Cranberry Bliss Bars. . .{6}

If you are anything like me, I am ALWAYS last minute searching for an amazing recipe to serve at the next holiday party. With the New Year coming up in less than a week, I was so excited to find this recipe and thought I'd share. So here it is. Cranberry Bliss Bars. They taste like the ones you find at Starbucks in the winter. . . amazing. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Ingredients

For the Bars

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)

1 large egg

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt, optional and to taste

3/4 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup dried cranberries, loosely packed

1/2 teaspoon orange zest, optional and to taste (edited to add this on 12-9-12)

For the Frosting and Topping

1 cup white chocolate chips, melted and divided

4 ounces cream cheese, softened (whipped or light may be used)

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups+ confectioners' sugar (I used about 2 3/4 cups)

1/4 cup dried cranberries, loosely packed (optionally, roughly dice them if the pieces are larger) 

For the Bars

Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, about 90 seconds. To the melted butter (allow it to cool slightly so you don't scramble the egg), add the egg, brown sugar, vanilla, and stir to combine. Add the flour, salt, and stir until just combined, taking care not to over-mix or the bars will be tough. Fold in 3/4 cup white chocolate chips, 1/2 cup cranberries, optional orange zest, and stir to combine. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing it lightly with a spatula or offset knife if necessary.

Bake for 18 to 21 minutes, and center is set and golden or until edges begin to slightly pull away from sides of pan, or a toothpick comes out clean; do not overbake. Allow bars to cool before frosting them. While they cool, make the frosting.

Frosting and Topping

In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the white chocolate on high power, about 1 minute, reheating in 10-second intervals, or until it can be stirred smooth. White chocolate is notorious for scorching so melt it very carefully, and slowly, heating in quick bursts, and keep a watchful eye; use a double boiler if that's easier.

To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine cream cheese, about three-quarters of the melted white chocolate (about 3/4 cup, just eyeball it), 2 cups confectioners' sugar (I don't sift it because any tiny lumps will be covered up by sprinkled cranberries and white chocolate drizzle), vanilla, and beat until smooth and fluffy. Start by mixing on low speed so sugar doesn't spray, and then beat on medium-high for about 3 minutes. Mixture will seem stiff at first but will loosen and fluff up after 2 to 3 minutes of beating on medium-high; stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add additional confectioners' sugar (I used about 2 3/4 cups, I like it on the thicker side) based on taste preference and desired frosting consistency. Frost the bars; if you have excess, it will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 1 month.

Evenly sprinkle 1/2 cup cranberries over the top of the frosted bars. Evenly drizzle bars with remaining melted white chocolate, reheating for a few seconds in the microwave if it has set up. Allow bars to set up for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Cranberry Orange Biscotti. . . {3}

This morning I was most certainly in the mood to bake. I decided that biscotti sounded amazing. So here is a very simple treat to make for your friends and families during this wonderful time of year. It turned out so delicious.

Cranberry Orange Biscotti

1/4 cup light olive oil

3/4 cup white sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 eggs

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup slivered almonds

3 tbsp. orange zest

Directions:

1.	Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2.	In a large bowl, mix together oil and sugar until well blended. Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts, then beat in the eggs. Combine flour, salt, and baking powder; gradually stir into egg mixture. Mix in cranberries, orange zest, and almonds by hand.
3.	Divide dough in half. Form two logs (12x2 inches) on a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Dough may be sticky; wet hands with cool water to handle dough more easily.
4.	Bake for 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until logs are light brown. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
5.	Cut logs on diagonal into 3/4 inch thick slices. Lay on sides on parchment covered cookie sheet. Bake approximately 8 to 10 minutes, or until dry; cool.

Smitten by Baking. . .{28}

Today was one of those days, I was so in the mood to bake. I am smitten by baking! One of my favorite things to make in the fall is homemade bread. Oh yum yum, it is so wonderful. Just wanted to share a little Banana Bread recipe that I made today, it is so delicious! Definitely a favorite of mine. Give it a try, or take some time to bake something you love.

Banana Bread

1 1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter (1 stick, softened)

Mix these ingredients together in a bowl.

2 eggs

Add this to the sugar and butter mixture.

4 mashed bananas

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla

Add these to the sugar, butter, and egg mixture.

2 1/2 cups of flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

Gradually add. Stir in just until moistened.

Grease the pan(s) of your choice. Pour the bread batter into them. (I made one big loaf and two smaller to give away)

Put rack on lowest level. Bake at 350* for an hour/hour&half.

Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

Smitten by Breakfast for Dinner kind of nights. . .{8}

Today was just one of those days. Busy craziness of life caught up with me! And it came time for dinner and I was thinking, what could I possibly make that will be easy and amazing? And it became one of those breakfast for dinner kind of nights. These waffles did end up taking a second to make, but it was so worth it. Make sure you throw in some chocolate chips and strawberries, yummm! So thankful for nights where you can relax, make waffles, and enjoy time with family. Definitely give these a try, hope you enjoy!!!!!

 

Oh, So Wonderful Waffles

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

3 egg yolks

2 cups buttermilk

3 egg whites

Directions:

	Preheat waffle iron. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
	In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks. Blend in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk.
	In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter, then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain.
	Spray waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray, or lightly brush with oil. Ladle the batter onto preheated waffle iron. Cook the waffles until golden and crisp. Serve immediately.

Preheat waffle iron. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks. Blend in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk.

In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter, then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain.

Spray waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray, or lightly brush with oil. Ladle the batter onto preheated waffle iron. Cook the waffles until golden and crisp. Serve immediately.

Pumpkin Spice Cake. . .

Here is the recipe for this super amazing Pumpkin Spice Cake. It was oh so yummy. Such a good fall dessert, hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

2 cups white sugar

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups canned pumpkin

4 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 12x18 inch pan. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. 
  In a large bowl combine sugar and oil. Blend in vanilla and pumpkin, then beat in eggs one at a time. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in nuts. Spread batter into prepared 12x18 inch pan. 
  Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting

(2) 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese (softened)

1/2 cup butter (softened)

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla 

In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.

A Chili and Cornbread kind of night. . .

I made this recipe a couple weeks ago and absolutely fell in love! It was oh so yummy. What a perfect idea for a cool fall night! It was so easy to make, and the chili is only 100 calories per serving with 14g of protein! I'm trying to cut back on calories and this is a perfect meal to make. Yum yum, hope you enjoy!

Black Bean and Pork Tenderloin Slow Cooker Chili

1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 2

inch strips

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

1 small red bell pepper, coarsely chopped

3 (15 ounce) cans black beans

1 (16 ounce) jar salsa

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons chili powder

 

Combine pork tenderloin, onion, red pepper, black beans, salsa, chicken broth, oregano, cumin, and chili powder in a slow cooker. Set to Low and cook for 8 to 10 hours. Break up pieces of cooked pork to thicken the chili before serving.

Cornbread Muffins

1 can cream corn (use about 3/4 of a large can)

1 (11 oz.) can sweet corn (Green Giant Niblets)

1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 box of Krusteaz Cornbread Mix (17.5 oz.)

Sprinkle of marjoram spice

 

Combine and pour into greased muffin pans. Bake at 350* for 40-45 minutes or until tops are lightly brown.

Baked Apple Chips. . .

Fall is finally here!!!!! Oh my, how I love apple season. Means so much more baking and cooking, love love love. I actually found this on A Beautiful Mess by Elsie and Emma. They have an incredible blog, check it out! But I just absolutely LOVED this recipe, and decided to share! Hope you enjoy and have a happy Monday!

First, pick out 2-4 beautiful apples. Mine are fresh picked from Sky Top Orchard, yummy goodness! Then preheat your oven to 350*.

The next part is to THINLY slice the apples, it is difficult and they may not be perfectly thin the first couple of tries. It takes practice! You will soak them in 4 cups of either apple juice or water, and 1 tsp of cinnamon. Water saves on the sugar, and since I am attempting to be more healthy this fall, I went with the water.

Now you will get a baking pan and line it with a cooling rack. This helps the heat cover every apple slice and dries it out faster. You will bake your apples at 350* for about 30 minutes. After this, you will take the apples out, turn the oven off and let it cool. After the oven has cool, put the pan back in for 6-8 minutes to dry them out even more. Then your apples are ready! Put them in an air tight container to keep out moisture, and most importantly, enjoy this little fall snack! Thanks again to Elsie and Emma for this recipe!

Apple & Cinnamon Oatmeal

So. I have decided that having oatmeal in the fall on a cool morning is just splendid. I love it so much! It is just a healthier option, and I love adding flavor to the typical, bland oatmeal. Here is a little recipe for you to try, it takes like two seconds more to add in the apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg. By the time you microwave it or cook it on your stove top, the heat cooks the apples and it tastes just oh so wonderful. Love love love. 

Apple and Cinnamon Oatmeal
1/2 cup Quaker Oats Oatmeal
1/4-1/2 cup Milk (you choose!)
1 tsp+ Cinnamon (your preference)
Sprinkle Nutmeg lightly
1/2 apple

Peel and core an apple, and dice it into little chunks like you see in the picture. Get a bowl and mix all of these ingredients together. Do the spices to your taste. Add more or less depending on what you like best. Either heat on the stove top for a couple minutes, or put it in the microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds. After it is heated, add sugar and enjoy!
Easiest recipe EVER. Haha I am so thankful for this because my mornings can be so crazy. And this is perfect for fall time breakfasts!

Apple Crisp Bars. . .

So, it's that time of year. . .Fall. Ah the weather lately has been just absolutely so beautiful and gorgeous!!! Tonight I had some free time, and decided that it was time to do some baking. My family wanted me to do Apple Crisp Bars, and it seemed very appropriate for the season. I thought I'd share because they were just way too yummy... Happy baking, enjoy this amazing weather!

Ingredients

• 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chopped apple
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x9 inch pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix together melted butter, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup of white sugar with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in the egg and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture until just combined, then stir in the apples and walnuts. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. In a cup or small bowl, stir together the remaining cinnamon and sugar; sprinkle over the top of the bars.**Optional: you could also use butter, flour, sugar, and cinnamon to make a crumb topping like I did. Just use a pastry cutter and mix all of these topping ingredients together.
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in preheated oven; finished bars should spring back when lightly touched. Cool in the pan, and cut into squares.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 143 | Total Fat: 5.7g | Cholesterol: 21mg

Summer Squash. . .

Our garden has been overflowing with fresh veggies this summer, and one of my most favorites is squash. I found a great way to cook them, and it was so easy and yummy!

Here are your ingredients: 1 squash, garlic powder, Parmesan Cheese, olive oil, and oregano seasoning. Make sure you preheat your oven to 350*.

Cut up your squash into several slices, then lightly brush each slice with olive oil.

Sprinkle Parmesan Cheese and garlic powder lightly over all the slices.

Sprinkle the oregano and a pinch of pepper over the squash. Stick the pan into the oven at 350* for 8-10 minutes. After 8 minutes, poke the squash with a knife. If it is firm, leave it in for 2 more minutes. It will be done cooking if it is soft. Let the squash cool for about a minute after you take it out of the oven.

Here's my lunch for today!!!!!! Ah, so yummy. I had my squash with grilled chicken & tomatoes with a side of toasted wheat bread & hummus. And the best part was that it was easy and oh so yummy!!!!!!

Blueberry Icecubes. . .

Today, I got to hang out with my bestie Kendall Kay. We had a long day and couldn't think of a better way to relax than with truffles and sweet tea with blueberry ice cubes. Kendall made the ice cubes earlier today, and they were so yummy!!!!! Just filling the ice cube tray with a couple of blueberries before adding the water made them so much yummier. Such a good idea for a summer drink!