Lemon Bars

Most of the Midwesterners I know believe that bars originated in their home state because our collective memories and recipe boxes are full of these "dessert items".  I  did a little research and found out that  bars originally came from Nancimo-in Canada!  These concoctions of crumbs, creams and icings, required no baking, but have since morphed to include baking, melting, whipping and layering of any and every kind of goodie.   One can never have enough bar recipes; they are so easy to throw together for tea parties, family reunions and dessert offerings!  Since I picked several bushels of lemons, I'll make lemon bars.  There are as many versions of lemon bars as there are Minnesotan mothers..but these happen to be the best! 

Lemon Bars
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup powdered sugar
dash of salt
vanilla, 1/2 teas.
Mix above ingredients together with hands; press into a buttered 9x9 inch pan and bake for 20 minutes at 350F. or 180C., while that bakes mix -
1 cup sugar
2 Tables. flour
1/2 teas. baking powder
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. lemon juice and the grated rind of one lemon

Pour over the baked crust and bake another 25 minutes, when cool frost....
frosting
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
3 Tables. butter
1-2 Tables. cream
1 teas. vanilla
dash of salt

(btw- the first bar recipe was published in 1952-same year I probably ate my first one!!)