Food Lush

My Favorite Lemon Bars

Editor's note: For our last week at Food Lush, I've asked the writers to share both a favorite post by another writer, from over the last three years, and a favorite post of their own. You'll see these posts linked to at the top of their new post for the week. Enjoy a stroll down Lush memory lane!

By Julie

I really wanted to do justice to Food Lush in this final post, to leave something at the finish line that not only made me and the lovely editors proud, but something that could make you happy.  I have gotten so much joy from being a part of this site, and I am thankful for every moment, every word, and every one of you out there.

In looking back, the most memorable post for me was Erica's Homemade Childhood Favorites, because, as a mom, I am always on the lookout for foods my kids will want to eat that doesn't come from a box. This one hit me square between the eyes.

And as for my posts, my favorite is probably my recollection of making my daughter's birthday cake, because of the gargantuan effort it took and the enormous number of mistakes I made along the way. But mostly because it was so fun in the end. Just like today!

***

Fun fact: I was named after the character Julie on Days of Our Lives. It should come as no surprise then that one of my guilty pleasures is watching the occasional soap opera (OK, maybe more than occasional, ahem, especially in college, but I digress), and perhaps perusing a magazine on the subject now and again. Today, I share my (minor, totally manageable, slightly embarrassing) addiction for your benefit, because, years ago, I found this fabulous recipe in Soap Opera Digest.

I present the most delicious lemon bars (or squares, depending on the shape you cut), courtesy of Suzanne Rogers, Maggie on Days. I've made these many times for my family and friends, and even some of my fellow Lush writers, and they are always a hit. This is my go-to non-chocolate dessert, a little taste of summer any time of the year.

Lemon Squares

Ingredients the First:

1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 pound salted, softened butter

Mix together and press into a 9 X 13-inch dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. (Depending on your oven, check after 20 minutes.)

Ingredients the Second:

4 eggs
4 tablespoons flour
6 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh is good, but regular ol' bottled juice works just as well)
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Mix these ingredients while the crust bakes. Remove crust from the oven.  While the crust is still hot, pour the new mixture on top and bake for 25 more minutes. (Again, depending on your oven, check after 20 minutes.) Remove from oven and let cool in dish. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. After it has cooled completely, cut into desired portions.

(Photo Credit: en.wikipedia.org)

Let's Go Out on a (sugar) High Note: Sugar Cookie Bars!

Editor's note: For our last week at Food Lush, I've asked the writers to share both a favorite post by another writer, from over the last three years, and a favorite post of their own. You'll see these posts linked to at the top of their new post for the week. Enjoy a stroll down Lush memory lane!

by Caitlin

I know plenty of others before me have already said this: but I had a hard time choosing a favorite post to share with you all. It's been such fun for me to write here, to reconnect with some of you reading, and to be part of this little community. I can hardly believe I've been doing it for almost two years. I have long wondered how Jennie does it all, and fully support her decision to step away. But, oh, I will miss it here. I will miss you. Thank you for reading along, talking about food, sharing your food memories with me, and being part of this adventure. So, until next time: the recipe I make most from this site is probably Sarah's versatile marinade. And my favorite post of mine has to be this one, about my Gram. A perfect bittersweet note to end on.

***

So! Does anyone else feel like blasting Vitamin C's classic hit Friends Forever - Graduation Song?

 

"If you got somethin' that ya need to say you better say it right now cuz you don't have another day."

Here's what I have to say.

A) I'll always have a soft spot for late 90s belly shirts and hackey sacks.

B) TODAY is Day 30. 30 days of grain-free, whole foods, no added sugar, no alcohol, no nothing? DUNZO. Fruit, vegetables, meat, seafood, nuts, seeds, oils. There was a lot of coconut. 30 days. I can't believe it.

C) I'm not sure what I'm going to eat tomorrow, other than oats for breakfast. It's a little scary, actually. They recommend you reintroduce things slowly to see how your body reacts with the clean slate it has to work with. And that's great and I totally get it, I just don't know exactly how that looks for me yet. I'm just going to take it one day at a time. At some point I plan on trying dairy, and at some point I will try gluten again, and then I shall make these delicious sugar cookie bars. 

Photo from dinnersdishesanddesserts.com

Back in December my friend Jen posted on twitter about the angels she heard singing when she made something magical called "sugar cookie bars." And the thing you need to know about me is that I LOVE sugar cookies. A nice soft, chewy, fat sugar cookie with frosting and sprinkles? GIMME. But I hate rolling out cookies and dealing with all that. It's so much work and I can never find a recipe that gives me the exact cookie I want. I'm a sucker for those horrible grocery store cookies that are round and topped with seasonally appropriate colored frosting and sprinkles (I think they're called Lofthouse?). They're full of nasty ingredients and probably dye your insides the same seasonally appropriate shade, so I don't buy them, except maybe once a year. Maybe. And then I eat one or two and throw the rest away. 

All of this is a long way of saying that while I really wanted to make sugar cookies at Christmas, I also really wanted to NOT make sugar cookies at Christmas. Enter this recipe. It was so easy, and so good, and I no longer see the point of cut-out cookies, unless someone else is making them. Sugar cookie bars! SUGAR COOKIE BARS! How had no one thought of this sooner??

I halved the recipe and made it in an 8x8 pan, and I had a hard time getting the cook time right. The first batch was way undercooked, the second was over - so far over I had to throw it away. It turns out that slightly underbaked sugar cookie bars are actually delicious, if a bit much. Next time I make them I'm going to have to be much more careful watching the cook time. I am willing to experiment and get it right though. For science.

The buttercream is the perfect consistency, the dough is soft and chewy, and the right sprinkles - I did a layer of sanding sugar, then a layer of Christmas colored jimmies - tie it together perfectly for look and crunch. They'd be fitting for any holiday (Valentine's! St. Paddy's Day, Easter! Rainbow sprinkles for summer, fall colors, Halloween! Thanksgiving and Christmas!), a shower, a birthday party, or just because HEY, sugar cookies are DELICIOUS and you just ate nothing but pure, whole foods for a month. Good luck having two bites and slipping into a diabetic coma, crazy.

Have you made sugar cookie bars? Do YOU have a favorite Food Lush post? I'll miss you!

Melt Aways: My Favorite Cookie

Editor's note: For our last week at Food Lush, I've asked the writers to share both a favorite post by another writer, from over the last three years, and a favorite post of their own. You'll see these posts linked to at the top of their new post for the week. Enjoy a stroll down Lush memory lane!

by Elsha

There are SO many posts I refer to regularly, but I especially love this cauliflower pizza crust from Carrie (even my kids like it!) From my own posts, I'll have to link to this one about cleaning your stovetop, because everyone should know this.

***

For my last post here at Food Lush I've decided to leave you with the recipe for my very favorite cookies: melt aways. I've posted many cookie recipes in my time here, but I've held out on posting this one because my mom is a little more protective of this recipe than the others. But I just can't leave you without it, because these cookies are seriously the best.

(Sorry, my only picture is from our Christmas baking extravaganza. They're the ones with the green frosting.)

Melt Aways:

Beat until well mixed:

1/2 lb butter (don't substitute)

3/4 cups cornstarch

Add:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 cup flour

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

For the frosting beat 3 oz cream cheese, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1 cup powdered sugar.

These are simple to make and they literally melt in your mouth (hence the name.) Don't leave the frosting off though, or you won't get the whole effect. The only tricky part is making sure you don't over-soften your butter. The dough should border on being crumbly. If it's really gooey or sticky you can refrigerate it to firm it up some. The recipe makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies and if I'm not careful I can eat them all by myself.

Now, who wants to come over so I can make these for you?

Rice Krispie Treats Topped with Cajeta

By Tara C.

While paying for some take-out at a local restaurant recently, I noticed a basket by the register of what appeared to be rice krispie treats topped with a dark caramel-colored topping. The topping turned out to be cajeta. If you are not familiar with cajeta, it is a Mexican confection made from sweetened carmelized milk.

When I hosted book club last week, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to try this combination. This was my first attempt at making cajeta. I followed this recipe, which seemed easy enough. I replaced the vanilla bean with a cinnamon stick. The recipe I chose called for the milk and sugar mixture to be cooked in the crock pot for 10 hours on high. I turned on the crock pot when I went to bed and I awoke the next morning to a delightfully sugary smell. However, I soon discovered that my crock pot had bubbled over, splashing the sticky caramel sauce all over my counters and floors. Big mess. I suspect that my crock pot runs hot and this could have been avoided by leaving it on low instead of high. Anyway, there was still plenty of cajeta in the pot, and while it was probably a little darker in color than it was supposed to be, it tasted just fine. If I make cajeta again, I will probably either do it during the day so I can keep an eye on it, or maybe use a non-crock pot recipe like this one.

For the rice krispie treats I followed the traditional recipe, but added about a teaspoon of kosher salt when I was melting the butter. I think adding a little bit of salt to the bars was a nice contrast with the sweet cajeta. Once it was cool, I spread the cajeta over the top. The result was very good. Overall, I really enjoyed this combination. It's simple yet a little unexpected. You should give it a whirl the next time you're looking for something crunchy and sweet.

(photo from: me)

Pigs in a blanket and other upcoming appetizers

by Caitlin

Notice how I cleverly avoided titling this "Holiday appetizers," "Christmas appetizers," or "New Year's appetizers"? But consider this the ole bait & switch. I do love a good hors d'oeuvre, and I think this can be considered the season of the appetizer. And the season of the cocktail, cookie, baked good, giant meal, and anything else you want to justify indulging in.

I've got a few menus and meals to plan for, and I can't stop thinking about pigs in blankets. A few years ago on a whim I decided to make some (for the first time ever) for a party my husband and I were throwing. He'd just made his own duck breast prosciutto, was plotting a fancy cheese plate, and didn't see a place for pigs in a blanket on our snack table. Guess what was the first to go? Apparently people just can't resist processed meat products wrapped in processed pastry, especially when you offer them something to dip them in. They've become a favorite once-or-twice-a-year indulgence for me ever since, and this is the perfect time of year for them. 

Photo: me

Last year I felt much more virtuous buying cans of crescent rolls and Morally Superior Hot Dogs* at Whole Foods. They didn't have Humane L'il Smokies* at the overpriced hippie grocery store, so I bought regular sized Virtuous Hot Dogs* and cut them into L'il Smoky size. It worked great. Press some poppy or sesame seeds on the top to show you mean business. 

*Not the actual names.

Photo from browneyedbaker.com

In the past I've also had great success with buffalo chicken dip (again using Virtuous Chicken because chicken in a can = ew), and I am currently contemplating Things That are Wrapped in Bacon. Contenders: water chestnuts, scallops, dates stuff with goat cheese. 

Photo from sheknows.com

Yep, I think we've got a winner.

Do you have any fun appetizers planned? What are your feelings on pastry wrapped meat products?

Barefoot Contessa Cupcake Mixes

By Tara C.

Let me tell you a little story about my experience with Barefoot Contessa cupcake mixes. I once worked with a woman whose personality was pretty darn melancholy. I brought some cupcakes that were leftover from my son's birthday party to a meeting, and we witnessed a complete personality transformation after she ate one of the chocolate ones. Now, maybe she just needed a good dose of sugar and chocolate. Perhaps there's a condition like scurvy that results from a baked goods deficiency. I really wouldn't know. Whatever the situation, I do think that the deliciousness of these cupcakes helped. For a few minutes at least, she seemed happy.

As someone who likes to bake, I don't usually rely on mixes. But sometimes we are all pressed for time and can use a little help. In general I don't think mixes taste as good homemade, but these cupcakes are an exception to that rule. I have made the chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting and the coconut cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. They were both excellent. When I served them at my son's birthday, several people said they were the best cupcakes they had ever had. The mixes are definitely a splurge at around $10-$12 a box, but they sure are good.

(photo from: Amazon)

Have you tried any mixes that you thought were as good as the homemade version?

My Top Ten Bloody Mary Garnishes

By Erica H.

I've posted about okra in this space before, but neglected to include it in its most appealing form: pickled and floating in an icy bath of tomato juice and liquor. In honor of my recent trip to New Orleans, a city that truly appreciates the restorative qualities of this spicy red hair of the dog, here (in no particular order) are ten tasty extras that are welcome in my next Bloody Mary.

1. Celery
2. Olive
3. Hot sauce
4. Pickled green bean
5. Pickled okra
6. Pickled tiny corn-on-the-cob, if there is such a thing
7. Pickle
8. Ginormous straw (hello, Hash House!)
9. Cracked pepper
10. Extra shot of vodka

What is your favorite Bloody Mary garnish?

Cafe Du Monde, New Orleans

by Maura

I consider myself a lucky, lucky girl to have spent the past weekend in New Orleans with sixty awesome women. Thanks to the organizers of the Blathering, I had a wonderful time socializing and eating delicious food. The epicurean highlight of my trip was the beignets and coffee at Cafe Du Monde.

(Image Credit: Wikipedia)

These delightful pieces of fried dough are better than any funnel cake you've ever had. They are slightly crispy on the outside, soft and doughy on the inside. Coated in a thick layer of powdered sugar, these beignets melt in your mouth. The beignets at Cafe Du Monde were different than any other beignets I've ever eaten -- slightly denser and square. You can buy the beignet mix at almost any souvenir shop in New Orleans, although I don't know how they could compare to the original.

(Image credit: Cafe Du Monde)

The coffee, too, was incredible; a mix of dark French Roast coffee and chickory. According to Cafe Du Monde's website, the combination of coffee and chickory was discovered by the French during the French Revolution. Coffee was scarce, and the French added roasted, ground chickory to improve the body and flavor to weak coffee. Additionally, the chickory -- which is the root of the endive plant -- softens the bitterness of dark roasted coffee. I brought back a can of Cafe Du Monde's coffee to share with my fiance. 

Have you been to Cafe Du Monde?

Things To Do With Leftover Halloween Candy

 By Tara C.

Since becoming a parent nine years ago, I've never known the best way to handle the influx of candy around holidays, especially Halloween. What do you do with it all? Let the kids go wild and stuff themselves for a few days, then get rid of it? Let the kids exchange it for some sort of non-candy treat? Let it linger around the house until you realize that you not only have Halloween candy to contend with, but also Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Easter candy too?

Our pediatrician once recommended that we let the kids choose 30 pieces and let them have one a day for the next 30 days, but this did not go well for us. The kids obsessed over their candy like little misers and drove us nuts asking for their "daily candy." My experience has been that it's better to enjoy the candy for a few days, then remove it from sight. Here are a couple ideas for using the excess.

• Donate it. Find out where you can donate it in your community. Here in Austin, I know of a group that feeds that homeless and is accepting Halloween candy. I also know of some dentists who are participating in a program to collect and send candy to troops in Iraq and Afganistan.
• Experiment with it. Here's an idea that never occured to me. Use your leftover Halloween candy for science experiments.
• Save it for Christmas. The holidays are just around the corner and a lot of the candy from Halloween could be re-purposed as stocking stuffers or gingerbread house decorations. Stick the candy in the freezer if it's too tempting to look at it in the meantime.
• Bake with it. There are so many delicious things you can make with leftover candies, especially chocolates. One year I made Noble Pig's Leftover Halloween Candy Vanilla Bundt Cake and it was a big hit. 

(photo from: Noble Pig)

This year I made Take 5 Candy Bar Cookies and they were delicious. You could also just substitute M&M's for chocolate chips in your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe or stir them into a batch of brownies or Rice Crispy Treats.

Taste of Home has a collection of leftover halloween candy recipes.This peanutbutter cheesecake recipe looks pretty scrumptious.

(photo from: Taste of Home)

You could also use candy as garnish, like on Pinch My Salt's Double Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes. Halloween may be over, but it's still fall. That's candy corn season, right?

(photo from: Pinch My Salt)

If you're sick of sweets at this point, it seems like there are lots of opportunity to give away baked goods this time of year. Just in the past week my kids' schools have asked for donations for a bake sale and treats for firefighters. 

Also, if you make something fantastic, you can freeze it and save it for dessert at Thanksgiving, which is barely over two weeks away.

This is all assuming that you have leftover candy of course. Maybe you ate it all. That's the obvious thing to do with extra candy. No judgement.

What about you? What do you do with leftover Halloween candy?

New Twist on Holiday Bark

by Maura

I will never tire of plain old peppermint bark. I absolutely love it for its dark, white and pepperminty complexity. In browsing Pinterest (where else?), I learned that there are other options for your edible holiday bark. Once I saw this one, though, I stopped looking. It is the showstopper of holiday bark.

{image credit: EndlessSimmer.com}

Whiskey, Carmel, Marshmallow and Bacon Bark.

Oh. Yeah.

It seems complicated because there are two different mini-recipes that go into the final product: caramel sauce and bacon crumble. However, the masterminds of this recipe are not completely masochistic; they use mini marshmallows instead of making their own.You might be able to get away with melting down caramels to substitute for the caramel sauce, but I can't vouch for that approach.

The bark lasts for two days, but I dare you to find it in my house two days later. I am putting this on my "Must Make" list for the holidays.

What's on your "Must Make" list?