Lemon Sunshine

Today I am craving the sweet and tangy taste of lemons. More specifically Lemon Bars. I know this is seasonally inappropriate and I apologize for that. All of the locavores out there are probably shaking there heads at me, the girl who is craving lemon bars in January in the Pacific Northwest. But sometimes when you have a craving for something, no seasonally appropriate food item, such as pumpkins or pecans, will do. Sometimes you just have to give in to that craving.

I'm pretty sure I know why I'm dreaming of lemons today. Because today was an unusual mid-winter day in Portland. It was sunny! Pretty much the whole day. I have to admit that it was a rather timid, wan sun. But as someone who is all too familiar with winters in the Northwest, I'll certainly take any sun I can get. Trust me, I am not complaining. In fact, I saw a lot of people today who looked like they wanted to do a happy little sun dance. (Or maybe that was just me). Don't worry, I didn't actually do one.

You see, my sister and I grew up in Southern California in a suburb of L.A., where it was sunny like 90% of the time. Every Christmas picture that I can remember seeing in my family's pictures albums, had Heather and I posing on the front lawn in our Christmas dresses in bright, sunshiny weather. And in the backyard of our childhood home, were two lemon trees. Lemon trees that produced lots, and lots of lemons. Trees that seemed to produce lemons all year round. Of course, that could just be my memory playing tricks on me. I mean, when you're a kid, 2 months seems like forever. But I do remember having so many lemons that we really couldn't use them all. Some of them actually fell on the ground and rotted. What a shame, I know. Oh, to have one of those lemon trees now, where I could pick fresh lemons for my lemon bars...

So the recipe that I'm sharing with you tonight is my mother's lemon bar recipe. It is the same recipe she used when we were kids and she sent us out back to gather up lemons for her. I know I am probably biased, as it's hard to be objective when talking about childhood memories and favorite foods, but her recipe, as simple as it is, is really one of the best I've ever had. Many of the lemon bars I've sampled in cafes and bakeries over the years, haven't been quite right. Usually not lemony enough and sometimes too firm. I prefer my lemon bars to be slightly soft, maybe even a little gooey, in the middle. It is definitely important not to overcook them.

Lemon Bars

• 1 cup salted butter, at room temp
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted if it's lumpy
• 2 cups + 1/2 cup flour
• 4 eggs
• 2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
• 6 T fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp baking powder

1. Cream butter and powdered sugar until smooth.
   
2. Add in 2 cups flour and beat until well-blended. Dough will be stiff but should start to come together.
3. Press firmly and evenly into 9x13 in pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 min. Edges will be lightly browned.
4. Allow to cool on baking rack for at least 30 min before adding filling.
5. Beat eggs, sugar and 1/2 cup floor together.
6. Combine lemon peel, lemon juice and baking powder in small bowl and stir together. (It will fizz like a grade school science project!).
7. Add to sugar mixture and beat until combined. Pour over baked crust and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes more at 350 degrees. (Make sure to check on them in the last five minutes of baking, as all ovens vary a bit. It should still be a little jiggly in the center, but will firm up as they cool).
   

After bars have cooled, you can sift powdered sugar on the top before slicing.

I hope this recipe brings a little sunshine your way. Enjoy! And if you try it, don't forget to let us know what you think...

- Colleen

P.S. When I posted the first blog, I didn't realize that people couldn't post comments unless they have a Google account. I think I have fixed this now, so that anyone should be able to post a comment if they choose to.