Lemon Square Cookies, Easy Gift, and Boss's Day

So it was boss's day on the 16th. I volunteered for dessert, because I really love baking.  I really do. Unless I sign up for desserts.  I'm going to whine a bit about my life of abundance and my wonderful children.  See the thing is I have no time.  Baseball practices, Karate, Lego-robotics team, homework.  I know I'm blessed. I just want some time.  I found this recipe on Pinterest (yeah, I get it, I need a 12-step for Pinterest users) for lemon bar cookie cups and it looked so fantastic.  When I read it, I thought, no big deal, I can whip this up on the 15th, after practice, homework, making dinner.  Because, really I AM a cross between Mary Poppins and Martha Stewart.  Then I took a look at the recipe (and it looks fantastic by the way and I still plan on making it) and realized....I am too tired.  So I took the lay-a-zee innovative route.

My lazy version of lemon bar cookie cups

A couple 'rolls' of pre-made sugar cookie dough

three jars of prepared lemon curd (found in the jelly section)

that's it

seriously.

First pinch some cookie dough and put it in some mini muffin tins -- oh you might want to butter and flour (or use that pre-done cooking spray) and you might want to wash your hands first -- just sayin'

 I have this neato thing from pampered chef. I have to idea what it's called, but I use it a lot for stuff like this.

 Bake at 350F for maybe 10 or so minutes.  They'll get puffy and you'll freak out, well I did. But don't worry, once you take them out of the oven the middle falls. Fill with a spoon full of curd.  If you really need to measure (OCD much?) about a tablespoon.

 Bake for another 5 or so minutes, edges of cookie should be golden.  The curd will look the same, but it's hot and gooey so you can spread it around in the cup to even it out.  Then let cool.  Because it really burns if you pop in your mouth right away.....not that I would know, because I'm so patient and all.

 I also made them these super easy gifts. Also got the idea off of Pinterest from this website.  Got the jars from IKEA. We were at IKEA for another project which will get posted sometime later -- stay tuned because it'll be cool.  Well cool in a geeky-I-like-to-decorate-and-found-another-cool-idea-on-pinterest kinda way (it's a sickness).

 Then it was time to make another batch and I thought...wow, even this is way too much work, pinching off cookie dough and putting them in individual mini-muffin tins.  So I just rolled out the cookie dough in a pan (greased and floured), cooked for about 13 minutes, then globbed (it's a word) the curd and heated it through another 5 minutes then spread it around.  Tastes just as yummy.

 I made the banana bread a couple days ago I've posted this recipe before here. Instead of using sour cream this time I used low fat plain greek yogurt and yum!

Even though it was super lazy easy and convenient and so not Martha Stewart it turned out okay and my principal and vice principal as the rest of the office staff were so okay with it.  And the food the other guys brought...oh so yummy. And most importantly.....we all got a few minutes in our busy day to sit, talk and laugh.  This is good for the soul.