, he'd choose coconut.

This may sound sexist, but I think women are more likely to be lemon lovers. My very unscientific research among my PEO sisters would seem to support this hypothesis.   

I've made other lemon bar recipes. But I had never found one that I wanted to label "go-to." Until now! These are based on Food Network star Ina Garten's Lemon Bar recipe. And they are definitely "pucker worthy." Other lemon bars I've made have yielded a grainy lemon filling. But this one was smooth and velvety.

The bars use a whole cup of freshly-squeezed lemon juice, plus the zest from those lemons. Substituting bottled lemon juice just won't yield the same flavor and burst of freshness. I probably should invest in a newfangled lemon juicer. But every time I use the glass one, it reminds me of my mother-in-law, Marie. It's from her kitchen, and she used it to make a whole lot of cherry limeades in the summertime. Plus, since my husband prefers other flavors, I don't know that it's worth adding another kitchen gadget to my stash.

Besides the tart lemony filling, these bars also have a crisp, buttery crust.

They aren't the easiest bar cookies to cut and serve since the lemon filling is not overly firm. I found it beneficial to use a wet paper towel to clean off my knife after I made each slice. They will probably leave a sticky residue on your guests' fingertips, but I didn't hear anyone complain.

Lemon screams "spring" and "summer" to me. So this was the perfect addition to a cookie tray for my PEO friends.

I should have taken a photo of the whole tray, but I neglected to do that. The centerpiece of my cookie offerings was a tray of decorated sugar cookies made and frosted to honor our Stafford BK PEO chapter's 98th birthday.

I used the same sugar cookie recipe I'd used for Kinley's Kansas Day sunflowers. (Click here for the recipe. It has become my go-to sugar cookie recipe.)

Never one to underachieve, I also made these tried-and-true recipes from my files for my cookie platter. Since I'd spent so much time making and decorating the sugar cookies, I chose easy bar cookies and my go-to macaroon recipe to fill out the platter.

Caramel Bars

Macaroons

And you can't have a cookie platter without a little chocolate, right?

Brownies for a Crowd

This time, I used mini M & M candies on part of the batter for some color for the platter. I used mint M & Ms on the other half for their green color and spring-like flavor. However, you need to store the mint brownies separately until you are ready to serve (and if you have leftovers). If you don't, the mint will permeate all the cookies.

Click on the link for more variations. You can make one batter with multiple flavors - a bonus timesaver!

I recommend all these recipes if you're looking to add a cookie tray to your Easter table. They can all be frozen and then assembled for serving.

Enjoy!

Lemon Bars

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Parties by Ina Garten

Crust:
1 cup butter at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 tsp. salt

Filling:
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tbsp. grated lemon zest
1 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice (no substitutes), about 6 medium-sized lemons
1 cup flour
Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the crust: Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light. Combine flour and salt, and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter mixture until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9- by 13-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/4-inch edge on all sides. (You can line the pan with parchment paper and lift the entire recipe out of the baking pan to cut.)

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes until very lightly browned. Let cool on wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the filling: Whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and flour. Pour over the crust, and bake 30 to 35 minutes until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature. Cut, cleaning the knife between each cut with a wet paper towel. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving. If you put the lemon bars in the freezer, you may want to use additional powdered sugar before you serve.