Luscious Lemon Bars

In middle school, I found this lemon bar recipe in a pamphlet from Publix (aka the queen of southern grocery stores), and I've been going back to it ever since. It's super simple, and most of the ingredients are likely already in your pantry. With the spring and summer months quickly approaching, these bars would make the perfect citrusy treat. Keep reading to see how they're made:

What You'll Need:

• 2 cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup butter (a stick and a half)
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1.5 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel (I actually didn't have lemon peel so I added an extra tsp of lemon juice)
• 3/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup half and half

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13x9in pan and set aside

2. In a large bowl combine 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs

3. Press mixture into the bottom of pan. Bake for 18-20 min or until edges are golden

4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl stir together eggs, granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, lemon peel, lemon juice, and half and half. Pour filling over hot crust

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes more or until center is set. Cool on a wire rack. Sift additional powdered sugar over top

6. Cut into bars and store in the refrigerator

Bon appetit! Lizzie