Viola

Think of everyone in your life. Now narrow it down to the one person with whom you can confide your deepest secrets. Come on, think of only one. You can tell that person anything and you KNOW in your heart it will go no further. That person is someone you can trust completely, someone who will always listen, and who will always tell you the truth. Add to this, proven over many years, that if you needed it, this person would kick your butt. More than a sister to me than my very own siblings, Viola is that one person in my life. We have taken turns, being the butt kicker and the butt kick receiver. Through all my failures and my triumphs, Viola has been by my side. She is much a part of my life as anyone else in this world. She has seen her share of triumphs and failures as well. I admire her sense of humor, her devotion to her family, her dignity, and her strength as she faces any challenges in life. Her faith is strong. I could only hope to be as good a friend to her as she has always been to me. Viola's birfcake is this week, and in honor of my dearest friend, here's my own recipe for Lemon Bars, sweet, tart, and tangy---just like her! It is a simple recipe, takes only minutes to prep, and no KA mixer is involved. Happy Birfcake to Viola!

LEMON BARS - makes 16
Cookie Base:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
pinch of salt

Lemon Topping:
2 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest, finely grated (thanks to Mark!)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon flour
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
powdered sugar, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare cookie base by mixing all ingredients and press into a 8x8 inch pan. The amount of butter in the cookie is enough to require no greasing of the baking pan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. While cookie base is baking, prepare the lemon topping by mixing all ingredients together in a bowl. Remove cookie base from oven and immediately pour topping into pan. Return to oven and bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.