This post is not about pumpkins!

Don't get me wrong, I love fall (which has finally arrived in DC!!!).... but it seems that every time I check my blog feeds, someone else has posted a recipe using pumpkins. I love seasonal eating, but I think every now and then the fall internet world needs something not made out of squash.

So I made lemon bars! Everyone needs a little buttery, lemony, sugary goodness to round out their fall afternoons. (Of, course, if you're looking for pumpkin, I'd recommend trying these, or these... or these.)

Confession: I forgot to take a picture of the cut bars before they were gone. What can I say? They were really good...

Lemon Bars

A fair warning: This recipe contains a lot of eggs, butter, and sugar (Especially if you make 1 1/2 times the recipe, like I did -- I shared, I promise!). That is why it is sooooo good. Just run and extra mile tomorrow, and don't tell anyone you serve these to the caloric secret to their amazingness ;).

Crust:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons powdered sugar

3/4 cup butter

Filling:

4 eggs

2 cups of sugar

1/3 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice (2-3 lemons)

zest from one lemon

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine crust ingredients and cut with a pastry blender until butter is in pea-sized clumps. Press crust evenly into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan.

3. Bake crust for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned.

4. While crust is baking, beat together eggs, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest with a wire whisk. Mix together flour and baking powder, then gently stir into egg mixture. The mixture should have just a thin layer of bubbles on top. This will give you the nice flakey crust on top of your bars, but be careful not to overmix it.

5. Pour filling over warm crust and return to the oven for 20-25 minutes until filling is set and edges are slightly brown.

6. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 mins. Sprinkle powdered sugar and lemon zest on top. When pan is cool enough to handle (but still warm), cut the bars. You can remove them from the pan or leave them in there for the rest of the cooling. 

Generally, you cool lemon bars before serving them. But sometimes I'm impatient and eat them while they are warm O:-).