Lemon-Lime Bars

Ingredients

* 2/3 cup butter, softened
* 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
* 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
* 4 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel, divided
* 6 eggs
* 2-1/4 cups granulated sugar
* 1/2 cup lemon juice
* 3/4 tsp. baking powder
* 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
* 1 tsp. finely shredded lime peel
* 2 Tbsp. sifted powdered sugar

Directions

1. Prepare Candied Citrus Slices or Strips, (see recipe), if desired. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with heavy foil; set aside.

2. For crust, in large mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high 30 seconds. Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Beat in 2 cups of the flour until crumbly. Stir in 2 teaspoons of the lemon peel. Evenly press on bottom of prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, for filling, in medium bowl combine eggs, granulated sugar, remaining 1/2 cup flour, lemon juice, baking powder, and nutmeg. Beat on medium 2 minutes. Stir in remaining lemon peel and the lime peel. Pour over hot crust. Bake 20 minutes more or until edges are browned and center appears set. Remove to rack; cool 1 hour. Refrigerate, covered, 2 hours.

4. To serve, sprinkle evenly with powdered sugar. Lift from pan using foil; cut into bars. Add Candied Citrus Slices or Strips, if desired. Store, covered, in refrigerator up to 3 days. Makes 16 to 20 bars.

5. Candied Citrus Slices: In large skillet combine 1/4 cup water and 3/4 cup sugar; bring to boiling. Add 2 lemons or 10 key limes, thinly sliced. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 1 to 2 minutes or until just softened. Transfer to rack; cool.

6. Candied Citrus Strips: Cut strips of peel from 2 lemons or 2 limes. With spoon scrape away white pith. Cut into thin strips and cook in sugar mixture as above.

Enjoy!!!

Thomas the Tank Engine

The huge suitcase from England has arrived - in it, Thomas the Tank Engine
-Thank you auntie Fiona;-))
Finley was mighty excited about it and immediately started putting it together - with hardly any help from his daddy;-)))
It
is a great day for playing indoors as it is chucking it down since this
morning...at least 3 inches!!! This is of course great for the garden
and as I am writing, my beautiful new landscaped garden is turning into
the Amazon Rain Forest
Everything is sooooooo green, it is amazing and all my plants are growing, well at the moment it looks more like they are drowning;-((
No
worries, I will just plant some new ones. After all it is only April
and we had nearly 30C yesterday. So it looks like we are in for a VERY
long and probably very HOT summer!!! We'll see how much of it I can
take before madness sets in. I might have to build a tunnel from the
refrigerated house to the equally cold car in order to avoid the
scorching heat while my friends and family over there in Europe have
to wear little jackets, once the sun sets, so they don't get
cold***??!!**. Man, I'll miss the summer over there and I hope you guys
have snow till at least July and than again from mid August;-)))))))It
looks like I have gone mad already...oh well, never mind. Life is a lot
easier if you are crazy;-)

In the meantime I'll enjoy the lush vegetation before it turns all brown again in a couple of month.