lemon squares & my first cookbook

i sometimes wonder if people remember what their first cookbook was. i know almost everyone either bought or was given one at some point in his/her life. i also wonder if it was even kept, perhaps tucked away somewhere to be dusted off at some point in the future or sitting on the shelf with the rest of the cookbooks.

being a reformed confirmed packrat, i kept mine.

and, eventhough it's bent up and yellowed, it still brings back good memories of time long gone.

carbon dated prenigellian artifact

no, there are no fancy pictures or 70 dollar price tag attached. in fact, it only cost a whopping 60 cents when i was in grade 3. i have to tell you, this book was the book to have when you were in the third grade at that time. not only did you get the schulz cartoons to go with it, you also got to have fun in the kitchen and eat your experiments.

now, i often groan when it comes to the daily grind of figuring out what to cook and actually having to do it. oh no, not back then. i couldn't wait to try another recipe, probably driving my mother crazy and making a mess of the clean kitchen. who could resist with recipes such as carrots everyone likes, frieda's french toast, and everybody's chocolate soda? i admit, i passed up making peppermint patty's prunewhip [blech! c'mon what kid do you know would WANT to eat that?? what were you thinking, peppermint patty!?!].

i will leave you with one of the best recipes from the book. these have been my all-time favourite. all these years later, i am still making them. but add more lemon juice if like them sour!

i'll let you know .... while they are easy to make, they aren't too difficult to finish off the day you make them either! baker beware.

follow the instructions and you will be well-rewarded with these —

here is the simple step by step:

* i would suggest only adding the powdered sugar when you serve these squares as the moisture from the topping tends to be absorbed by the icing sugar over time.

* these can also be made non-dairy by using parve margarine. of course, butter is better as they always say but when you can't, margarine is the next best.

* if you like your lemon squares very lemony, increase the amount of lemon juice.

now put your nickel in lucy's jar and have a lemon square.