Enforced Diligence

I love Thursdays. They are my "ahhhhh" day.  I can do laundry, or not. I can do errands, or not. They are the day I try very hard to NOT schedule anything so I can catch up from the demands of Monday through Wednesday.

Today I went for an hour walk with my friend and her dog. We went around the lake. It is so beautiful right now. Every time there was a little breeze it was like the heavens were raining small flower petals. The cherry blossoms, red buds, and Bradford pears (stinky but beautiful) are shedding. The dogwoods are just coming into their own and while we walked we saw several azaleas starting to show color. Next Thursday I'll take my camera. For today, you'll just have to use your imagination.  My friend told me about a plant she's thinking about installing. It's called "Korean Spice Bush".  It looks beautiful and is supposedly good in shade, so perhaps we'll try it too, although I don't think we'll let it get this big. Ugh. Soil amendment first.

So anyway, after I came home, I baked TWO trays of lemon bars for the Ladies' Tea at our church this Saturday. I can't attend as I'm the facilitator/host for a Friends of the Library Forum, but I said I'd bake something to contribute. So now the kitchen smells yummy.

I think I'd better go bake something else for the teens to come home to. If they smell baking but there's none for them, they might be a bit sad.  I thought I had posted this recipe before, but I can't find it, so here it is:

Lemon Squares

1.5 jars Dickinsons Gourmet Lemon Curd

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2.5 cups unbleached flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup shredded or flaked coconut

1/2 cup finely chopped almonds (optional)

Powdered Sugar

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream the butter and sugar together until smooth and fluffy.  Add baking soda to flour, then add those to butter and sugar. Combine thoroughly until crumbly.

Pour 3/4 of mix into a 13 x 9 pan. Pat down and smooth until entire bottom is covered.  Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool slightly. Spread lemon curd on baked crust. Do not go all the way to edges.

Mix coconut and almonds (if using) with remaining crumb mixture.  Sprinkle on top of lemon curd. Place back into oven for 20-25 minutes. Watch carefully in the last 5 minutes.

Allow to cool completely before cutting. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Enjoy!

p.s.  This is not a commercial plug for Dickinson's.  My dad always brings us some when he comes each summer and since it's what I have on hand, it is what I use! You can certainly try this with some other brand - or make the curd yourself.