Lemon Bars........

FOR THE CRUST:

1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temp.
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt

FOR THE FILLING:

6 extra-large eggs at room temp.
3 cups granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. grated lemon zest (3-4 lemons)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup all-purpose flour

Confectioner's sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the crust, cream butter and sugar in a bowl. Combine the flour and the salt then add to butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board. and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press into a 9 x 13 baking dish, building up a 1/2 inch edge on all sides. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15-20 min. until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30-35 min., until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

Cut into triangles or squares, and dust with confectioner's sugar.

Getting ready to bake the crust

Juicing the lemons

Farm-fresh eggs from our very own, "Double T Landscape chickens"!

Anticipation!

Dusted and ready to eat!

Recipe taken from Barefoot Contessa Parties!

This is something that I thought I would add onto the end of this post. I have learned to use what Rachel Ray calls a Trash Bowl while cooking.
It saves me multiple trips back and forth to the trash can, and when I am done, I just dump everything at one time into the garbage!
This is an antique enamel bowl. I found it at a garage sale, and it has been a perfect Trash Bowl!

Things to Praise About!

* I know that my Redeemer lives for me and having no doubt that He has my life in His hands!

* My guy, who makes me feel very safe and loved!

* The sun has shown brightly for several days and I have been soaking it up as much as possible!

* Really good friends, who minister to my heart!

* God's Word (Proverbs 18:10, Psalms 62:5.....)

* All my needs have been provided for (I do have some "wants"....but those will have to wait)

* The knowledge that God reigns!!

* A personal relationship with my Father God!

* Hugs and love from my children! (Nikki hugged me tonight, and said, "Can you feel me loving you?")

Jesus, I will praise You in this storm!!!!!

When There Are No Words......Proverbs 18:10

Steeped to Perfection!

I was reading in my Better Homes and Garden's magazine today about the benefits of drinking tea in solitary.....Tea for One. (March 2009, p. 198)

I am a lover of tea, and all things related to it. That is not news to anyone who knows me at all. A friend recently questioned me on how many different kinds of tea I own? I went to my tea cupboard, and found 34 different varieties/flavors.

James Norwood Pratt, Founder of Tea Society says, "There is literally nothing better you can do for your physical self than drink tea." Norwood-Pratt goes on to say, "It is impossible to name any one substance that confers as many benefits as tea!"

Although, having a cup of tea with one of my children or my girl-friends is enough to make me smile...having a cup of tea in solace, is my favorite. It calms my spirit and makes me realize the pleasure of life in simple form.

My mid-morning ritual of drinking a cup of tea while spending time alone with God, is a part of my day, that I would not want to soon give up! While sipping a hot cup of tea, I find that I am restored...both in body and spirit!

Don't get the wrong impression....I don't sit around my house all day with a flowery cup of tea in one hand and a truffle in the other. No, not at all! But I do try to take a few minutes every day to enjoy this ritual that allows me to pause. I find that if I will pause, and exhale, I am ready for what ever happens next...well most of the time!

"A woman is like a tea bag- you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water."-Eleanor Roosevelt

A Letter to Myself

I recently read on another blog that I follow, a letter that the writer wrote to her 20 year old self. I thought it was so funny, and that I should give it a shot.

Dear Sheila,

This is a letter to you...you young 20 year old thing! In 16 years, you are going to be looking back at yourself and reflecting on your life. I know that you have no idea what is ahead, so let me just fill you in.....

1. You are in your second year of marriage! The honeymoon has long passed, and you know really well by now that marriage is hard work! Some days you wonder what you were thinking! Just hang on....marriage takes work, and you may think that you are not up for the job. In time, you will realize that the bond you have with that good-lookin' hunk of a man that you are married to, grows stronger and deeper! My advice to you and your man would be to enjoy these years!

2. In about 2 days, February 8th, 1993, you are going to be finding out that you are pregnant for the first time! Have you been wondering why you are sick to your stomach day and night? Well there is your reason! You are going to get up enough nerve to go into Albertsons and buy your first pregnancy test...and then you will find out that you are going to be a mother! Your baby is going to be a girl, and she is going to change your life in so many ways!

3. Enjoy your sleep-filled nights! Based on the news that you are about to recieve, your sleep will become a precious treasure! For the next 10 years, you are not going to get much sleep!

4. Stop stressing over the price of gas and groceries!! The fact that you can fill your little Ford Escort up for $10. 50, is going to make you cry someday! And paying $80.00 for two weeks worth of food, is astounding! In 16 years, you will pay 65.00-80.00 to fill your Minivan (you will have to drive a family car...you will have three kids!) and your grocery bill will be in the ball park of $300.00 for two weeks!! So, whatever you do now, chill out and be thankful!

5. Keep praying for the five sister-in-laws that you will someday have! I know that weighs heavy on your heart, but it all turns out amazingly!! You will be best friends with them in 16 years! Your teen-aged brother and brother-in-laws, end up choosing adorable, sweet girls to marry!

6. If there is any way that you could find someone to teach you how to handle money, do it! In 16 years, you will be following the Dave Ramsey financial plan, and you will wish that you could have learned it all much earlier! Another thing.....save your money!

7. Get a shirt out of your drawer, and look at the size....see that single S (small)on the tag? You are getting ready to say goodbye to that size for a long, long time! If that makes you weep, get over it! In 16 years, you will be on Weight Watchers, trying to get rid of all the weight you gained during your child-bearing years! It would be so good for you to learn more about healthy living....someday you will be sorry that you ate food to make yourself feel happy!

8. Get in your car and go to Murphy.....stop in for a visit at Grandpa and Grandma Aman's house, and listen to his stories again. If you are lucky, he may even sing you a Cowboy song or two. In a few short years, Poppy is going to get cancer and leave this earth, and in 16 years, you will give anything to spend an afternoon together! He is someone you can learn so much from, don't miss it!

9. Stop trying to impress people!!! This maybe one of the biggest areas you need to work on! People are human, and they do mess up!! You are spending so much wasted energy on trying to get certain people to like you! Please listen to me:

True friends love you for who you truly are, not what you can do for them!

You are surrounded by many people who care about you and want what is best for you. But you also have a few people in your life, who only want to be your friend when it is convienent for them.....don't spend too much time worrying about them! In 16 years, some of them won't give you the time of day! Invest in the lives of people....care for them, and love unconditionally!

10. Let God love you as He has promised He does! You tend to let guilt and shame squeeze the life out of you....instead let His Grace bathe you daily! Sheila, it is your heart that matters to God! He doesn't look at your past and hold it against you, so stop doing that to yourself!
Let go of the things that keep you seperated from His love.....Someday, you will encounter God in an amazing way, and you will wonder why it took so long to see His character and His love for you!

There are many things that I could share with you, Twenty year-old Sheila, but I think that is enough for now. Maybe when you are 36, you will have it all together!! In the meantime, sit back and enjoy this life God has gifted you...make it matter!

Love,
Sheila