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Health & Fitness

When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemon Bars!

Whip up a batch of these delicious lemon bar cookies and watch them disappear!

It's mid-winter. My backyard lies dormant like a sleeping sprawl that is saving her energy for the burst of green that will appear in spring.

Dormant, that is, except for the zealous lemon bush that fills one corner, making a rather dramatic statement.

In contrast to the rest of the scene, our Meyer lemon looks like Carmen Miranda came to the party. Where all else lies fallow, this bush is heavy with fragrant, soft-skinned yellow fruit — its abundance striking against the rest of the yard. 

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We are not alone. All around our neighborhood I see similar displays; trees and bushes bursting with citrus of all kinds: oranges, tangerines, grapefruit and lemons waiting patiently for someone to find a use for the bounty.  

I came home from work a few days ago to find a heap of freshly harvested Meyer lemons stacked neatly in one of my favorite rustic wood bowls on the kitchen island. My 13-year-old son, Ryan, had been busy. They looked so lovely on the counter, like living eye candy beckoning for use.  

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I cruised by the display, impulsively grabbing a specimen from the top of the pile as I passed. I cupped the fruit in my hands, turning its smooth oblong skin over and over, rubbing it gently. Then I pressed my face forward and inhaled deeply.

Ah-h-h-h! Instant gratification ... the naturally sweet, heady fragrance stopped me cold. I glanced again, considering the pile, and knew instantly it was time to make lemon bars. 

My friend Jean Haley introduced me to her lemon bar recipe some years ago, arriving at my home one day with a plate of these sweet-tart treats which quickly disappeared. Her tried and true recipe provides one possible solution to the quandary of an abundance of lemons. It’s quick and easy to make, and is sure to delight kids and adults alike.

The buttery short-bread crust topped with a lemony baked custard and sprinkled with a dusting of powdered sugar is the perfect compliment to a cup of tea, a favorite after school snack, bake-sale treat, or hostess gift. However you choose to enjoy them, they certainly won’t last long.

With her permission, I give you Jean’s Lemon Bars.   

JEAN’S LEMON BARS    

Preheat oven to 350.     

In a large bowl, sift together:          

2 cups flour and 1/2 cup powdered sugar     

Cut in 1 cup unsalted butter with a pastry blender until mixture clings together.    

Press mixture evenly into the bottom of a greased 9" x 13" pan and bake on center oven rack at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned. Set aside to cool.     

In a large bowl, beat together:         

4 large eggs

2 cups granulated sugar

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 

finely grated zest of one lemon 

*Note: If using the milder, sweeter Meyer Lemon, consider adding 1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract to punch up the lemon flavor of the finished cookie.

Sift the following ingredients and blend into the above mixture:         

1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 cup flour     

Pour over baked crust and bake at 350 for an additional 25 minutes. Cool completely.  If desired, dust with additional powdered sugar.

Cut into bars and enjoy!

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