Let's Start With Lemon Bars

Now that my oldest is a college graduate and out on his own and my youngest has started her first year of college, I find myself with something I'm very unfamiliar with...free time.  After years, no decades, of volunteering and being Mom to my two and 100+ band students, I've forgotten what it is that I like to do.

This blog will attempt to document my search for the things I truly enjoy.

So, tonight let's start with Lemon Bars.

A co-worker of mine will be resigning at the end of the week to pursue a job and new opportunities.  We will be giving her a send-off tomorrow with a "Dessert Pot Luck."  Usually, I'll stop by a store and grab something to bring in but, this time I thought "No, I'll make something from scratch."  My boss recently told me of this wonderful dining experience he and his wife had celebrating their anniversary at the London Chop House in downtown Detroit.  He raved about the Lemon Bars they had for dessert, commenting how they were "even better than my mother's."

Well, always up to a challenge, I thought I would try my hand at Lemon Bars and see how I might rank.

First stop -- FoodNetwork.com.  I have several favorite chefs on this network.  One of which is Ina Garten.  A couple of years ago I made her cheesecake recipe and it really came out well, which is why I chose to use her recipe tonight.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lemon-bars-recipe.html

BONUS:  I even got to use my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer that I finally indulged myself with this year.

Maybe I'll even try a "Julie and Julia" and challenge myself to try at least one new recipe from one of my favorite Food Network chefs each week for a year.  One down, 51 to go!