Cranberry Bliss Bars

Cake
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup diced dried cranberries
6 ounces white chocolate, cut into chunks

Frosting
4-ounces cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup diced dried cranberries

Drizzled Icing
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons vegetable shortening

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Make cake by beating butter and brown sugar together with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla, ginger, and salt and beat well. Gradually mix in flour until smooth. Mix 3/4 cup diced dried cranberries and white chocolate into the batter by hand. Pour batter into a well-greased 9x13" baking pan. Use a spatula to spread the batter evenly across the pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until cake is light brown on the edges. Allow cake to cool.

3. Make frosting by combining softened cream cheese, 3 cups powdered sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. When the cake has cooled, use a spatula to spread frosting over the top of the cake.

4. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of diced cranberries over the frosting on the cake.

5. Whisk together 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, and shortening. Drizzle icing over the cranberries in a sweeping motion or use a pastry bag with a fine tip to drizzle frosting across the top of the cake.

6. Allow cake to sit for several hours, then slice the cake lengthwise (the long way) through the middle. Slice the cake across the width three times making a total of eight rectangular slices. Slice each of those rectangles diagonally creating 16 triangular slices.

Makes 16 bars.

Caramel Corn

I wanted a treat tonight but didn't have much to work with. We had microwave popcorn, but that alone wasn't going to do it for me! I needed something simple since it's after 10:00 p.m. and I'm still working on my lesson for church tomorrow *procrastinator* I found this recipe on Recipezaar.com and it was delicious! It wasn't pretty though so I didn't take a picture.

Easy No-Bake Caramel Popcorn:

Ingredients

• 1 (4 ounce) bag microwave popcorn
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine

Directions

1. Pop the microwave popcorn and set aside in a pan or bowl lined with wax paper.
2. Combine butter, brown sugar and salt together in a saucepan
3. Heat until completely melted.
4. Pour over popped corn immediately.May be eaten warm or cool
5. Enjoy!

Carmel Pecans

1/2 Cup Pecans
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp Butter

Mix butter and brown sugar together and bring to a boil. Add pecans and mix until creamy. Pour on parchment paper to dry. Sprinkle over ice cream. (Best with white chocolate gelato)

Balsamic Chicken & Alfredo

2 Chicken Breasts, sliced thin
1 Tbsp Oil
1/2 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbsp Honey
8 Oz Pasta
1 Cup Alfredo Sauce (try Rachel's recipe:))
Seasons to taste

Bring Balsamic and Honey to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Heat oil in skillet, add chicken and seasonings and cook through. Bring a pot of water to boil, add pasta, cook until al dente. Pour Alfredo over hot pasta. Serve with chicken and drizzle Balsamic glaze.

Its super yummy!

Cranberry Sauce

Already thinking about Thanksgiving :)

Ingredients:
1 c cranberries
2 T frozen concentrated O.J. (thawed)
1 1/4 t orange marmalade
1 t sugar

Directions:
Combine together in blender or food processor.

We double the recipe for larger parties because it just doesn't seem to make enough. I love this stuff! And it's totally worth buying a whole jar of orange marmalade even if you only use 1 1/4 teaspoon out of the whole jar!

Egg and Bacon Pie

Old family favorite (taken from MyFamily)

Egg and Bacon Pie
Ingredients:
1 double pie crusts
8 eggs
1/2-3/4 c. milk
Salt and pepper to taste
 bacon (crisped) or ham...or sausage
shredded cheese (optional)
Directions:
Chop up bacon and spread in bottom of prepared pie pastry, pour egg mixture over bacon, put  pastry on top and seal around the edges and cook at 350* about 1/2 hr. or until golden brown.

Number Of Servings:8 servings

Egg and Bacon Pie

Old family favorite :)

Ingredients:
2 double pie crusts (prepare 2 pie tins)
8 eggs
1/2-3/4 c. milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. bacon (crisped) or ham...or sausage
shredded cheese (optional)

Directions:
Chop up bacon and spread in bottom of prepared pie pastry, pour egg mixture over bacon, put 2nd pie pastry on top and cook at 350* about 1/2 hr. or until golden brown.

Number Of Servings:12-16

Alfredo Sauce (Tastes like Olive Garden's)

Ingredients:
1/2 C Butter
2 Cloves Garlic
2 C Heavy Cream
1/8 tsp Pepper
Pinch of Salt
1 1/2 C grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions:
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium/low heat.Add the garlic, cream, pepper and salt, and bring mixture to a simmer. Turn the heat down if the mixture reaches a rapid boil or it could boil over. You just want a simmer. Add the cheese, and continue to simmer sauce for 8 min. or until thick.

I will usually add more cheese to make it thicker. Sometimes Mark will add a mixture of equal amounts of water and corn starch to thicken as well.

White Chicken Chili

Ingredients:3 cans navy beans (Don't Drain)4 cloves garlic, minced
½ c. butter
¼ c. flour
¾ c. chicken broth
2 c. half & half
1 tsp. tabasco
1½ tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
8 oz. can chopped green chilies
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped
1½ c. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
½ c. sour cream

Directions:
Saute garlic in 2 tsp. butter, brown chicken. Add remaining butter & whiskin flour.
Add broth and half & half, stirring constantly. Simmer for 5minutes. Stir in spices and then add everything except for the sour cream.Simmer for 20 minutes. Just before serving add sour cream.

I got this recipe from an old coworker. It is really yummy with tortilla chips!

Crockpot Beefy Taco Bean Soup

2 lbs. rump roast (I use either hamburger or boneless/skinless chicken breasts)
1 pk taco seasoning
1 can Mexican style diced tomatoes (15 oz.)
1 small can green chiles
1 can tomato sauce (8 oz)
1 onion - chopped
2 beef bouillon cubes (I have also used beef stock which makes it a little less chili-like - but still very tasty!)
2 cans red kidney beans, (15 oz. each), rinsed, drained
Shredded cheddar cheese

Cut roast into bite sized chunks. Roll in taco seasoning and add to crock pot. Then add the tomatoes, chiles, tomato sauce, onion, and bouillon cubes. Cover and cook on LOW 6 hours or until meat is tender.

Add the drained beans and cook until the beans are heated through; around 30 minutes. Serve topped with cheese, and/or the toppings that you like. (I like to top it with sour cream, guacamole, olives and cheese. Then I cut flour tortillas into triangles and fry them up like chips - use that instead of a spoon - DELISH!)

I found this recipe at Cooking Cache.