cool off

Maybe I'm a bit behind this trend but I figure if I am, some of you might be too. A recent favorite spot The Smile serves up basil lemonade daily. It's become an obsession of mine recently and since the restaurant is too far from my apartment, I had a moment of genius/realization that I can make my own. While watering the garden at my guy's place yesterday it hit me that all the basil growing, combine with the lemonade in the fridge would be the cherry on top of the beautiful midweek holiday. There isn't much to this drink but for some reason it makes me completely content within a few seconds. Add in sitting in the sun, a bit of music and a book and I was in heaven. Hard to believe it was a Wednesday. I'm starting to think that maybe every Wednesday should just be a holiday. While I'm back at my desk today, I'm looking forward to a full weekend of basil lemonade. 

Side note, just found this list and I'm planning to try some of them out!

sweet treat

I've always wondered how to make these and when I came across them on Steph Modo's blog, I couldn't resist. Taste tested and approved by my entire family and office, these are easy, fun and mindless to make. Go! Do it! I promise you'll love them!
Original recipe re-posted from here: http://tiny.cc/izm9z

Double Lemon Bars
Bon Appetit, 1991, Lana Sills

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, cut into pieces, room temperature

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon all purpose flour

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in large bowl. Add butter and cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press mixture into bottom of 9x13x2-inch baking dish. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Maintain oven temperature.

Beat eggs, 1 1/2 cups sugar, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon flour and lemon peel in medium bowl to blend. Pour into crust. Bake until mixture is set, about 20 minutes. Cool.

Cut into 24 bars. Sift powdered sugar over top before serving. If you are going to stack them, be sure to sift powdered sugar on top before using wax paper to divide the top and bottom row. This way they won't stick together. :)