Lemon Bars – Making the Most out of a Mix

I love the bold taste of lemon, however, most ready-made mixes aren’t very “lemony”.  Last weekend, I was making a “yellow brick road” platter and used lemon bars as the road. This was all very last minute, so I didn’t have enough time to bake from scratch.  

I picked up a box of Lemon Bar Mix from Target.  This has 2 packets inside.  One for the crust, which you press into an 8 or 9 inch pan and bake for about 10 minutes.  The filling packet calls for 3 eggs and 1/3 cup of water.  Since I like a good burst of lemon flavor, I skipped the water and substituted fresh lemon juice.  Once mixed, you pour over the crust and bake for 25-30 minutes @ 350 deg.  Cool completely and cut into bars with a wet knife to prevent sticking.  Dust with confectioners sugar.

They were fantastic and I was asked if I baked them from scratch!