Preheat oven to 350. Rack in middle position.

2 c. flour (no need to sift)
1 c. cold butter (2 sticks; 1/2 lbs.)
1/2 c. powdered (confectioner's) sugar (no need to sift, unless it's got big lumps)

4 beaten eggs (just whip them up with a fork)
2 c. white (granulated) sugar
8 T. lemon juice (1/2 c.)
1 t. or so of zest (opt.) (zest is finely grated lemon peel)
1/2 t. salt
1 t. baking powder
4 T. flour (that's 1/4 c. - don't bother to sift)

Cut each stick of butter into 8 pieces. Zoop it up with the flour and the powdered sugar in a food processor until it looks like coarse cornmeal (just like the first step in making a piecrust). Spread it out in a greased 9 x 13" pan (that's a standard sheet cake pan) and pat it down with your hands.

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, or until golden around the edges. Remove from oven (Don't turn off the oven!).

Mix eggs with white sugar. Add lemon juice (and zest, if you want to use it). Add salt and baking powder and mix. Then add flour and mix thoroughly (This will be runny - it's supposed to be).

Pour this mixture on top of the pan you just baked and stick it back in the oven. Bake at 350 degrees F. for another 30 to 35 minutes. Then remove from the oven and sprinkle on additional powdered sugar.

Let cool thoroughly and cut into brownie-sized bars.

Susan's note: All of the recipes in Fluke's books include a note from Hannah Swensen. I omitted it in this case as it contains spoilers.

My thoughts on the recipe: Well, I'm not the world's greatest baker, so it's not surprising that I had a few problems when making these. Nothing big, though. I don't have a food processor, so I tried blending up the crust ingredients in my 12-year-old blender. It wasn't exactly up to the task, so I ended up just mashing it together with a fork. A bit of a pain since the butter was cold, but not a big deal. I also ended up baking it about 5 minutes too long, which resulted in burnt edges. That was my fault - I didn't check it when I should have.

The good news is, the lemon bars still turned out wonderfully. They have a nice, flaky crust, and the filling has just the right consistency - not too runny, not too firm. I also liked that these aren't sickenly sweet or too sour. They're perfect. Just delish.

A funny - As I was sampling these lemon bars, I kept thinking they were a lot less sweet than the bars I usually make. Curious, I pulled out my recipe (which comes from an old LDS cookbook), and guess what? The recipes are exactly the same! I guess that means it's a winner.

Another note: This recipe was used with permission from Joanne Fluke (actually, from her husband "for Herself"). I copied it directly from the book, then returned the book to the library, so any errors are my own. Oh, and I have no idea why these are identified as "cookies" - they're definitely bars. Bar cookies, I guess? Who cares? They're yummy.

I feel like I've been reading some "heavy" stuff lately, what with After Etan, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, The Hunger Games, etc. Then, because After Etan didn't freak me out quite enough, I watched Changeling (which is actually very similar to After Etan). What I'm trying to say is that I felt like I needed something a little lighter to even out my "heavier" reading. I immediately thought of Joanne Fluke's culinary mysteries starring Hannah Swensen.

Now, this series is not completely new to me. A few years ago, a copy of Sugar Cookie Murder was circulating through my family. I read it, thought, "silly, predictable, and why does the 30ish main character talk and act like a 60-year-old?" I set the book aside, vowing not to bother with the rest of the series. Fast forward a few years. A few months ago, my friend called asking if I wanted to go with her to The Poisoned Pen (a cozy little indie bookshop, which specializes in mysteries) in nearby Scottsdale to meet one of her favorite authors. Guess who? Joanne Fluke. I told my friend about my experience with Sugar Cookie Murder; she replied, "Oh, I know they're the cheesiest mysteries ever, but they're fun, clean and the recipes are sooo good." Duly convinced, I accepted the invite. And had a great time. Joanne was interesting, gracious and very personable (Don't believe me? You can check out the video of her interview at The Poisoned Pen's blog. Click on the video player on the right sidebar, then click "On Demand" and scroll down until you see Joanne's name. BTW: My friend is the one who asks Joanne why she decided to write "clean" mysteries.) Because I'm all about supporting indie stores, I bought a copy of the newest book - The Creampuff Murder - and had the author sign it.


You know me and series' - I can't start with the last book, or even one in the middle, I have to begin at the beginning. So, I decided why not make this into a reading challenge? It's going to be a personal reading challenge, although you can join me if you'd like. The best part about it is this - you can win prizes just for following along. This is how it's going to work: I'm going to read each book; write a review; then do a "Cookin' the Books" feature, where I make one recipe from each story. Here's where you come in: If you comment on the posts, you will receive one entry (even if you comment on one book review multiple times, you will only receive one entry/review) into my giveaways, of which there will be two. I will draw one name when I reach the halfway point (Book 7) in my Hannah Swenson adventure, and one when I complete the challenge. The first prize will be a new (unsigned) copy of Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder; the second will be my signed, hardcover, brand-spankin'-new copy of Cream Puff Murder. I can't give you a deadline for the challenge's end, because it will depend on the availability of the books at my local library as well as how fast I can read. Here's a rundown of the books in the Hannah Swensen series (which I will post on my sidebar, so you can follow my progress):

1. Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder

2. Candy for Christmas (a novella that appears inside special editions of Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder.)

3. Strawberry Shortcake Murder

4. Blueberry Muffin Murder

5. Lemon Meringue Pie Murder

6. Fudge Cupcake Murder

7. Sugar Cookie Murder (this will be a re-read)

8. Peach Cobbler Murder

9. Sugar and Spice (novella/short story - part of a collection)

10. Key Lime Pie Murder

11. Carrot Cake Murder

12. Candy Cane Murder

13. Cream Puff Murder

14. Plum Pudding Murder (to be released October 2009)

Easy Cheesy, as my 7-year-old likes to say. I call it "Light & Fluffy." Any way you describe it, it should be fun. And who couldn't use a little lightheartedness these days, eh?/