My Stand By Recipe...

Everyone has something that they are known for making. You know the thing people expect you to bring to the annual family reunion, cook out...for me my tried and true recipe is Apricot Squares.

Here's what you need to make these delicious bits of heaven.

flour, sugar, lemon juice, 1 jar (18 oz) apricot preserves, 1 lb of butter (yep, the whole pound)

and eggs (4 yolks), powdered sugar (not pictured but recommended: chopped pecans )

I use my stoneware jelly roll pan, but any jelly roll size pan will do.

Start with 4 sticks of softened butter.

Add 4 egg yolks and mix like below.

slowly begin adding 2 cups of sugar, mix mix mix

once that is finished, begin adding 4 cups of flour, one at a time, mixing after each

ideally, your mixture will look like this, it works best when it forms this crumbly sort of dough

makes it much easier when you are putting it together later.

In a seperate bowl, add 1 jar of apricot preserves.

Add 1 tbsp lemon juice, and mix

Get your dough, apricot mixture and pan ready to assemble.

Start by putting about two thirds of your dough into your pan and pressing to cover the bottom, like so...

Next pour your apricot mixture on top, I like to use a small spreading trowel to get it evenly distributed.

There's my ever present and helpful assitant!

Next, this is where your crumbl dough makes it super easy...just sprinkle your remaining dough on top. *Typically I add chopped pecans to the top before baking, I didn't have any the day I made these, but highly recommend you add some to yours.

Bake in a 325 degree oven for approx. 1 hr or until golden brown. Allow to cool.

After they are cooled, I top with powdered sugar. Cut into squares and serve.

These freeze well too.