celebrate CREATIVITY in all its forms

Monkey Business

There's nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread throughout the house.  When that bread is banana bread, that's even better.

These mini banana bread loaves are not only delicious but with a special finishing touch, this particular bread can also help raise a lot of "dough". 

       

It's that time of year again when students, parents and volunteers scramble to bake, create and make all kinds of goods to be sold for worthy scholastic causes.  Yes, it's time for THE ANNUAL SCHOOL FUNDRAISER. 

I enjoy working on fund-raising efforts because it typically turns out to be a nice creative outlet for me.  I've taken on my share of school projects in the past too, a few of which you can see here and here.

This year I supervised the Oglesby home-based banana bread production line.  I also had the good fortune to snag a dedicated, hard working, all-volunteer staff.

There are a ton of delicious recipes for banana bread.  I personally love banana bread with nuts, but with so many childhood nut allergies these days we played it safe and stuck with a favorite no-nuts recipe we found in this fun cookbook for kids.

Cameron and Jordy are eager beavers when it comes to things like this.  I suspect any kid would love being let loose in the kitchen to get their hands dirty with flour and bananas. 

Of course, I'm still working on getting these two to enjoy kitchen cleanup just as much.  Wish me luck on that one.

 

We wanted to wow potential buyers with our product,  so we decided to spice up the packaging by attaching handmade recipe cards to the bread baggies.

It never hurts to incorporate a little craftiness into the picture and this little monkey die cut is adorable and just right for this project. 

A die is a metal plate that contains a raised image or lettering that is used in conjunction with a press tool like the one shown in the photo below.

The metal plate is topped with a square of colored cardstock and then the two pieces are fed through the special press.

As the metal plate and cardstock come through the other end of the press tool, the pressure cuts the image into the paper and a die cut of the image or letters is created.

 

Repeat this step several times.  It's a good idea to target specific portions of the image with smaller pieces of colored cardstock to get the exact monkey part you need as you go.  This avoids cutting monkey parts in colors you don't need which would waste a lot of cardstock.

Once all the monkey pieces have been cut, separate the various cardstock pieces into like-shapes.  Then, put your volunteer staff to work assembling everything.

OK, I just had to throw in this photo of my little monkey-boy.  Jordy has the most adorable smile complete with irresistable dimples and a few missing teeth. 

Meanwhile, I think you can tell that this mini-assembly line is the perfect project for little hands. 

    

Decorative craft chalk (found at most crafts stores) is an easy way to add some depth to the die cuts.  Plain die cuts typically look pretty flat so when you introduce a bit of chalk into the picture it really helps the image come alive. 

After chalking the monkey shapes, adhere them to cut cardstock.

     

You can see how much nicer the cards look with the chalk-shading on the monkey parts and along the edges of the card. 

Pull out the label maker to make the ID's and a corner-rounder punch gives the cards nice curved edges.

        

By the way you don't always have to glue down every part of the die cut image.  I decided not to adhere the monkey tail to the card and I think leaving it loose and free-flowing adds a cute dimension to the project.

Another tip: Make the recipe cards well in advance of the fund raising date so you won't get jammed up making bread and cards at the same time the night before.  We made these cards several weeks before we actually needed them and it was nice to have them finished early and ready to attach to the bread.

     

The addition of the banana bread recipe (or just the ingredients) on the back of the card helps bake sale browsers know exactly what's inside the bread before they buy it.  That can be very useful information to many families, especially those with allergies in-house.

Print the information from your computer, cut it down to size, round the corners and use double sided tape or glue to adhere the recipe to the back of the card. 

      

Be sure to use the strong twist ties that come with the mini bake sale bags to seal the bag tightly so the bread stays fresh.  The mini bags with twist ties are available at most crafts stores that sell baking accessories.

A pretty ribbon is a nice way to finish off the packaging.  I love this green and white polka dot and the ribbon also conceals that boring twist tie.

Finally, add a strip of double-sided tape (not glue) on the bottom of the card to adhere the recipe card to the back end of the bread baggies.

If you tape the card so that the bottom of the cardstock is level with the bottom of the bread, that will help the card stand up straight for display.

Once the bake sale buyer has devoured the bread, they'll have this cute little card to hang onto for future reference.  This banana bread would look great on any bake sale table from any direction. 

I really think presentation is just as important as content.

We baked and packaged two-dozen loaves and I think an attractive offering like this is a great way to draw greater interest to any bake sale item.  

Huge thanks and hugs go my little volunteers for pitching in every step of the way.

         

By the way, I suggest you bake a few extra banana bread loaves to serve at home. 

When your young helpers have finished their monkey business, I think you can guess what they're going to want to bite into.

Mom's Day

If you're trying to think of something special to do for your Mom, how about a Mother's Day breakfast-featuring pancakes.  

Now these particular pancakes aren't your typical flapjacks.  These pancakes are not only ball-shaped but they also contain much more than meets the eye.

     

This bite-size twist on breakfast is called ebelskiver which is a traditional dish in Denmark.  My ebelskivers were made using a special stainless steel pancake pan which has multiple wells to hold the batter and gives the pancakes that sphere shape.

The pan fits right over the stove top and can be used on a gas or electric appliance.  Mix up the pancake batter and pour a tablespoon into each well.

The surprise treat when it comes to ebelskivers is what you put inside them.  Each one gets a yummy filling and just about any favorite flavor will do. 

I selected an assortment of fillings this time around including a delicious lemon curd (which has a combination sweet and tart taste), gourmet red raspberry preserves (which is one of my all time favorites) and my kids' top option-milk chocolate wafers.  

        

Drop a teaspoon of filling or a few chocolate wafers right on top of the batter you just poured.  Then add another thin layer of batter over the top to cover the filling. 

You can't walk away from the stove during preparation, because it takes a very short amount of time for the bottom to brown and then you have to quickly flip the pancakes.

Once the sides cook to a light brown, use wooden skewers or toothpicks on both sides to gently roll the pancake ball over so the other side can brown completely.

 

When everything has browned nicely, simply dump the pan and all seven of the pancake balls will tumble out. 

Finish off the pancakes with a sprinkle of confectioner's sugar and your Mom's Day breakfast is almost complete.

By the way, once you bite into one of these little pancake balls you may never go back to traditional pancakes again.

The pancake and filling are a perfect combination and this is one breakfast where you can skip the maple syrup.

To make the morning even more special, add delicious decadence to the plate with a few chocolate-dipped strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream. 

You may want to keep this idea in mind for future reference because you can also use the pancake pan for more than just breakfast fare. 

Among other things, consider using a light pastry recipe and fill the balls with chopped, cooked chicken breast and broccoli for savory hors d'oeuvres.  Just imagine the possibilities.

In the meantime, Happy Mom's Day to all and Bon Appetit.

  

 

Let Them Eat (cheese) Cake

If you're looking for a quick and easy dessert to whip-up this holiday season, then have I got a recipe for you. 

These bite-size, mini-cheesecakes may be small but they pack a big flavor and they're picture perfect for any festive gathering.

You won't need many ingredients for this treat.  Gather a few dozen vanilla wafers, two, 8-ounce squares of cream cheese, 2 eggs, 3/4-cup sugar, 1-teaspoon of lemon juice, 1-teaspoon vanilla ,1-can of cherry pie filling and one box of cupcake tins.  Preheat oven to 325-degrees.

Set the vanilla wafers and cherry pie filling to the side.  Mix all other ingredients together until creamy. 

It doesn't hurt to have a set of little hands to help you with this part of the process.  Thanks Jordy!

     

Place one vanilla wafer in each cupcake wrapper.  The wafers create the tasty bottom of the cheesecake that is typically made of graham crackers. 

Vanilla wafers are a great size for this and they're so much easier than making a graham cracker crust from scratch.

   

Once your batter is thoroughly mixed, just spoon a portion into each cupcake wrapper.  Fill the cupcake tin about 3/4 full.  Bake for about 20-minutes.

    

After removing from the oven, allow to cool on a cookie rack for a few minutes.  The cooling process will cause the center of each cupcake to sink just a bit. 

This creates a shallow crater that is ideal for holding a tasty scoop of cherry pie filling.

Allow the mini-cheesecakes to chill in the refrigerator for about 2-hours before serving.   The chilling  really sets the mini-cakes nicely and they just peel right out of the cupcake wrapper with no effort and no sticking.

After you've peeled the cheesecakes from the wrapper, arrange them on a decorative holiday platter for a pretty and delicious looking serving.

When your guests want a sweet treat to hit the spot after that holiday dinner, you'll have the perfect bite-size offering.  

While, Marie Antoinette may have been wrong to utter that now-infamous phrase, you on the other hand, will be absolutely right this holiday season when you declare "let them eat (cheese) cake".

Checkmate

Anyone up for a game a chess?  OK, this may not be the board game that immediately comes to mind when you hear about playing that classic game of strategy. 

However, this particular cookie project has elements of the game you'll not only find familiar-but quite tasty too. 

This is a fun way to dress up those delicious Chessmen cookies by Pepperidge Farm. 

These cookies are typically embossed with images that look like chess pieces but now the images have a much more festive slant in keeping with the spirit of the holiday season. 

      

There are five designs in this Chessmen holiday cookie package including a candy cane, holiday wreath, jingle bell, an evergreen tree and a holly leaf or maybe it's a mistletoe.  They're all really cute.

Ahem, go ahead and eat a few cookies before you start-you'll feel better.

These mini tubes of icing are about 6-inches long and they come in a variety of colors.  You can pick them up at any grocery store in the baking aisle.  

They're a perfect finger-fit and that makes it so much easier to decorate the smallest areas of the cookie.

Gently cover the raised area of the cookie with the desired icing color.  When you begin decorating, use a small amount of icing first and build upon that because a little icing goes a very long way here. 

A toothpick is an ideal tool to help get the icing into the tiniest, hard-to-reach embossed areas.   Carefully smooth the icing using the toothpick to cover the design. 

Change toothpicks for each color to avoid cross-color contamination.

 

A thin icing border frames the cookie and finishes it off beautifully.  It only takes a short time for the icing to set and harden.  After that, the cookies can be stacked on top of each other with no risk of smudging or smearing. 

Of course, I doubt they'll be stacked in any one place for very long.

Trust me when I say, kids won't be able to resist getting into this act.  They also won't be able to resist snacking on a few cookies (like you), so make sure you have extra Chessmen on hand to cover that inevitability.

My daughter Cameron and her friend Chelsey enjoyed putting their own spin on their cookie decorating.

While I painted my cookies in holiday colors, both girls took a decidedly un-traditional approach with their color theme.  They steered clear of the typical red and green in favor of every other icing color in the pack. 

Of course, imagination is all part of the tasty fun.  Check out Cameron's edible works of art in the photo below.

 

I found a wonderful variation of this cookie decorating idea in a recent issue of Women's Day Special Interest Publications.   Are you as hooked on holiday magazines as I am?  There is always such a great selection on newsstands this time of year. 

I love to browse through the pretty recipes.  It's also fun to study the photography and food staging that's so beautifully presented in magazines. 

Talk about super simple cookie decorating.  It doesn't get any easier than this.  You can finish decorating an entire package of cookies in no time at all.

     

After you finish adding colorful, festive touches to these Chessmen cookies-you will surely be considered a winner by everyone who tastes them.  

To the victor in this chess game, share the spoils.  Easy Checkmate.

A Few of My Favorite Things

Raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens... I think you know where I'm going with this. 

Of course, these were just a few of Julie Andrews'  favorite things in one of my all time favorite movies, The Sound of Music.   I could watch this movie a million times and I love this legendary song too. 

         

I got a chance to watch this wonderful 1965 movie again recently.  Don't you just love revisiting old favorites?   While my musical ear and prose are hardly on par with the the likes of Rodgers and Hammerstein, I thought it would still be fun to deviate from crafts and do something different this time around by sharing a few of my favorite things.

Now, my list would be far too long if I included family and friends, so I'm just sticking with "things".  So, here they are in no particular order, starting with my porky kitchen resident-Sir Piggy Chef.

        

When I was younger, I used to see this little green jewelry box sitting on my grandmother's dresser.  I always admired it and remember wishing I had a little china box like this to store my special things. 

My mom mailed me this beautiful box several years ago, not long after my grandmother passed away.  I cherish it and today and it's filled with my own tiny treasures.  Whenever I open it, I think of my grandmother.

I just love vintage finds and you can count this little beaded bag among my favorites.  While antique shopping one day, I came across this wonderful bag sitting on a bottom shelf covered with lots of other not-so-pretty bags. 

The beaded detail is beautiful.  When I initially picked the bag up to admire it, another shopper behind me said, "oh, that's so lovely, you don't want it do you?"   You can see how I answered that question.

OK, I'll admit it.  I have a weakness for fabric, patterned paper and MAGAZINES.  The picture below features some (but not all) of my favorites, which are always filled with tons of information and inspiration. 

I can't possibly be the only one out there who has a hard time purging magazines, right? 

I'm sure these two small wooden dressforms have an ultimate purpose.  I just haven't figured out exactly what that is yet.  Still this duo is on my list of favorites and at the very least I can always find a needle in a hurry if needed.

          

My mother made this Raggedy Ann doll for me when I was about 7-years old.  I've always loved it and this doll has seen her share of the world too because I've dragged her with me everywhere I've lived.

Perhaps it was this handmade doll that ultimately set me on the path to making my own Raggedy Anns with a jellybean-colored twist, which you can see if you click here.   

While this sweet doll in the photo below has obviously gone a little flat over time, that doesn't make her any less special to me.  Thanks Mom!

        

When it comes to old movies, you already know the Sound of Music is up there among my favorites.  Well, you can add these two movies too.   First up, The Parent Trap with Haley Mills.  It's one of those films you just never outgrow. 

I love that scene when Maureen O'hara comes downstairs to meet her ex-husband's new much younger fiance.  Of course, the fiance and her mother are expecting to see a dowdy old matron.  Instead they see a gorgeous, modern mom who deliberately "mistakes" the elder mother for the young fiance. 

That's the funniest scene in the movie and of course, who doesn't love Haley Mills?

Second up, check out Anne of the Thousand Days  for some fantastic Old World drama.  It's a great period film loaded with lavish and Oscar winning costumes.  The movie centers around King Henry XIII's fateful obsession with Anne Boleyn and the movie wonderfully dramatizes their stormy relationship. 

Richard Burton, portrays Henry.  I've always loved his voice.  You can see why Liz married him twice. 

     

You may remember first meeting the little kitty in the photo below when I shared my log cabin quilt project last year.  Her name is Clarice, and she gets a nod mostly because she's so cute and quiet and she never needs a litter box. 

While house guests always delight in how real she looks, my twin sister says this feline really "creeps" her out.  Sorry animal lovers, Clarice is made of rabbit fur.

Unabridged books on tape are a great way to "read" the book, while you're getting other things done.  Trust me, if you ever get stuck in Chicago rush hour traffic, books on tape really come in handy.   

Below are a few of my favorites including Shopgirl which is written and read by comedian Steve Martin.   Al Gore's, The Assault on Reason is intelligent and thought-provoking and a final favorite is the Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.  I hated the movie version of the Da Vinci Code, but I love the audio book so much, I've listened to it several times. 

Yes, I do have a sweet tooth and these always hit the spot.  Yummy!  You've heard the saying "a picture is worth a thousand words" right?  I think the picture below speaks for itself.

Speaking of sweet.  Aren't these the sweetest little birds?  You may have already noticed, I have an affinity for birds and birdhouses.  I bought these birds many years ago from a mail order catalog called Garden Gate.  Anyone else remember that catalog?  

         

I'm not much into worshiping golden idols, but I have to make an exception with this golden statuette in the photo below.  I won this Midwest Regional Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement for Individual Excellence for my television news reporting at NBC in Chicago. 

Hey, who needs Oscar-when you have Emmy?

         

Finally, how many of you have an item of clothing that you just can't part with, no matter how hard you try?  That's how I feel about this white linen sport shirt. Since there was no one else around to take a picture for me on this day, I just snapped this one myself in a mirror. 

I've had this shirt for at least a decade.  Yes, a decade.  Every time I wear it, my husband just shakes his head and suggests the shirt will soon suffer a mysterious demise.  So far, he has yet to make good on that innuendo.

When the dog bites,  when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad-I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don't feel so bad. 

Here's hoping your world is filled with plenty of your favorite things.

MUSIC UP/SLOW DISSOLVE/FADE TO BLACK.

Simply Scrumptious

Much to the chagrin of my family at dinner time, I'm not a very good cook.  However, I am a decent baker and that makes me quite popular after dinner when it comes to that age-old question, "Mom, what's for dessert?" 

With that in mind, allow me to share a family favorite.  The key to this beautiful dessert has less to do with what you put in the recipe-and more to do with what you put the recipe  in.

    

When you pour the recipe into this rose-shaped cast aluminum cupcake pan you get something really special. 

These pans are manufactured by Nordic Ware and the detail in each one is amazingly intricate.  You definitely get an extraordinary looking dessert from ordinary ingredients.

This particular design is called Sweetheart Rose and it creates a delightful flowered design that seems painstakingly carved right into the cupcake.

A look at the bottom of the cast aluminum pan shows off the fancy impression that will appear in the dessert.

I must admit, I do gravitate toward very simple recipes and this dessert fits in with that perspective. 

While the Nordic Ware pans like this typically work best with bundt or pound cake mix, I decided to try regular cake mix this time which only requires oil, water and eggs.  Of course, fresh fruit on the side is optional. 

An electric mixer is ideal because it really gets the batter super creamy.  It's also much easier on the hands, especially when working with thicker batters.

         

To ensure perfect removal from the aluminum pan make sure each cupcake pan crevice is generously greased.  I use a spray that also contains flour because it's easier. 

You may also want to use a basting brush to make sure that every nook and cranny of the pan is covered.

        

Tip:  After spraying the pan, sprinkle a tiny bit of regular sugar onto the sides before adding your cupcake mix.  The sugar has an almost caramelizing effect and will give the finished baked dessert a little extra crisp and shine.  This too, is optional.

One of the great things about using heavy cast aluminum bakeware like this, is that the oven heat is evenly distributed throughout each finely detailed area of the pan.   

The finished dessert turns out perfectly golden all the way around.  This photo makes me want to bite right into it.

When using regular cake batter, I'd suggest you fill the molding slightly less than half way to prevent the cups from rising too high.

I filled my first batch higher than I should have and as cupcakes do-the batter rose up over the top of the pan like a fat muffin. 

This made it hard for the rose dessert to sit flat on my serving tray.  So, for a more stable looking presentation, I simply sliced off the bottom, muffin-like portion.   

This gives the underside a nice straight surface and the rose cupcake will sit upright on your platter.  I doubt your guests will check the bottom of the dessert for any reason, so don't worry about that shaved appearance underneath. 

While over-filling the aluminum pan is a minor issue in the scheme of things, you may want to initially experiment with the batter levels to see what works best.  As you become more familiar with your pans, batter levels will quickly become second nature..   

By the way, your kids will love the shaved cast-offs, so no part of the cupcake is wasted.

After the cupcakes have cooled, sprinkle a small amount of confectioner's sugar on top for a nice finishing touch.  A flour sifter will make for a more even and light distribution of the powdered sugar.

   

The photo below shows the same rose design but in the large cake size cast aluminum bundt pan.  You can see the baked-out dessert using this pan on the cover a recipe book that I mention toward the end of this post.

I must admit, this bakeware is a bit addictive and I've been collecting Nordic Ware baking pans from a favorite local gourmet shoppe for more than ten years.  Some designs are also available through Williams-Sonoma.

By the way, with gentle, non-abrasive cleaning and deligent care these pans will continue to look brand, spanking new even after years of use.

The aspiring chefs in your home under the age of 10 will also enjoy helping with this recipe. 

My daughter is typically the first to help fill them with batter, while my son is pretty much the first to sample the finished dessert.

   

Here's another look at the dessert baked with a boxed pound-cake mix.  In this batch, you can definitely see the difference in the texture which is determined by the type of mix that is used.

As you can see, the pound cake mixture produces a less poreous, tighter finished dessert which displays the design in much greater detail.

In addition to the rose design, this carousel pan is another one of my favorites. 

After baking, the little merry-go-round horses can be individually painted with multiple icing colors for a fun and festive look.

 

There is also a larger version of the sweetheart rose cupcake pan. Now, this pan creates some pretty large cupcakes that bake out a little bigger than 5-inches in diameter.  That is huge.

Despite the hefty size, these fat cupcakes are just as beautiful and intricately carved as the smaller ones.

Here are a few of the cupcakes from that larger rose-shaped cast.  I baked these a little longer than I did for the smaller ones which is why they came out a tad browner.

On a side note, I've been working to improve my photography and experimenting with a newly purchased light tent which really helps to illuminate objects much better. 

For these two photos, I placed the cupcakes on a pedestal and set the stand down inside the tent.  The photos were snapped from above the tent for a couple of shots that look good enough to eat.

 

I used a large sheet of pink scrapbook paper under the pedestal to achieve the pink background in this photograph.

 

While I used boxed cake mixes for these cupcakes, there is a nice book available with a collection of recipes you can make from scratch.  Bundt Classics has lots of flavored recipes including Butterscotch Rum Ripple Cake, Luscious lemon Daisy Cake, Crunchy Granola Coffee Cake and Mint Julep Cake to name just a few of the 150-recipes.

My only complaint with this book is that out 150-recipes, there are only 8-color photos of finished desserts and that's including the cover shot.

I think these cupcakes would be positively perfect for any occasion.  Just change the batter flavor, the batter type and/or the fruit compliment to suit the event and you'll have a wonderfully elegant dessert that takes very little time to prepare.

If you serve this beautiful dessert, I'm sure your guests will be delighted and impressed at the same time. 

I suspect if tummies and taste buds could talk-they'd say simply scrumptious!

Pudding Pie and Podcasts

I'm in the mood for something wonderfully yummy, and I want it now!  OK maybe not now, but soon and the pumpkin pudding pie recipe below is super fast and easy.

While you're enjoying this sweet dessert, perhaps you'd be interested in putting a voice with the face and projects you see on this blog. I just participated in my very first podcast interview. You can see it, or I should say hear for yourself by scrolling down to the end of this post for a link to the podcast segment. 

In the meantime, first things first when it comes to tasty treats. 

The preparation for this pumpkin pudding pie is lightening quick at about 20-minutes and that's one of the best things about this recipe, aside from its great taste.

You'll need 4 oz. cream cheese, 1 tablespoon of milk, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 8-oz. tub of Cool Whip thawed and divided in half, 1 graham cracker pie crust, 1 cup of milk, 1 (15-oz) can of pumpkin, 2 packages of Jell-O vanilla instant pudding and pie filling, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger and 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves.  Doesn't it look delightfully delicious?

Mix cream cheese, 1 tablespoon of milk and the sugar together in a large bowl and mix until smooth. Stir in half of the whipped topping and continue to mix well. Once creamy, spread this mixture evenly into the graham cracker pie crust.

Next pour 1 cup of milk into a large bowl and mix with your pumpkin ingredient until creamy.  Add both boxes of dry pudding mix as well as the various dry spices and continue to mix well.  The mixture will be very thick at this point. Then pour the pumpkin mix gently and evenly over your cream cheese layer in the pie crust.  Smooth the top pumpkin layer with a butter knife and refrigerate.

You could sample it now but if you want nice firm layers, set the pie for about two hours in the refrigerator.  If you need it in less time, you could also freeze it and serve as a chilled dessert.  Finally, add a little leftover whip cream to top off each slice and enjoy!

Since I'm not the best baker on the block, the fact that this is a "no-bake" recipe is great for me.  My kids love the yummy double filling and I love the graham cracker crust.  Scrumptious!

Meanwhile, diehard scrapper and crafting enthusiast Adrienne Nixon invited me to participate in one of her "conversations with Adrienne" recently.  It was alot of fun and we had a great chat about scrapbooking, sewing, maintaining a blog and juggling multiple hobbies with everyday demands.

You can listen to my podcast interview here.  I hope you check it out and let me know what you think. 

Sweet Treat

If you're like me, sometimes you just need something sweet. I promise, these yummy lemon squares will definitely hit the spot. This recipe is quick, easy and a perfect recipe for little helpers. The squares have a cookie-like bottom crust and a tasty lemon topping that slightly crusts over after baking. It's such a pretty little dessert, but more importantly... it's delicious too!

For the crust you'll need 2-cups of all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar, pinch of salt, 1/4 cup of butter. For the lemon layer you'll need 4-eggs, 2 1/4 cup superfine sugar, 1/4 cut all-purpose flower, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice and confectioner's sugar for sprinkling on top.

Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Sift the flour, confectioner's sugar and salt into a mixing bowl. Add butter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in 1-teaspoon of water until the mixture forms a ball. Press the mixture into an ungreased 13/19-inch oven dish like it was a pie crust.  Bake for about 20-minutes until its light golden brown. Cool on a rack.  Now on to the scrumptious lemon layer. Beat together the eggs, superfine sugar, flour, baking powder, grated lemon rind and juice in a bowl until smooth.

Pour the lemon mixture over the cooked cooked crust. Everyone in your house will want to get into the act at this point. Return dish to the oven for about 25-minutes. You'll know its done when the lemon topping browns to a light golden color.

Remove from oven. You must let this completely cool in the dish on a cooling rack before attempting to cut to ensure nice squares. Trust me, if you don't... it will break up when you try to cut it.  Sprinkle lightly with confectioner's sugar. Final step... ENJOY!