Liana's Grandmother's Lemon Bars Recipe

Another of the recipes from my grandmother's collection was her Lemon Bar recipe. After making them yesterday for a party, I promised I would share. This recipe is copied directly from the card in my box (hence the use of the ingredient "oleo" - many of my grandmother's recipes call for "oleo"). Depending on the day, I use either margarine or butter when making the bottom layer. For people with wheat issues, the flour can be substituted with rice flour and the bars still work out great.

Lemon Bars

1st Layer:
1 cup oleo
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar

Mix with pastry blender. Pat down in 9x12 pan. Bake at 350° for 20 min.

2nd layer:
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder

Pour this over the top of 1st layer. Bake 25 min or until just firm. Allow to cool and dust with powdered sugar.

Ruffles, part 1

I picked up a ruffling foot so I wouldn't have to hand gather the material for each layer of the dress. Getting a ruffling foot to work is not the easiest thing in the world, but once I finally managed to get it going and was chugging along, the sewing machine came apart. Apparently, a spring in the needle holder came loose. I packed up the machine, took it to the repair shop and was back in business after a fairly short break. This weekend, I managed to get the dark pink ruffled and all three bottom ruffles on the dress. I can now move on to the next color.

Each ruffle was pinned on right side to the dress, pointed up, then sewn this way. After being sewn on, the ruffles were hand pressed toward the hem of the skirt and top stitched down.

Finished Dalek Dress

The finished dress:

More Dalek Dress Progress

Today I made some good progress, we went shopping and made some acquisitions on costume accessories to round out the two arm stalks of the Dalek and those are squared away (if we can figure out a way to straighten the paint roller that is - any suggestions??)


I also made solid progress on the dress, although I think at this point it is only going to have the spheres on the front. While I am very happy with how these are turning out, they are time consuming to produce. Besides, if we don't do the back, Rose will be able to sit. :)

Interfacing attached with spray adhesive, then measured and marked with pen. It is then sewn in and the circles are sewn in. The circle is cut out and a gathered gold insert is sewn into each one. The front of the dress has four columns of four circles each. As of tonight, I have all of the interfacing sewn in and all the circles reinforced. The first column of gold inserts have been sewn in and I am very happy with the results. At this point, the next image you are likely to see will be of Rose in the full costume.

Dalek dress progress

Made some minor progress on the Dalek dress. I have a week to finish it in time for Rose to wear it at GenCon. I'm really hoping to get it done, but feeling some stress that I might not make it. I did manage to find a gold headband to mount the lights on, so that is one less part to worry about.

I got the shoes dyed tonight and sewed the bottom "bumper" on the dress. Now it is down to the circles.

A few weeks ago I cut the Styrofoam spheres in half to use to form the bumps in the skirt.

Dalek Dress beginnings

Looks like I am beginning another project. Rose wants a Dalek costume - more specifically a dress on the order of these.

I found a great dress to use as a base for $6.99 at Goodwill. I cut the gems off of the netting - I had actually started removing them when I remembered to take dome photos for project documentation.

The Dress:


Removing the embelishments from the bodice:

My Grandmother's "Superb Slaw"

As it has come up recently, here is the recipe for my Grandmother's cole slaw. This is a vinegar and oil slaw recipe that is best prepared a day in advance of serving. Store in the refrigerator.

Superb Slaw

1 medium head cabbage, shredded
1 medium sized onion, thinly sliced
7/8 cup sugar
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp celery seed
3/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup oil

Place cabbage and onion (mixed) in a bowl. Top with sugar. Boil remaining ingredients in saucepan. Pour over cabbage while hot.