Lemon Bars Mrs Wilkes Boarding House Recipes

MRS. WILKES' BOARDING HOUSE-STYLE BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450.
• Sift the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl and make a well in the center.
• Cut in the shortening and margarine until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
• Pour the buttermilk and milk into a measuring cup and add enough water to make 3/4 cup.
• Pour this into the dry ingredients.
• Mix lightly and quickly with your hands to form a dough moist enough to leave the sides of the bowl.
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
• Knead by turning the dough away from you, pressing down with palms of hands, and pushing the dough away.
• Repeat 6 or 7 times.
• Work the dough into a large ball while kneading. Keep your fingers dry by dipping them into dry flour regularly.
• Pinch off portions of dough and place them on a well-greased baking sheet.
• Press lightly to flatten the biscuits slightly.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

THE BEST LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on 2 sides; spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
• For the crust: Add the flour, cornstarch, confectioners' sugar and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse 10 times until combined. Add the cold butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse sand, about 30 times. (The dough will not come together in one mass.) Sprinkle the mixture evenly in the prepared pan and lightly pat it down. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden brown around the edges, 20 to 25 minutes.
• For the filling: Combine the eggs, yolks, sugar, flour, salt and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Whisk continuously over medium heat, occasionally scraping down the sides and edges of the pan with a rubber spatula, until simmering and thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the lemon zest and butter until combined.
• Lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees F. Pour the filling over the crust and bake until just set, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Place on a wire rack to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.
• Use the foil overhang to lift the bars from the pan. Remove the foil and slice into squares. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

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.

MRS. WILKES' BOARDING HOUSE BRUNSWICK STEW

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in pan, cover and heat slowly. Salt and more hot sauce may be needed according to taste preferred.
• Makes about 2 quarts.
• Source: Famous Recipes from Mrs. Wilkes' Boarding House - Savannah, Georgia.
• NOTE: Don't forget the preparation time is short because the chicken and potatoes are previously cooked.