Food In The Fort

I don’t like to be a hater, but I’ve got to say that after two attempts at this mix I’m giving up. My theory is that having to bake the crust part first somehow prevents it from joining together harmoniously with the lemony goo, but whatever the science behind it may be, I can’t make it work! I came out with a rock-hard crust and an almost sickeningly sweet lemon custard resting on top of it. And to make matters worse, the lemon stuff hadn’t sufficiently jelled (although I followed the instructions and took it out of the oven when it began to brown on top) - what a mess. My daughter also tried this mix with similarly unsatisfying results. I remember going to her dad’s house, seeing it on the stove and having to ask what it was. Not cool.

As I so often do in times of food crisis, I turned to Diana Rattray of About.com’s southern cooking section for her wisdom. It seems that baking the crust first is standard, although with her addition of two sticks of butter, I’m betting things come out a mite tastier. Here’s how Diana does it.

If you think I’m being too harsh on poor Krusteaz, here’s someone who has a more positive impression.

Have you had any luck with this mix? Am I (and people who share my genetic material) just not cut out for this? Do you have a better lemon bar recipe than either Diana Rattray or Krusteaz? Let us know! Until we’ve been shown the error of our ways, Krusteaz Lemon Bars mix gets a paltry two garlic bulbs (it’d be only one, but hey, at least they taste like lemon).

About the author:  I'm a Latin-teaching foodie who has lived (and eaten) in Fort Wayne for the past 10 years. I love all the ethnic grocery stores here and the great Mexican restaurants. Cooking is something that I really enjoy, although I tend to improvise a lot and experience my share of disasters. My parents are both wonderful cooks, as was my paternal grandmother (Oma), and I'm always trying to make things the way mom, dad or Oma did. Read more from this author