Lemon Bars {Recipe & Garden}

Everyone needs a lemon tree...for in the dreary days of Winter one can find a bit of sunshine!  That is exactly what happened to me today.  Here in the desert we have had a rather cold Winter, with even some flakes of snow to be found, but today the sun popped out for a bit.  I'm definitely a Summer person so it's been a month or so since I've ventured out into my backyard.  Today I went out to my cheerful lemon tree and found many wonderful surprises waiting for me.

I have a little secret garden on the side of my house where my desert tortoise habitat can be found.  In this garden, behind a palm tree you will find my lemon tree.  I received this dwarf lemon tree for Mother's Day about 18 years ago!  At first it was housed on my patio in an old half wine barrel, but when I moved to my current house some 14 years ago I planted it out in my garden.

Bright, cheerful, yellow, juicy lemons!

A little bit of sunshine found today in Wendy's Winter Wonderland!

I had to wear gloves to pick them because of the sharp thorns protecting the fruit.

I had a bountiful crop, as usual, and picked 100's of them.  Enough to fill one side of my my very deep sink.

There were plenty more lemons to fill my new fabulous Italian bowl that my sister-in-law Cheri gave me for Christmas!

With many more just waiting cut be cut opened and used!  So today I'm sharing a time tested recipe of basic lemon bars.

Wendy's Winter Wonderland Lemon Bars

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 cups flour
*****
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

In large bowl mix together butter and powdered sugar then beat in 2 cups flour until mixture is crumbly.

Press mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 13X9X2 inch baking pan and then bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes {or until light brown}.

While the crust is baking you can take your lemons and juice them, while being sure to grate the lemon peel!  Don't you just love my {now} vintage juicer!  My mom let me have it when I was married many years ago.  It's the one we used as children in the 1970's and we still use it daily for fresh orange juice today at our house!

Now beat together eggs, granulated sugar and lemon juice.  Then combine the 1/4 cup of flour and the baking powder and lemon peel.  Mix all of these ingredients together now and pour over the baked crust.  Now bake in your  350 degree F oven for 25 more minutes or until the center appears set and the edges start to brown.

Once out of the oven allow to cool {in pan} on a wire rack.  Then sprinkle with additional powdered sugar.  Cut into squares and garnish as desired.  Store them covered in the refrigerator.

I garnished mine with tiny lemon peel strips and a lemon slice! 

Looks good enough to eat doesn't it!

I've come up with so many lemony treats that I'm sharing lemon based recipes for the rest of the week so be sure to check back tomorrow and the next day!  What is your favorite treat that gets you through the dreary Winter?  Could you use some sunny lemony cheer in your part of the world this Winter?  When Spring comes I would definitely think about planting a lemon tree, if I was you and I didn't already have one!