Lemon Squares--Week #1 of the 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies

You read that right--12weeks of Christmas cookies.  This is an annual blog hop tradition, I believe to now be in its second year.  Last year, of course I didn't participate, since I didn't have a blog yet, but this year, it sounded like a ton of fun (and tasty!)!  Every Thursday, all participating bloggers are supposed to post a new cookie or other holiday treat recipe.  I then post this cute little icon to show it is part of the blog hop and to linky up at the bottom of the post so you can see what other goodies people have posted:

For the first week of this event, I decided to bake up some lemon squares.  I've been wanting some anyway, since they've been mentioned a couple times in the silly novel I'm currently reading (How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper, in case you were wondering what I'm reading.  They also mention chess squares in there quite a bit, which is apparently some sort of southern treat, but I don't know what they are really so reading about them didn't make me crave them.  Lemon squares I'm very familiar with!).

Lemon Squares

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs

powdered sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix flour, butter, and powdered sugar in a small bowl.  Press into an ungreased 8x8 or 9x9 pan.  Build up 1/2 inch edges on the sides.  Bake 20 minutes.  Beat remaining ingredients until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Pour onto hot crust.  Bake about 25 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched lightly on the center.  Cool completely & sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Cut into 1 1/2 squares.

Here's what everyone else is baking for the 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies: