Lemon Brownies

My sister lives in southern California.

We try to get the kiddos out to visit once a year, and had the pleasure of doing so last month.

She and her husband have an AMAZING backyard.  It's so tastefully done, and yet it's overwhelming what they have!! Gorgeous flowers, succulents and PALM TREES (swoon!)

Top that off with a beautiful paved patio and fire pit that begs to be seated around, laughing and sipping your drink of choice.

This last year, I literally squealed when I walked out and saw all of the LEMONS!

I hadn't remembered them being there last year, and her trees were FULL of them!!

I said to her ...

"Do you know all of the things I could MAKE with these?"

I rattled off a few ideas, and turned lime green with jealousy; all I had in my backyard was snow.

My Mom was also out in California, thawing out, and on her way back she visited her cousin who lives just north of where I had been oogaling Teresa's lemons.

They have not only lemons and lime trees, but avocado trees, too! She brought me home about 60 of them!

The MOTHER load!!

In addition to that I got a bowl full of lemons and a few limes.

I was so GRATEFUL!  I know that Teresa would have shared with me, but I wasn't going to try and take anything else on the plane... When we all travel together, we are quite a sight to behold in the airport anyway!! 

It's like a PACK.

I made quite a few things with these beauties, but hands down, these were my FAVORITE.

I had seen these posted on facebook from another blogger, My Prairie Window.

Instantly, I knew what I would be doing with a couple of those luscious lemons!

I'd be baking up some of these lemon brownies, and I couldn't be happier that I did!

Flaky brownie, covered in a zesty tart lemon glaze ... heaven in a little bitty bar.

Lemon Brownies

from My Prairie Window

For the Brownies:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

2 Tablespoons lemon zest

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

(recipe will take the zest of 3 medium sized lemons and the juice of 1 1/2 of them)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8x8 baking dish with butter.

Zest and juice lemons and set aside.

In a small bowl whisk together eggs, zest and juice, set aside.

In your mixer, cream butter with sugar, flour and salt.  Add the egg mixture.

Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes and spread into prepared pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Do not over bake, or bars will be dry.

Cool.

For the Glaze:

4 Tablespoons lemon juice

8 teaspoons lemon zest

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Whisk together and spread on bars.  Place in the refrigerator to set.

Cut to serve.  Store in the refrigerator.

Shared at Wonderfully Creative Wednesday at Nibbles by Nic
Linked at Wined Down Wednesday at Dizzy Busy and Hungry
Linked at Hearth and Soul Hop at The 21st Century Housewife
Shared at the Weekend Social thrown by Kitchen Dreaming and The McCallum's Shamrock Patch