Lemon Bars

To be honest, I think January is the most depressing month of the year. The 'most wonderful time of the year' is over, everyone goes back to their regular routine, it's cold, people are concerned about their weight, and there isn't another holiday to be excited about for a long time. It simply sucks.

In an effort to make January a little more bearable, I like to make lemon bars. It's a fresh treat for a fresh new year. I was able to make them earlier this week when we had a friend over for dinner, and I can proudly say they put a smile on everyones face (yay!).

**Now, I like my lemon bars chunky, so I baked them in an 8X8 pan, but you can really put this recipe in a 9X13 inch pan if you like your bars thinner...especially if you like a thinner crust.**

What You Need
Base
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping
- 5 eggs
- 1 cup and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 tablespoon grated lemon zest
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (3-4 lemons)
- Powdered sugar

What You Do

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar (1/3cup), flour (1 1/2cups), and salt (1/2 tsp). Using a cheese grater, grate the butter (1/2 cup) and incorporate into the base mixture until small crumbs form by hand. Or, if you're fancy and have a food processor, combine all of the ingredients until small crumbs form.

2. Press the mixture into the bottom of an 8X8 pan and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Take out and let cool while making the topping.

3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs (5) and sugar (1cup&2tbsp) for about 3 minutes, or until pale and thick.

4. In a medium bowl, combine the flour (1/3cup), baking powder (1tsp), and salt (1/4tsp). Then gradually mix in the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Then mix in the lemon zest (1/2tbsp) and lemon juice (1/2cup).

5. Immediately pour lemon mixture over base in pan. Bake in oven for 20 minutes. If the topping is still jiggly, bake for an additional 2 minutes, or until the topping is set. Take out and let cool completely.

6. Once cool, pile on that powdered sugar over the bars. Put as much or as little as you like. For me, I love having the bars covered in powdered sugar. Then cut into squares and enjoy!