Week 16 of 52: Lemon Pie Bars

This weekend was VEISHEA in Ames. For those of you unfamiliar with this, it is the largest student-run event in the nation celebrating the original 5 divisions of Iowa State College - Vet Med, Engineering, Industrial Science, Home Economics, and Agriculture - and started in 1922.  As a tradition, the students in what is now the College of Human Sciences make and sell mini cherry pies as a fundraiser for scholarships. This year they made over 9000 pies. Find out more here: http://www.aeshm.hs.iastate.edu/tearoom/cherrypies.php

To say I am a fan of tradition would be kind of an understatement. My father was the first in his family to go to college (ISU DVM '57).  My mother did not go to college. My older brother went to several colleges before he finished his BA. I went to U of Iowa for my undergrad...quite a disappointment to my father (haha). But I redeemed myself by coming to ISU for my MBA ('98). I could tell you where every building on campus is (and was), that Old Botany held the classes on poisonous plants, that George Washington Carver got his PhD at ISU, and that Christian Petersen was hired by ISU to teach sculpture and produced 12 major works of art on campus. I could tell you that I go to the VEISHEA parade even when it snows, and that every year, I buy at least 10 cherry pies. At a buck a piece, they are so worth it.

So I decided that I could not try to compete with the tradition of cherry pies, but I wanted to make something just as portable and fruity. So, I went on a hunt through my recipes and ran across a lemon one. I have had plenty of lemon bars in my time, so I thought about how I could change them up a bit. I mean after all, this will be my tradition! So,why not make them darker by adding some brown sugar to the mix. Here is my version, I hope you enjoy!

Lemon Pie Bars
Adapted from allrecipes.com/lemon-pie-bars

Crust
2 c flour
1/2 c confectioner's sugar
1 c butter, salted, room temp

Preheat oven to 350F.
Mix flour and sugar, cut in flour, and mix well until the dough resembles pie dough crust consistency.
Press dough into a 9x13 pan.
Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Filling
6 eggs, large
1 1/2 c white sugar
3/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c + 2 T flour
3/4 c lemon juice
zest from one lemon

Mix all ingredients using a hand mixer for about 1 minute.
Pour into the baked crust.
Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the lemon filling has set.
Cool and sprinkle with more confectioner's sugar.