Last week when I couldn’t get home from Portland, Oregon due to Hurricane Irene, I decided that if life gives you lemons….go to Seattle. And I did.

This week things are a bit less dramatic and life’s lemons are channeled into this very easy and very delicious dessert.

Lemon Curd Squares

Ingredients:

3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting
1/8 tsp salt
6 Tbs cold unsalted butter, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
Lemon curd (11 oz jar…I like Stonewall Kitchen brand)
Berries to serve, optional

Directions:

1. Position a rack in the middle of an oven and preheat to 350℉.

2. Line an eight-inch square baking dish with parchment paper, being sure to leave an overhang for easy removal of the lemon squares. Butter or spray the prepared pan with non-stick cooking spray.

3. Combine flour, confectioners’ sugar, and salt in food processor and pulse three times until blended. Add the butter and pulse 6-8 times until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs the size of small peas.

4. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and one inch up the sides of the prepared baking dish. Bake until golden brown and the top feels firm when lightly touched, 15-20 minutes. Set aside to cool and reduce oven temperature to 325℉.

5. Pour the lemon curd into the baked, cooled crust. Bake until the center is set, 10 minutes.

6. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes, then cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least three hours or overnight. The filling will thicken further as it cools.

7. Just before serving, use a fine-mesh sieve to sprinkle a generous layer of confectioners’ sugar over the squares. Use a sharp knife to cut into squares and serve with berries if you like.

8. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Recipe from Apple A Day

You know that I just saw Okkervil River two weeks ago today. I kind of gushed about the concert here. Just a little.

Well, Okkervil River is playing at the Nor’easter Festival in Burlington, VT later this month. I knew this before I saw them in Portland and figured I could pass on the VT show since I would have already seen them.

That was before I saw them. Now I know what I would be missing and I certainly cannot deny myself that kind of musical pleasure.

So I got me some tickets. My husband’s reaction? “You just fucking saw them!”

Yes, I did. And yes I will, yet again.

Okkervil River is signed with Jagjaguwar. So is GAYNGS.

I’ve had Justin Vernon on the brain after playing Bon Iver in this post. He’s just one of over 25 musicians in GAYNGS along with Rhymesayers rapper P.O.S, Har Mar Superstar, Andrew Bird, Dessa and members of Solid Gold and The Rosebuds.

Moody. Smooth. Baby I’m On My Way. Love this.
GAYNGS-The Walker

And the original Godley And Creme version of ‘Cry’ on Miami Vice. Don Johnson. Ha! That white on light outfit cracks me up.

You can buy GAYNGS music here.

Cheers!