Meyer Lemon Bars & No, I'm Not a Little Jealous

SXSW is going on down here in Austin. That means thousands of artists, writers, film people, musicians and foodies of all types are here learning like crazy.

Except me. I’m here without one of those thousand plus dollar tickets.

Ah, but that’s fine for this year. I’m enjoying it all vicariously for free through the local newspaper and bands playing in bars and on sidewalks. I have to admit, I’m a touch jealous. Alright, I'm insanely jealous. There are some very cool food blogger topics I don’t get to be a part of. Plus, there’s a secret dinner in a secret location with secret chefs I'm dying to go to.

No dice. Not this year. However, as tickets are way cheaper ahead of time I’ll be in the middle of the action next year, absorbing into my brain everything there is to learn.

Instead, I’m on vacation and I love Austin. Fresh amazing food, cool city and lots of art type people who play outside all the time. It feels like I fit right in for a change. At home I’m sort of the foodie-artist-photographer-oddball.

Maybe I was Texan in a past life.

These lemon bars come from the talented multitasker medical student by day, amazing cook by night Joanne from Eats Well With Others. She adapted them from Smitten Kitchen. I didn’t adapt them at all. They were thick and luscious without my help.

Unfortunately they were so thick and lemony and luscious, I had to hide the batch in my refrigerator behind bottles of beer and hot sauce. Refusing to eat the pan by myself, I repeated over and over, “There are no lemon bars in the fridge”.

It didn’t work. However, I did leave town before they were gone. So in a way, I won.

Meyer Lemon Bars
Printer Version
Remember to bake the crust first. I nearly screwed up that part. Of course, I also had a lot of packing on my mind. I'm sure you'll do better than me and read the instructions first. Right?

For the crust:
1/2 lb butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 tsp kosher salt

For the filling:
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tbsp Meyer lemon zest
1 cup freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice (or regular lemon juice)
1 cup flour

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.

2. For the crust, cream together the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter and beat just until mixed. Put the dough on a well-floured board and form into a ball. With floured hands, flatten the dough into the baking pan. Chill in the freezer for 10 minutes.

3. Bake the crust for 15-20 minutes or until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack.

4. For the lemon layer, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until set. Let cool to room temperature. Cut into squares or triangles. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

Makes 24 bars.

Recipe via Joanne from Eats Well With Others. Adapted from Smitten Kitchen. Picture by Laura Flowers.
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Lemon Kissed Snickerdoodles

Well, I’m home. Or most of me is home. I think my mind is still at the Foodbuzz Festival. Last night I had a nightmare Foodbuzz’s Ryan Stern was threatening me to eat more with her weapon fork while wine glasses knocked against my head until I consumed them. It was a rather funny dream that left me chuckling, and I’ll tell you more about it tomorrow.

How was the festival? Imagine having food and alcohol forced upon you for two plus days by friendly waiters with never ending trays of tidbits while hanging out with three hundred and fifty interesting, fun, super cool food blogger friends. Pretty darn fantastic is how I’d rate it. I tried to introduce myself to everyone, still missed about half.

As for the photography sessions, they zoomed by way too fast. I wish we had more time to share, but that's ok. Hopefully we were of some help. Marc was great to work with by the way. He and I were pretty relaxed and happy, making it easy to get through the chaos of having to move rooms between sessions.

Oh hey Dawn, you won the Spyder from last week as your number was picked. I imagine you’ll put it to good use. In return I expect to borrow that pretty red camper of yours.

I’m off to avoid food some more and edit several super silly pictures of bloggers on a scavenger hunt for tomorrow. I hope they’ll make you laugh when you see them.

Lemon Kissed Snickerdoodles
Printer Version
Heads up, the dough will need to chill for about an hour in the refrigerator.

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
Zest of two lemons
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons whipping cream
1 egg
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 ¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1. Cream the butter, sugar, salt, lemon zest and lemon juice together. Beat in the whipping cream and egg. Beat in the baking powder and then mix in the flour until just combined. Refrigerate about 1 hour, or until cool, but not hard.

2. Preheat the oven to 375. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

3. Mix together the cinnamon sugar ingredients in a small bowl. Scoop the dough with a mini or standard size cookie scoop and roll together with your hands into balls. Roll the balls in sugar mixture. Place two inches apart on cookie sheets.

4. Bake cookies for 10 to 11 minutes for standard size cookies, and 7 to 8 minutes for minis. Cool for 3 minutes on cookie sheets and then move to a cooling rack.

Recipe & photograph by Laura Flowers.

Orange Creamsicle Cookies

I was looking around for a little weekly cookie inspiration and found it in these orange creamsicle cookies on Susi’s blog, Kochen und Backen Adventures. I thought they would be cute as mini cookies, and used a mini scoop. Thanks Susi!

Orange Creamsicle Cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but not melted
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
1 teaspoon organic orange extract
2 tablespoons fresh orange zest, grated
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
10 ounces SunSpire All Natural White Chocolate Chips

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a stand mixer bowl, cream the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar together. Add egg, salt, vanilla extract, orange extract, and orange zest and beat to combine. Add baking soda and just mix in. Add flour and mix until just combined. Add white chocolate chips and mix on low to stir in.

3. Using a mini cookie scoop (size 60), scoop the dough and release onto parchment 1½ inches apart. Bake for 7 minutes or until very lightly golden brown around edges. Let rest on cookie sheet for a couple minutes and move to cooling rack to finish cooling. Repeat with remaining dough.

Makes about 56 cookies.

Notes:
1. To make regular sized cookies use a standard cookie scoop (size 50) and bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

2. These cookies freeze well.

Adapted from Guittard and Susi @ Kochen und Backen Adventures. Picture by Laura Flowers.

1970s No bake Coconut Orange Juice Cookies

At times I get bored baking cookies for my husband every week. To change things up, I tend to make silly recipes like these 1970s no bake "cookies" on days I can't face another cookie.

This is one of those love ‘em or hate ‘em recipes. These coconut-covered balls are intensely orange with a cookie dough consistency. I don’t happen to like most no bake cookies, and these are no exception. However, I’ve had so many requests for these darn things I’ve given up and am posting the recipe anyway.

Here you go Eric and Aunt Trina and the rest of you weird no bake cookie lovers. Enjoy!

1970s No bake Coconut Orange Juice Cookies
1 (12 ounce) box Nabisco Nilla Wafers 


3/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed


1 pound powdered sugar


1/2 cup butter, half melted


1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts


1 1/2 cups sweetened coconut

1. Spread chopped nuts on a plate and microwave in 30 second increments until toasted, tossing between stops. Usually takes about 1 1/2 minutes total. Set aside to cool.

2. Crush Nilla Wafers until fine in a food processor or plastic bag. Mix wafer crumbs, orange juice, powdered sugar, butter, and chopped nuts together. Shape the mixture into walnut-size balls, and gently press in coconut.

3. Store "cookies" in the refrigerator in a covered container. Layer cookies between sheets of wax paper if stacking.

Notes: Aunt Trina thinks these would be great sans coconut and dipped in dark chocolate instead. Sounds like a good idea to me!

Original recipe source unknown. Picture by Laura Flowers.

Lemon Cheesecake Cookies

These cookies are simple and turn out terrific. I think they will be my go to recipe for awhile when I need to throw together batter in a hurry. You can omit the lemon zest for a more pure cheesecake flavored cookie.

This dough requires some chilling.

1/2 cup cream cheese, softened to room temperature.
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature.
1 cup granulated sugar
Zest of 1 Lemon
1/4 tsp good vanilla extract
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 cup all purpose flour

In a stand mixer or food processor beat together cream cheese and butter until combined, add the sugar and beat light in color and fluffy. Beat in the egg, salt, vanilla extract & lemon zest. Add the baking powder and beat for a few seconds, add the flour and beat until just combined. Do not over mix the flour. Place the dough in a container with a lid and refrigerate for 3 hours or more.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Drop by cookie scoops or tablespoons onto the baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until very lightly browned on the edges.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.