Cranberry Dark Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Bars-Week 6

Oh my people, we are at week 6 of the 12 Weeks of Christmas cookies! I thought all week that this is week 5, it has been that kind of week. These weeks just keep going by quicker and quicker! I don't know about you, but I am excited to see all the Christmas decorations going up in the stores and I have noticed the holiday commercials starting to show up. :)



This week I needed something comforting and easy. I went back to the Oatmeal Raisin cookies I made for Week 2, subbed the raisins for dried cranberries and added some dark chocolate. I think I like cookie form better than the bar form, but the hubby loved them, even though he doesn't like cranberries.



Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Bars

Adapted from: Quaker Oats

1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups oats

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup dark chocolate chunks



Heat oven to 350°F.

In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats, cranberries and chocolate; mix well.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Trail Mix

This stuff is truly addicting! I made this last week and it only lasted 3 days! My kids loved it, the hubby liked it, and I loved it. I saw this chic on Foodtv make it, on the show that only uses 5 ingredients. I checked out the recipe online and read the reviews, they were all good reviews, went out to buy the stuff and made it. It was simple and didn't take alot of time at all. And, hey, it's healthy for you!

My husband is leaving for Haiti sometime this weekend. He is the 3rd group that will be rotating to go from our church. The first group leaves tomorrow. I am not sure what the plan is, they probably don't know until they get there, but I do know that they will be up in the mountains, not in PAP. Our church "adopted" and orphanage in Coq Chante, that housed 18 girls. The youngest, Atanie, didn't make it out. She was 4. The orphanage is destroyed. Here are a couple of pics.

Before the quake:

And after..

Even when these girls have lost everything, they are still joyful. They are scared, but it amazes me how they just continue to go. I am asking that you pray for safety for these guys that are going to help,and also all the relief workers that are there and will be going.

Ok, so back to this trail mix..it is super yummy, healthy, filling and addicting. I am making more this week! I think that you could probably use any type of dried fruit that you want, but I liked the tartness of the cranberries.

Cranberry Trail Mix
2 cups baby pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 cup slivered almonds
3/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
6 tablespoons pure Grade B maple syrup
Coarse salt
1 cup dried cherries or cranberries

Directions
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
In a large bowl, toss the pumpkin seeds, almonds, and sunflower seeds and the syrup until evenly coated. Spread the nuts and seeds out, in an even single layer, on the lined baking sheets and season with salt to taste. Bake the nuts, stirring several times with spatula or wooden spoon, until just golden, about 20 minutes.
Cool the nuts completely on the pan, then add the cherries and toss to combine. Store cooled trail mix in an airtight container at room temperature.

Cranberry-Orange Nut Bread

You know when you see a recipe that you just aren't sure of? Well, I found this recipe on the back of our Ingle's Grocery Store weekly sale ad. Sometimes, I don't trust the ones that aren't by a famous chef, or a legit cookbook. I had a bowl full of fresh cranberries that were just screaming to be used, and I figured what will it hurt? The worse thing that could happen would be that it would be awful and find a home in the trash can. The mix came together quickly, smelled fantastic while baking and looked pleasing when it came out of the oven. I had a little leftover orange juice, so I mixed up a little orange glaze to pour over the top. I let it set for a little bit, sliced off a little slice and prepared my taste buds for disappointment. We, the taste buds and myself, were shocked to discover that this little slice was actually not bad. In fact, it is really, really good! Tart from the cranberries, citrusy from the orange zest and juice, and moist. I am so glad that I made it!

Now is the time to start the Christmas baking. Whether it be for the holiday cookie swap, gift baskets, or just because you are in the holiday spirit. This will be one that I add to the list. Mini loaves of this will be perfect for that little gift for a special friend.

Cranberry-Orange Nut Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp grated orange zest
3/4 cup orange juice
2 Tbsp shortening
1 egg, well beaten
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped nuts, I used pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in orange juice, orange zest, shortening and egg. Mix until well blended. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Spread evenly in loaf pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely. Wrap and store overnight. (I skipped that part)

This was fantastic with the orange glaze. I mixed powdered sugar and orange juice together until I got the consistency I wanted and drizzled over the bread.

Cranberry Shortbread for a cause

My friend Ley from Cilantro and Lime has decided to host her first blog event, and it is a mighty good one. Baking for breast cancer awareness. She is trying to get the work spread more about breast cancer awareness. There are so many people effected by this disease and it does not discriminate against anyone. It effects, mothers, sisters, daughters, aunts, grandmothers, friends, cousins and sometimes men. I have lost an aunt to this disease and my grandmother, aunt and cousin are survivors.




I chose to bake Cranberry Shortbread for a couple of reasons, 1) I have never made shortbread and 2) cranberries are supposed to be really healthy for you. I found this recipe from a Martha Christmas cookie magazine from a few years ago and they were cut out like hearts. I will be making this again for Christmas baskets and maybe I will shape them into little trees. But, for this month, they will be for Breast Cancer Awareness.




Cranberry Shortbread

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sifted confectioner's sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup finely chopped dried cranberries


Preheat oven to 325 degrees with a rack in center. Put butter, sugar, vanilla, flour, and salt in large mixing bowl. Stir together with a wooden spoon until combined but not too creamy. Stir in dried cranberries.

Press dough evenly into an 8-inch square baking pan. Bake until firm and pale golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack, about 20 minutes. Run a knife around edges; remove shortbread, and transfer, right side up, to work surface. Cut into desired shape.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Muffins

I saw this recipe on a forum that I am a member, and it was originally made with raspberries, but for some reason cranberries popped into my mind and sounded really good with this recipe. And I was right. I had some cranberries in the freezer and this was a perfect way to use them. But, I really didn't realize that cranberries would float in batter! I love these and have eaten 1 every morning for breakfast. I like the tartness of the cranberries with the cream cheese and sweetness of the muffin. The hubby does not like cranberries, but liked the muffin and thought they would be good with blueberries. I bet they would!

Cranberry Cream Cheese Muffins

3 ounces cream cheese

3 eggs

1 c. sugar

1 c. milk

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

6 Tbsp. butter

2 c. flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. cranberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease the muffin tins or line with paper cups. In a small bowl, beat together until smooth the cream cheese with one egg, 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla and set aside.

In a saucepan, combine the milk, butter, and one tsp vanilla. Stir over medium heat until the butter melts. Cool until warm to the touch, then beat in the remaining two eggs. In large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and remaining sugar. Add the milk mixture and stir just to blend. Fold in the cranberries. Divide the batter equally among the muffin cups. Spoon about 2 tsp cream cheese mixture on top of each muffin. Pull knife through each top to swirl slightly. Bake about 20 minutes or until top springs bake when lightly touched.

Cranberry Upside Down Cake

It finally feels like fall here, after having 90 degree weather for so long, it is now in the 60's, and it is the last week of October. Crazy, I know!! There is nothing better than cranberries, and pumpkin..that will come later...that says "Fall is finally here!" If you like tart and sweet, here is a great one to try. This cake is moist, sweet, with a hint of cinnamon, with the buttery and tart topping. You can use pecans in the topping also, if you choose. I chose not to use the pecans.

Cranberry Upside Down Cake
Topping:
2/3 Cup packed brown sugar
1/3 Cup butter
1 1/4 Cups cranberries
1/2 Cup chopped pecans

Cake:
1/2 cup butter, room temp
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 Cup sour cream
1 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap the outside of a 9 inch spring form pan with aluminum foil to prevent leaking. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar and 1/3 cup of butter. Bring to a boil, then pour into bottom of spring form pan. Sprinkle with cranberries and pecans.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat int he eggs one at at time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto serving platter and carefully remove pan. Serve warm.