{RECIPE} Lemon Bars

When life gives you lemons, just make LEMON BARS!!!   SO much more satisfying that lemonade anyway.  And if life doesn't give you lemons go get some by yourself, you will be glad you did!  I just have to share my most favorite Lemon Bar recipe of all time.  Years ago, I found this delicious recipe by Ina Garten,  and I remember being so excited to make these the first time. She always has the most decadent recipes.  

Well, I can say that I have been making them for years now and never cease to be impressed with how yummy and rich they turn out.  These bars bake up thicker than the bars I grew up making, and I LOVE that! =)  More creamy lemon goodness to enjoy!  I am sure you can make them with bottled lemon juice, but I never have.  I have always used fresh lemon juice and fresh lemon zest.  They turn out so incredibly fabulous that I haven't dared use bottled juice and risk disappointment.  It takes a bit more forethought to use fresh ingredients, but it is SO worth it!


LEMON BARS
Crust:
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Filling:

• 6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cup flour
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar.

DOWNLOAD PRINTABLE LEMON BAR RECIPE

Just a note, I like to line the pan with parchment, that why the whole thing lifts out fro easy cutting.

Anyway, I am sure you will love these as much as I do, so give them a try!  Let me know how yours turn out.


Enjoy the yumminess!

{SHOP} Colored Pencil and Notebook Caddy

Here's the latest item to be offered in my Etsy shop!  I CRAFTED this lovely colored pencil and notepad case out of 100% cotton fabric and 100% cotton batting.  The case conveniently holds 8 pencils and one notepad.  I thought that this would make a great birthday gift for your little artist in your life, folds up conveniently to go just about anywhere.  

Keep an eye out for more color/fabric options being added soon.

Happy Drawing,

{Tutorial} Hamburger Sandwich Cookies

For the block party, I made these darling little Hamburger Sandwich Cookies to package and send home a a party favor.  They went along PERFECTLY with the BBQ theme. These little sliders are super easy and come together quickly.  

You'll Need:
1 Package Keebler Grasshopper Cookies
1 Package Keebler Vanilla Wafers
1 Tub Duncan Heinz Cream Cheese Frosting ( half dyed red  and half dyed yellow)
1 Package Flaked Coconut, dyed green*


*place the amount of coconut you think you will use in a plastic bag along with a few drops of green food color.  Hold closed and shake.


The Process:

VIOLA!!

To package just use the Wilton Clear Treat Bags, the printable tags below, and a stapler.   Simply slide the cookie in the bag, place the label, folded in half, over the top of the bag, and staple.  And Here's a download for the nifty tags I created!  For the original blank version (without the red text) head over to Hostess with the Mostess.

DOWNLOAD THANK YOU TAGS

Happy Burger Making!

{FAMILY FUN} Family Night Cupcake Fun!

After I went to picked up Cameron from preschool, we stopped by Jones Bros Cupcakes to snag a free cupcake-of-the-day just to find that they were all gone.  No biggie, we can just get our favorite 50 cent homemade marshmallow instead, right?  Nope, those were gone too.  Then they offered us a rice crispie treat for $2.50!  Seriously?  I can make a whole pan for $2.50, or close anyway.  So we packed back in the car and headed to the grocery store . . . hey, I promised them a cupcake.


I don't make cupcakes at home very often because I always end up with way to many and inevitably eat them all. I wondered if there were any smaller cake mixes available . . .well sure enough Duncan Heinz has come out with Cupcake Mixes!  These nifty little box mixes make exactly 12 cupcakes for only 97 cents! 

This was the perfect size for us to make and enjoy a modest amount of cupcakes.  So, we hurried home, and the boys helped my line the pan with liners. Cameron mixed up the batter in a cute little bowl.  He even cracked the eggs, but didn't want to pull them apart because he didn't want to get his hands messy.  Come on, aren't little boys supposed to to be messy?  Anyway . . 20 minutes later 12 perfect cupcakes to decorate!  


The boys just loved being able to get the frosting themselves and smear it on their cupcake.  Then came picking out the right sprinkles and devouring their sweet treats!  What a fun time!

Gotta LOVE the "sweet" memories we get to make with our little ones . . . oh they are growing up way too fast.

{Project} Emily's Sweet 16 Cake

As promised here are more photos of the cake I just made this weekend.  The top tier was a chocolate cake and the bottom was vanilla.  I frosted it all with hot pink vanilla buttercream and covered it in fondant.  All the decorations are fondant, well, except the glitter and sugar pearls.  I really struggle with the dang humidity,  but I manage I suppose.  Just SO hate how it makes the fondant all sticky on a cold cake. ugh.  Oh the obsticles just make me stronger, right?


Well here are more views:

To see more of my cake decorating portfolio, please visit my Rebecca's Cakery web page.  

{PROJECT} Emily's Sweet 16 PREVIEW

My latest cake project is a birthday cake for Emily!  She is celebrating her Sweet 16!  Here are a few pictures of the things I made . . more pictures to come  when I have time later.

ENJOY!

{FREEBIE} BBQ Block Party Straw Flags

Okay, so I am getting SUPER excited for the block party I am hosting this Saturday.  I have my fabulous straws all ready to go and just had to share them in all their glory!  I will for sure be doing a post about the whole shebang, so consider this a teaser.  I just LOVE these Kikkerland Biodegradable Paper Straws . . . they make any party look GREAT!

Oh and YES you can make these lovely party straws for yourself.  Just grab the Kikkerland Biodegradable Paper Straws on amazon.com for only $4.99!!! Then grab and print these flags (below) I re-designed from party printables I found over at Hostess with The Mostess.  She made BBQ Party themed printables, but did not have straw flags, so I made these to coordinate.

DOWNLOAD BBQ STRAW FLAGS

ENJOY!

{PROJECT} Birthday Cake with Printables

One of my very dearest friends, Suzanen Tabbert, had a birthday this week and we just HAD to celebrate!  This is the decadent cake I made for the occasion. Well, it IS just whipping cream (not cool whip =P) on the outside . . fairly decadent I do believe, plus, underneath it is rich chocolate cake soaked in caramel/sweetened condensed milk with a thick layer of crunched up Heath bars for a filling!  YES, it is my stacked version of "Better Than XXX" Cake!  It turned out so fabulous and delightfully sweet.  I just could not bring myself to sprinkle the heath bits on the whipped cream because it looked so beautiful purely white with the purple and pink bunting.  So there it is, simple but oh sooo sweet!  We had a wonderful time visiting.  Dallin was more interested in eating the purple candy melts then the cake . . that's okay, more for us to enjoy!

I modified some fabulous FREE pink and purple birthday printables designed by Katie from Green Apple Paperie Featured on the Catch My Party Blog.  This collection includes: invitations, cupcake toppers/party circles, cupcake wrappers, favor tags, water bottle labels, flat cards, tented cards, candy bar wrappers, and an adorable “Happy Birthday” banner.

I shrunk down the bunting to make a mini version to top the cake.  I also took the image from the invitation and stuck it on a folded tent card adding "Happy Birthday".  I LOVE how it turned out . . . . totally getting into these printable party designs . . . watch for some of my own creation coming up for Halloween.

{FREEBIE} Shopping List Printable

So, for many years now, I have used a customized shopping list, sorted into categories that correspond to the isles at the store where I do my grocery shopping.  I decided to share it with all of you because it really saves me a lot of time and prevents me having to back track because I missed something.  I try to only go to the store once a week, so I leave one of these on my refrigerator and write things down in the proper category as I realize I need them.  Then, before heading out, I do a menu for the week and write down the additional ingredients I need. Hmm . . . maybe I will have to share a menu printable too. ;)


This is 8.5 x 11, just print on borderless 8.5 x 11 and cut in half. 

DOWNLOAD WALMART LIST

The one with filled in headings corresponds to the Walmart I shop at, so I have also posted a blank one you can fill in for yourself!

DOWNLOAD BLANK LIST

Happy Shopping!!