Birthday Bars

Happy Birthday to my dear T! Lucky for me he is as fun to please as he is easy. Favorite girl: me! Favorite breakfast: pancakes. Favorite cake: any kind of lemon bars. I've many times admitted that I am a disaster when it comes to baking bars. However... although Rustic Lemon Bars are not be the prettiest girls at the dance, they are popular (they have great personalities).

Rustic Lemon Bars
Makes 20 bars

Crust:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup melted butter

Combine ingredients well and spread in buttered 8x8 pan. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven about 20 minutes or until crust is firm and beginning to brown.

Lemon Curd Topping:
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs plus 1 yolk
zest from 2 lemons
Juice from 1 lemon
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt

Whisk together ingredients. Pour over hot crust and return pan to oven. Bake additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until knife comes out clean.

Cool. Cut into squares. Garnish with powdered sugar and lemon zest.