Life changes in the summer. Some people have their kids home from school. Whether the kids are underfoot or attending summer programs, schedules change. Some people change location, traveling in the welcoming warmth of the season. Gardens demand attention (unless you are nurturing a maintenance-free weed jungle). Farmers’ markets tempt with a bounty of fruits and vegetables, easing the transition to lighter meals.
For me, June means renewing my “Crazy Mom” title. I am not even kidding. Now that my kids are young adults, there aren’t as many opportunities for me to go overboard with onlookers rolling their eyes and shaking their heads. To remedy that, I seem to have started a tradition last June which renews my coveted “Crazy Mom” title for another year.
My 21 year old son just completed his junior (!) year of college in Chicago. As an end-of-the-school-year celebration, before summer quarter classes or jobs begin, he and some buddies drive from Chicago to Manchester, Tennessee for Bonnaroo. Think modern day Woodstock. Four days of non-stop concerts while camping on an organic farm with 30,000 other music festival enthusiasts. My role in this pilgrimage is to enable my son to drive (12 hours!) by giving him my car. Here comes the Crazy Mom part. Tomorrow I will drive the six hours to Chicago, turn over the keys (plus a quick hug, words of advice, and best wishes) and spend the night in a hotel before taking Amtrak back to Saint Louis the next day. Then, next Tuesday, I will make the return train trip to Chicago to help my son move into his summer housing and retrieve my car. At some point, when I have exhausted my motherly helpfulness, I will drive home. Surely right about now you are rolling your eyes and muttering, “Crazy Mom”!
All of that driving, mine and the Bonnaroo guys, requires snacks. The snacks have to be melt resistant and likely to stay fresh for the week. Gooey chocolate fingers on the steering wheel are undesirable. Consequently, most of the munchables will be supermarket goodies, but a few homemade treats are required to cinch the Crazy Mom title. These Lemon-Lime Bars will be savored across numerous state lines.
Lemon-Lime Bars are based on my desert safe Lemon Bar recipe. Adding lime ups the citrus fresh flavor. For visual appeal, a few drops of gel food coloring (totally optional) create a lemon-lime swirl. The bling-y colored sugar makes an impact on the pretty factor too. Wondering where I found decorating sugar to match the batter? I didn’t find it. I easily made it! One half cup of white decorating sugar mushed around in a ziplock sandwich bag with 1 drop of gel food coloring, produces any color decorating sugar you need!
White chocolate chips add sweet, creamy vanilla to the bars. I found Guittard Vanilla Milk chips at World Market for the same price I pay for Ghirardelli at the supermarket. I couldn’t resist trying them. The flavor, so vanilla, and the texture, so creamy and softer than other white chocolate chips, are wonderful. I am going back to buy more. However, perhaps due to the different texture, the Guittard chips overcooked a bit when I baked these bars for the usual 25 minutes. It was a good flavor, like caramelized white chocolate, but the chips hardened slightly. If you prefer a traditional white chocolate chip taste and texture, I suggest using Nestle’s or Ghiradelli white chocolate chips in this recipe.
Lemon-Lime Bars are great travel companions for summer road trips or picnics. Long lasting freshness make Lemon-Lime Bars perfect for adding some citrus zip to care packages too.
You can read more about desert safe ingredients and find an index of all of the desert safe recipes on The Monday Box by clicking here.
Lemon Lime Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter flavor vegetable shortening
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 drops yellow food coloring gel
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 2 ½ teaspoons lime juice
- 2 drops green food coloring gel
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- ¼ cup yellow decorating sugar
- ¼ cup green decorating sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9” x 9” pan with foil extending over the edges. Spray the foil with non-stick spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt.
- Place vegetable shortening in large microwave safe bowl and microwave about 1 minute until melted.
- Into the bowl of melted shortening add flour mixture, sugar, eggs and yolk, and vanilla. Mix with a large spoon until smooth.
- Remove 1 cup of batter and place in a medium bowl with lemon zest, lemon juice, and yellow food coloring. Mix until smooth. Stir in ½ cup of white chocolate chips.
- To the batter remaining in the large bowl add lime zest, lime juice, and green food coloring. Mix until smooth. Stir in ½ cup of white chocolate chips.
- Place spoonfuls of batter into the prepared pan, alternating colors. When all batter is in the baking pan, use a knife to spread batter up to all edges. Then run the knife up and down the length of the pan to create a marbled effect.
- Sprinkle the decorating sugar, in a random pattern of colors, until the top of the batter is completely covered. With fingertips, press the sugar gently to make sure it sticks to the batter.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until just golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
- When cool, remove from pan by lifting the overhanging foil.
- Cut into bars.
- Store at room temperature in an airtight container or ziplock bag for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- Double wrap bars individually or in pairs in plastic wrap before placing in airtight containers or ziplock bags.
- For longer shipping times, I recommend not cutting into individual bars, but double wrapping the entire square to help keep the chewy texture as long as possible.
Nutrition
gottagetbaked
Why are you so amazing?!?!?! Ok, granted, my parents did a lot for me growing up, mainly in the area of working their asses off at their jobs to put food on the table and a roof over our heads. But in terms of spending the time and effort to drive six hours, bake me treats and then help me move?! No way. You are super woman! And these lemon lime bars are making my mouth water. I'm actually wiping drool off of my chin right now!
themondaybox
Nancy, you are beyond sweet! I am copy-pasting your comment to hand to my kids the next time they roll their eyes at the mom they have to put up with! 🙂 My guess is that the act of working your ass off to put food on the table and a roof over family heads, probably doesn't leave much time or energy for 6 hour road trips! My guess is that working your ass off for your family's welfare is the ultimate act of love and sacrifice. "Super Mom" behaviors come in many forms. 🙂 Do you love lime? Lime is my very favorite citrus (mojitos, anyone?) and I made sure that the lime flavor stood out in these bars. Drool less, bake more. 🙂
Lindsey @ American Heritage Cooking
That is quite the elaborate plan just to give your son a car to drive to TN! The past several years, my brother, who is 2 years older than your son, went to Bonaroo and he loved it! Wonder if they saw each other...actually where did he go to school in STL? My brother and I went to John Burroughs.
No car trip would be complete without the required snacks! I love these bars! They sound delicious and perfect for car trip snacking...minimal crumbs and sticky fingers!
themondaybox
My son loves Bonarroo, Lindsey! This year was his third trip. The first year, he left from home so it was easy. Last year, I used this same plan to get my car to him and it worked out well. This year, it started off great as planned. I got the car (and snack food) to him and returned to St. Louis. Then, I broke my ankle! My husband had to come to the rescue and help with my son's summer move and drive the car home! I am giving him the Mr. Mom award! 🙂
Both my daughter (26) and my son went to Ladue. My son had a number of friends at Burroughs. 🙂
Winnie
Wowwww
These look really good 🙂
I soooo wish I could have a piece right now!
It's hard to get lime here but I'd definitely try
themondaybox
Thanks, Winnie! I had no idea that lime was hard to find in Israel! So much delicious citrus is grown there, that I just assumed lime was grown too! Lemon bars are good, but if you are a lime lover, like me, then lemon-lime is better! 🙂
BruCrew Life
You are such a great mom, I'm sure your son would agree! These bars sound SO good! I'd love to have them on a road trip! 🙂
themondaybox
Thanks, Jocelyn! Why do road trips make everyone so hungry?! These bars help. 🙂
zerringiverecipe
How lucky is your son! I agree with Reeni about getting the award of Mom of the year. These bars definitely look gorgeous! I imagine how they are packed with lime flavor and can't stop my mouth watering!
themondaybox
Thank you, Zerrin! You are very sweet! The lime flavor (my favorite)does shine in these bars and the creamy white chocolate flavor pairs so well with the citrus. They make my mouth water too! 🙂
Reeni
Aww I think that makes you Mom of the year! Not crazy mom. That's a lot of driving! Does Pax keep you company? Anywhoo these citrus infused bars sound wonderful! I'd make a double batch for road tripping.
themondaybox
Thanks, Reeni! Pax kept me company when I drove to Chicago in May. It was his first long car trip and he turned out to be a great traveler, he slept in the car. He behaved calmly (the biggest surprise) at the hotel, and he walked on urban sidewalks with minimal panic! 🙂 These really are great road trip bars, though Pax would prefer something peanut butter. 🙂
Kelly
Wow, you are such an incredible mom Wendy! Your son is so lucky to have you 🙂 These bars look fantastic! I love all citrus desserts and love how bright and colorful they are - perfect for summer:)
themondaybox
Thank you, Kelly! You are very sweet. 🙂 These are my favorite fruity-creamy bars. So many flavors would work with these but lime is a personal favorite!