New York Lemonade Game

HOW TO PLAY:
1. Make two "safety" lines about 6 or 7 yards apart, marked off with stones or whatever you have handy.

2. The players divide into two equal-sized teams and stand at their team's line.

3. One team must decide on an occupation to pantomime.

4. After choosing how they will act out their trade, the whole team advances slowly toward the second team and starts the following bizarre dialogue, one that clearly came from the mind of some long-ago child.
Team 1: Here we come.
Team 2: Where from?
Team 1: New York.
Team 2: What's your trade?
Team 1: Lemonade.
Team 2: Give us some!

5. The first team then sidles as close as it dares to the second team, which is still on its safety line and can't move yet.

6. The first team begins to act out its agreed-upon trade, with no words allowed. The second team shouts out its guesses.

7. When someone gets it right, the first team turns and flees back toward its safety line, and the second team gives chase, trying to tag the other players before they reach safety.

8. All who are tagged become prisoners of war and must join the opposing team. Then the second team chooses a trade among themselves, and the game is repeated. Establish up front a number of turns for each team; at the end of the last "inning," the team with the most players wins.

VARIATIONS:
If younger kids are stumped on occupations, a grown-up can help supply a few suggestions (such as ballet dancer, baseball player, farmer, firefighter, furniture mover, doctor, carpenter, shepherd, or bus driver). Please note, though, this game definitely predates the service economy. Do not attempt to act out the following trades: insurance claims adjuster, HMO administrator, merger and acquisitions consultant, or systems analyst. I have found that even adults with these jobs have a hard time acting out what they do all day.

Rock, Paper, Scissors Tag

HOW TO PLAY:
1. Make 1 centerline and 2 back lines at the ends of a yard or field (leave space past these back lines so those running full tilt have room to stop).

2. Make 2 teams. Each team then huddles at opposite ends of the field and chooses which hand signal to throw. (In case you've forgotten: rock breaks scissors, scissors cuts paper, paper covers rock.)

3. Have the teams gather at the centerline, fanning out nose-to-nose.

4. Together (and with gusto), all chant: "Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!" On "shoot," players quickly throw their pre-chosen selection.

5. The team that loses the shoot must race for the safety of its own back line, trying to avoid being tagged by the winning team.

6. Any player who gets tagged must defect to the other side. If both teams throw the same shoot, all must quickly sit down. The last one to hit the ground switches teams.

Behavior Modification Game

HOW TO PLAY:
1. One player, the poser, goes around the corner of the house, while the other players agree on a pose they want him to adopt: standing on one foot, sitting with arm and legs crossed, and so on.

2. The poser then comes back and begins moving his arms and legs into various positions. The other players either cheer and clap (if he's getting closer to the pose they want) or quiet down (if he's heading in the wrong direction).

3. Depending on the age and sportsmanship of the players, you might let fly some good-natured boos and jeers if the poser is way off. But when the poser gets the pose right, it's time for wild cheers and a standing ovation.

Lemon Tartlets with Meringue Caps

Ingredients

Makes about 20

FOR THE SHELLS
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 large egg whites, room temperature
1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
FOR THE MERINGUE CAPS
3 large egg whites, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
FOR THE LEMON CURD
6 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons total)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Make the shells: Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg whites, one at a time. Mix in flour and vanilla.
Spoon 1 scant teaspoon batter onto a rimmed baking sheet lined with a nonstick baking mat. Using the back of a teaspoon, spread into a 3-inch circle. Repeat 4 times. Bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Immediately transfer cookies, one at a time, to inverted small tartlet shells or brioche molds; gently press to shape. Let set, about 30 seconds. Repeat with remaining batter. If cookies become too cool to shape, return them to oven for 20 seconds. Shells can be stored in an airtight container up to 3 days.
Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees. Make the meringue caps: Put egg whites and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer set over a pan of simmering water; whisk until sugar has dissolved. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and meringue is cool, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a 7/16-inch star tip (such as Ateco No. 825). Pipe 20 spirals, 1 1/4 inches round and 2 inches high, onto baking sheets lined with parchment, spacing about 1 inch apart. Bake 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 150 degrees. Bake until dry but not brown, about 2 hours more. Transfer meringues to a wire rack; let cool completely. Meringues can be stored in an airtight container up to 3 days.
Make the curd: Whisk egg yolks, lemon zest and juice, and sugar in a heavy, medium saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium-low heat until mixture registers 160 degrees on a candy thermometer, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in salt. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, stirring after each addition until smooth. Pour curd through a fine sieve into a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto surface. Refrigerate until cold and set, at least 1 hour (up to 2 days).
To serve, spoon 2 teaspoons curd into each shell. Top each with a meringue cap.

Creamy Lemon Filling

Ingredients

Makes enough for 3 dozen sandwich cookies

1 package (4 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
1 to 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

In a small bowl, mix cream cheese and zest until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup confectioners' sugar, mixing until smooth. Mix in remaining sugar as necessary to create a firm but spreadable filling.

Lemon Sandwich Cookies

Ingredients

Makes 3 dozen

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling
2 tablespoons granulated sugar, for sprinkling
Creamy Lemon Filling

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest, and salt until combined. With mixer on low, add flour (dough will still be stiff); finish mixing with a wooden spoon.
Turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, pat into a disk about 1/2 inch thick. Wrap, and chill until firm, about 1 hour (and up to 3 days).
Unwrap dough; place on a lightly floured piece of parchment or waxed paper. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough about 1/8 inch thick (if dough cracks, let it warm up slightly).
Cut out cookies with a 1 1/2-inch round cutter (reroll scraps once, chilling of too soft). Place 1 inch apart on two baking sheets; sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake until barely beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes; transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Form sandwiches: Place about 1 teaspoon Creamy Lemon Filling between two cookies, sugared sides facing out; squeeze gently.

Lemon Meringue Bars

Ingredients

Makes 12

2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
6 large eggs, plus 4 large egg whites
2 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Make crust: Put butter, flour, confectioners sugar, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, and the salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until well blended.
Transfer mixture to a 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Press batter evenly into baking sheet. Chill in freezer 10 minutes. Bake until golden, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Make filling: Whisk together whole eggs, 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, the lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons lemon zest. Pour over crust. Bake until filling is set, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Keep oven at 350.
Make meringue topping: Put egg whites and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread meringue over filling, swirling to create soft peaks. Bake until meringue begins to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely. Cut into bars. Bars can be refrigerated in an airtight container, up to 1 day.