Lemon Bars

Crust:

1 and 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 and 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

Pinch of salt

Filling:

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

6 tablespoons flour

6 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch pan. For the crust, combine the flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter to make a crumbly mixture. Press the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes.Make the filling while the crust is baking. Mix the eggs, sugar, flour, lemon juice, and lemon extract. Pour this over the baked crust and bake for 25 minutes longer. Sprinkle with powdered sugar when cool. These cut best if cooled completely before cutting.

**The original recipe is Paula Dean's from the Food Network. It calls for 2 cups flour, 2 sticks butter, and 1 cup powdered sugar in the crust. We thought that made the bars too "crusty" though. And we wanted them more lemony, so added the teaspoon of lemon extract.