Grandma Ila Nelsons Lemon Dream Bars Recipes

GRANDMA ILA NELSON'S LEMON DREAM BARS

Steps:

• For Crust: In medium sized bowl, stir together flour and powdered sugar.
• Cut in butter with pastry blender or the tines of two forks. Press into greased 10x15x1 pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.
• For Filling: Beat together eggs, lemon juice, zest and juice of fresh lemon, flour, sugar, baking powder and coconut. Mix well and pour over hot crust. Return pan to oven and bake uncovered for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack.
• For Frosting: Beat together butter, lemon juice, vanilla and powdered sugar. Spread over filling when cool.
• Cut into bars & serve. Store covered.

CARAMEL PECAN DREAM BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease 13x9 inch pan.
• In large bowl, combine cake mix, margarine and egg.
• Mix at highest speed until crumbly.
• Press into prepared pan.
• In small bowl, beat milk, egg and vanilla until blended.
• Stir in pecans and toffee bits chips.
• Pour over base in pan; spread to cover.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes or until light and golden brown.
• Center may appear loose but will set upon cooling.
• Allow bars to cool completely before cutting.

DREAM BARS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine flour and brown sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Pat into a 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. , Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat eggs and brown sugar; stir in vanilla. Combine flour and salt; add to egg mixture. Fold in coconut and walnuts. Spread over baked crust. Return to oven and bake 20-25 minutes longer or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

THE BEST LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, blend together softened butter, 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and golden. In another bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/4 cup flour. Whisk in the eggs and lemon juice. Pour over the baked crust.
• Bake for an additional 20 minutes in the preheated oven. The bars will firm up as they cool. For a festive tray, make another pan using limes instead of lemons and adding a drop of green food coloring to give a very pale green. After both pans have cooled, cut into uniform 2 inch squares and arrange in a checker board fashion.

MICROWAVE LEMON BARS

Steps:

• To make crust, combine flour and sugar in small bowl. In another small bowl, microwave butter until melted. Work melted butter into flour and sugar mixture until well blended and crumbly. Press mixture into bottom of microwave safe baking dish, 8" round is what I use. Microwave for 4 minutes. Set crust aside.
• To make filling, combine eggs and sugar, beat until fluffy. Add all remaining ingredients, beat slowly until cornstarch is well dissolved, about 1 full minute. Do not overmix.
• Pour this mixture over baked crust. Cook on high 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 minutes, just until center begins to set. Remove and let chill in refrigerator. Before cutting, dust with powdered sugar. I cut mine into small 1 1/2" bites, place each bite in a paper or foil baking cup as they are quite rich. Enjoy!

GRANDMA'S FROSTED LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and sides of an 8-inch square pan.
• In medium bowl, mix butter, flour, and 1/4 cup powdered sugar with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture becomes crumb-like. Press evenly into bottom of pan.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until edges of crust begin to brown. DO NOT over bake.
• Meanwhile in medium bowl, beat all filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth.
• Pour filling mixture over warm crust. Return pan to oven; bake for an additional 25 minutes or until filling is set.
• Cool completely before frosting.
• In small bowl, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar with electric mixer on low speed until blended. Add remaining ingredients; beat on high speed until well blended. Spread frosting over filling.
• Cut into 4 rows by 4 rows. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

LEMON DREAM CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Grease 10 inch springform pan and wrap foil on bottom.
• In a small bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar.
• Press onto bottom and 2 inches up sides of pan.
• Place pan on a baking sheet.
• Bake for 10 minutes.
• Cool on wire rack.
• In large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
• Beat in cream, juice, flour, zest, extracts, and food coloring if desired.
• Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined.
• Pour into crust.
• Return pan to baking sheet.
• Bake for 55 to 65 minutes OR until center is almost set.
• Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
• Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour. Leave sides on pan until serving.
• Refrigerate overnight.
• Remove sides of pan.

RHUBARB DREAM BARS

Steps:

• In food processor, mix together the crust ingredients.
• Press into a 15 x 10-inch pan.
• Bake at 350° for 15 minutes (crust will be very light colored).
• Meanwhile, combine eggs, sugar, flour and salt; beat together.
• Fold in rhubarb.
• Spread filling mixture on hot crust; return to oven to bake 40-45 minutes longer.
• Cool; cut into bars.

CHOCOLATE CHIP DREAM BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a bowl, mix together margarine and graham wafer crumbs. Press evenly into a 13 by 9 inch lightly greased pan.
• Pour condensed milk over base.
• Working in layers, sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips, then coconut, then nuts. Using a spatula, press down firmly.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until top is golden.
• Place pan on a rack to cool completely, then cut into bars.