It’s February at Drowsy Water and we are still in the thick of winter.  We’ve seen a few warm days lately and we have watched as our mountainous snow banks have melted down to mere snow hills.  The little break in the cold reminds us just how much we miss the sun’s warmth during these winter months and it reminds us just how much we look forward to our days roaming the mountains in the summer sun.  In the meantime, we continue to hunker down inside much of the time finding ways to keep busy until working and playing outside is a little more inviting.  
In an effort to will the sun to warm us, we baked up some of our favorite summer time lunch treats: Drowsy Water’s homemade lemon bars.  Bake some today then close your eyes and feel the warm sunshine start to melt that snow away!  
 
Start by making a simple crust of butter, flour, and powdered sugar. 

Mix the three ingredients until it resembles a coarse meal. Then press the crust into the bottom of a 9×11 pan.  Pop the crust in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. 

While you wait for the crust, get a start on your lemony filling. 
Crack four eggs into a bowl and add 1 1/2 cups sugar. 
Next add 1 teaspoon of lemon rind and 1/3 cup lemon juice. 

Mix this filling for a good six minutes or so until it begins to get airy and light. 
Add 1/4 cup flour and 1 teaspoon baking powder to the filling mixture. 
Your crust should be out of the oven by now and looking just a tiny bit brown around the edges. 
Pour the filling mixture on the crust.  Bake for another 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees until the top is slightly brown and the filling is set.  Allow to cool. 

Sprinkle with a little powdered sugar if you’d like and maybe a few sprinkles.  Enjoy! 
Drowsy Water Ranch Lemon Bars
Crust:
2 C. flour
1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 C butter
Combine crust ingredients, press into the bottom of a 9×13 pan and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. 
Filling:
4 eggs
1 1/2 C. sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/3 C. lemon juice
1/4 C. flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Mix together the eggs, sugar, zest and juice. Mix for 5-7 minutes until light and airy. Add flour and baking powder and mix. 
Pour filling over pre-baked crust then return to the oven for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees.  Center should be set and top should look slightly browned. Cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.