Paying homage to the late Page Onorato - A local lifestyle legend
“Lemon squares, anyone?”
I have been surrounded by magnificent cooks my entire life. I could always easily draw inspiration for a meal or for a new recipe from chatting with my mother, Jean, or from a call from my mom’s best friend, Marianna, or by just simply running into her cousin, Page, at one of the local markets.
For decades, Page H. Onorato shared her favorite recipes and culinary antidotes through her column in the Lexington Dispatch. I was always excited to see what strategy she was going to take in describing the different foods she loved. Her humor and literary approach to her column, for me, sometimes still holds the same lure and delight as reading Mark Twain. Before I had ever heard of Martha Stewart, I was already a student of the school of Jean, Marianna and Page, who, in my eyes, were the ultimate domestic goddesses. I learned so much.
The first time one of my recipes was ever published was through an interview with Page and a feature in her column. That moment is still inspirational to me and one of the reasons I now have my own column sharing my recipes and lifestyle tips.
Dinners were standing room only when Page was in the kitchen. She delighted as much in hearing what you had cooked as she did in sharing her own dishes. She also had the uncanny ability to compliment you on how delicious your dish was while offering a slight suggestion for improvement, if it was needed. Suggestions so softly offered that you thought it was your own idea. Anytime I knew Page was going to attend a family dinner I always called ahead of time and asked her to bake her lemon squares, so much so that I eventually stopped asking because I knew they would be in whatever tin or container that was in her arms when she walked in.
Her lemon squares were always so delicious and special, so in her memory, I would like to share Page’s recipe. Just as I know she would have liked me to do in my column. In homage to her. Thank you, Page!
Page’s Lemon Squares
Ingredients
1- Box Lemon Cake Mix (18 oz)
2 - Eggs
2 - Sticks Butter, 1 Melted and 1 Room Temperature Softened
1 - Large Lemon for Juice and Zest
1 - 8 oz Package Cream Cheese, Room Temperature, Softened
1 - Teaspoon Vanilla
1 - 16 oz Box Powdered Sugar
1 - 9” x 13” Buttered Baking Pan
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine cake mix, 1 egg and 1 stick of melted butter. Mix well and press crumbly mixture into the bottom of a lightly buttered 9” x 13” baking pan.
In a large bowl, with a mixer, beat the last egg until blended, add softened cream cheese, 1 stick softened butter, lemon juice (be careful of seeds), the zest of lemon and vanilla. Slowly add in powdered sugar one half cup at a time. Mix well until creamy for about 2 minutes.
Spread creamy mixture over pressed crumb base in baking pan.
Bake 45 minutes until golden brown and set.
Remove from oven and allow to cool and set for 1 hour before cutting into squares.
Enjoy!
