Easy Lemon Bars

For Base:

2 cups sifted flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 cup butter (softened)

For Top:

4 large beaten eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest

For the base mix the butter into the flour and sugar together with a fork or pastry cutter - until it clings together.

Press into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.

For the filling, beat together eggs, sugar, zest and lemon juice. Sift together flour and baking powder. Stir into egg mixture.

Pour over baked, cooled crust. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes.

Cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into bars. Serve right away or store in fridge up to one day. Lovely and lemony - a great take along!!

Guinness Stew

Perfect for Saint Patrick's Day!!

2 pounds stewing beef
3 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tablespoons tomato puree, dissolved in 4 tablespoons water
1 1/4 cups Guinness
2 cups largely diced carrots
Sprig of fresh thyme
Chopped parsley, for garnish

Trim the meat of any fat or gristle, and cut into 2-inch cubes. Toss beef with 1 tablespoon of the oil. In a small bowl, season the flour with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Toss meat with seasoned flour.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. Brown the meat on all sides. Reduce the heat, add the onions, crushed garlic and tomato puree to the skillet, cover, and cook gently for 5 minutes. Transfer the contents of the skillet to a casserole and pour half of the Guinness into the skillet.

Bring Guinness to a boil and stir to dissolve the caramelized meat juices on the pan. Pour over the meat, along with the remaining Guinness. Add the carrots and thyme. Stir and adjust seasonings. Cover the casserole and simmer over low heat, or in a 300 degree F oven until the meat is tender, 2 to 3 hours. Garnish the beef with parsley and serve.

For extra taste I added a small amount of rosemary and a friend tried his with mashed potatoes on top! YUM!!