Cranberry Bliss Bars

(isn't this picture classic?? I love it...the little teeny-tiny-hand coming to swipe a "bite"...that's all she asks for is a "bite" and then proceeds to take the food and start running in the opposite direction. And what was I thinking trying to take a picture with a baby nearby??)

I made these the other night because my sister kept telling me during the holidays that I needed to (she's usually right about these things...like when she tells me that the legging skinny jeans are in and I need a pair...and I say "NO WAY - I will never NEVER EVER want to wear a pair of those - or the dumb boots that you tuck them in to!" And she just rolls her eyes and gets frustrated with her fashion backwards sister and walks away... then slowly I find myself looking around at the tall flat boots - but not the Jedi-warrior-kind, I draw the line right there - but now the dumb peg-leg pants start to make sense! And I will admit to having purchased just this past weekend, a pair of knee-high flat leather boots....this is huge for me...but I don't have the peg legging jeans yet... sheesh! these things take time - and I will put this in writing...no TOMS for me - just aren't for me...) She also told me that I HAD to make the Bloomin' Onion Bread (I'm trying to be good about bread intake...if you are also trying to be good about bread intake do NOT make this...don't even go over to LOOK at it...don't!) She was right...it was too die for - and proof-positive that everyone has weaknesses :)

So Cranberry Bliss Bars - found them on a blog she sent me (she's very good about blog forwarding too...)

They looked yummy - cranberry w/ some cream cheese and orange zest - and supposedly like the ones at Starbucks? (wouldn't know 'cause I've never been there.)

Try 'em out and let me know whatcha think:

Cake Base:

2 sticks of butter, softened (yes I used 1 stick and 1/2 cup of applesauce)

1 1/4 C brown sugar, packed (I only used 1 cup - such a FUN sucker-outer huh?! - now you know why "baking" isn't my thing...I always have to go and ruin it!)

*Cream together, then add:

3 eggs

1 t. vanilla

*Mix, then add:

1 t. ground powder ginger

1/4 t. salt

1 1/2 C flour

*Beat well, then fold in:

1/4 C minced dried cranberries

1/4 C quality white chocolate (I just chopped up some chips)

1/4 C minced candied ginger (DO NOT take a bit of these babies...UGH!! I was a bit scared so I only chopped up 3 of these - found them with the weird nuts/dried fruit stuff )

Bake in a 9x13 pan (I lined with parchment paper so I could just pull them out) for 20-25min or until golden brown (I don't recommend under baking - they were too soft).

Frosting: (after cake cools)

4oz. cream cheese

1 1/2 C powdered sugar

2 T butter

1 t vanilla

1 t orange rind

Beat together (hopefully your beater won't break during this step - like mine did- and you will end up with smooth frosting that doesn't run all over the place!)

Spread on bars.

Drizzle:

2T cranberry, minced

1/3 C white chocolate, melted

Sprinkle cranberries, then pour (scrape) chocolate into a little ziploc, cut the end and go crazy...I felt so domestic!

They were tasty - minus the soft dough (probably 'cause I cheated on the butter and sugar and slightly under baked them - they're more like cake not cookies.)

I'm glad I reduced the ginger a bit - which reminds me of the time that Matt wanted to name Laina "Ginger" (actually he wanted Virginia so we could call her Ginger.....)