Lemon Squares

I was looking for a summer appropriate dessert and found this  recipe from the Allrecipes website. I decided to use it for my lemon squares based on the high percentage of positive reviews and its relative simplicity.I have added asterisks besides the points that I have modified to the original recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour*
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 lemons, juiced**

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, blend together softened butter, 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.
3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and golden. In another bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/4 cup flour. Whisk in the eggs and lemon juice. Pour over the baked crust.
5. Bake for an additional 20 minutes in the preheated oven. The bars will firm up as they cool.*** For a festive tray, make another pan using limes instead of lemons and adding a drop of green food coloring to give a very pale green. After both pans have cooled, cut into uniform 2 inch squares and arrange in a checker board fashion.
                                                                  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/the-best-lemon-bars/
   
   *I used an 8x8 baking pan and found it to be too much crust so if you plan on using any pans smaller than the recommended 9x11inch pan then make sure to cut down the flour by 1/2-3/4cups if you want to avoid the dense crust layer.
   **It will be just as effective if you use lemon juice concentrate, you would need about 3/4cups worth. I used about 1/2cup of concentrate and a freshly squeezed lemon as well. It produced a little over 3/4 cups of juice - I did this to ensure that the tartness would be preserved. (Tip: Microwave the lemon for about 20 secs to extract the maximum amount of juice from it)
   ***I added icing sugar to dust the tops of the squares for presentation - make sure to cut the squares first then ice it, otherwise, it will be very messy and there may be smudged prints on the lemon squares.
   
   I hope you all will enjoy this recipe. It was my first time making lemon squares and I was pretty pleased with the final results. A fairly simple recipe for novice bakers and a great dessert to share with others. ENJOY
   

Soon enough

Upcoming post on a recipe for lemon squares very soon.

BTW, Summer is finally here. Smiles all around :)

What's wrong with what we eat?

This video is a little more serious than what I usually post but I recommend that you give it a watch. We all love food but maybe it's time we spend a little more time thinking about what we're eating and the consequences of our food choices, it affects more than just our body.

http://www.ted.com/talks/mark_bittman_on_what_s_wrong_with_what_we_eat.html

Ham & Cheese Crepes

This breakfast was incredibly satisfying. Cooked with ham and shredded mozzarella + served with the gold ol' Tropicana goodness.  I have always been one for savory breakfasts so warm cheesy crepes warm my heart and belly. :)

The key to perfect crepes? A non-stick pan!

Two lesbians raised and baby and this is the outcome.

Perfection

This young man sends a very powerful message and I hope his words will be shared with millions. Take the opportunity to hear his courageous words and maybe it will open your mind. Zach Wahls, I commend you.

Simplicity

Wouldn't life be so simple if you can drop everything and just bake?

School is taking a toll on me emotionally and physically. I can't wait to finish this year but the thought of more schooling in years to come just seems so tiring. Being  a baker seems so simple or any job that gives you the freedom to create. Forget scientific evidence or any type of analysis. Just being able to create something beautiful is enough.

Sensical Words

Love this:

If you don't live for something, you'll die for nothing.