Cranberry Bliss Bars

Cranberry Bliss Bars

Have you ever stared through the glass case at Starbucks, longing after those luscious cranberry covered beauties, while thinking, “I’m already spending $5.00 (not to mention the calories!) on my coffee...”, so you passed over them while they called your name, beckoning you to return?  I know I have.  I am so proud of myself every time I ignore those crimson jeweled triangles as they whisper, “Chelsea, Chelsea”.  But I could resist no longer.  This year I had to cave.  So instead of giving into the tart and tantalizing triangles behind the Starbucks case, I made some of my very own!  Now I can have them with my coffee every day (perhaps I should have told people a size larger when I mentioned clothing for Christmas…)!  If you love cranberries, please make these.  I promise they will make your mouth sing and your soul feel glad this Christmas season.  I found the blondie recipe from Taste of Home.  I appologize I do not have any process pictures; I was slacking...but here is what I did to construct this delectable Christmas treat:

Ingredients

Blondies
¾ Cup butter

1 ½ Cups light brown sugar, packed

2 Eggs

¾ Teaspoon vanilla

2 ¼ Cups flour

1 ½ Teaspoons baking powder

¼ Teaspoon salt

1/8 Teaspoon cinnamon

½ Cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped

6 Ounces white chocolate chips

Frosting
4 Ounces butter, softened

4 Ounces cream cheese, softened

2 Cups powdered sugar

1 Teaspoon vanilla

Topping
½ Cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped

4 – 5 Ounces white chocolate chips

Zest from 1 orange

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare a 9 x 13 pan by spraying with cooking spray.  I also put parchment paper into the pan, cut large so that it hung off the sides, so I could remove the blondie bar from the pan easily when it had cooled.  Just press it against the spray so it sticks to the pan, and then spray the top of the parchment for good measure. J

Step 2

Melt the butter for the blondies and combine it with the brown sugar.  Allow it to cool enough that it won’t scramble your eggs.  Then add the eggs and vanilla and let them combine with the butter mixture.  Then add the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and mix until they are just combined.  Then add the cranberries and chocolate.

Step 3

Spread the batter in your pan and bake the blondies for 18 – 22 minutes (mine took closer to 22), or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let them cool on a wire rack, OR, if you are like me and are utterly impatient, throw them in the fridge to cool for awhile!  But don’t be like me.  Patience is a virtue, don’tcha know?

Step 4

Prepare the frosting by beating the cream cheese and butter together.  Then add the powdered sugar and mix until it is creamy.  Then add the vanilla.

Step 5

Remove the blondies from the pan if you want to be fancy, or just leave them in the pan.  Either way, go ahead and frost them!  Then sprinkle the ½ cup of chopped cranberries on top.

Step 6

Using a double boiler, and making sure the boiling water does not touch the bottom of your chocolate bowl or pan, melt the white chocolate with the orange zest.  When it has melted, drizzle it on top of your blondies.  When the chocolate has cooled, you can slice the blondies into rectangles, triangles…or heck…just eat the whole pan!  They are THAT GOOD! J

Merry Christmas, my fellow foodies!

Black Bean Soup

Black Bean Soup

It’s December!  Where has 2011 gone?  It feels like just a couple months ago we were celebrating Independence Day with hot dogs and fireworks, but here we are…in the throes of Christmas preparations (and I’m loving every minute of it!).  After the delicious, but oh-so-un-waist-friendly Thanksgiving festivities and in between the thigh dwelling Christmas cookies, I decided dinner should be something healthful yet hearty.  I absolutely love Panera’s black bean soup and decided to create a knock-off of it to provide a flavorful, filling and low calorie dinner option!  Boy was it a success!  Lots of flavor, while fantastically low calorie.  Served with some baguette slices and a salad, you’ve got yourself a meal!

Ingredients
Olive oil

2 Onions, chopped

¾ Cup carrot, chopped

2 Ribs celery, chopped

1 Poblano, seeds removed and chopped

8 Cloves garlic, minced

4 Teaspoons cumin

2 Jalapenos, chopped – seeds removed if you don’t want the heat

4 15-to-16 oz. cans black beans, undrained

2 15-oz. cans petite diced tomatoes in juice

3 Cups low sodium chicken stock

2 Tablespoons cilantro, plus more for garnish

Step 1

This recipe begins as most of my recipes do, with vegetable prep!  Go ahead and chop the onions, carrot, celery, poblano, garlic and jalapenos. 

When it came to the jalapenos, I decided to remove the seeds from one and not from the other.  I like some heat, but not too much.  But you can do whatever your little heart desires!  Oh, and while you’re at it, you might as well chop the cilantro for later too.

Step 2

Heat about 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add the onion, carrot, poblano and celery.  Sauté the vegetables for about 6 minutes, or until they begin to soften.  Then add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.  Mix in the cumin and jalapenos. 

Then add the beans, tomatoes and stock and bring the soup to a boil.  When it boils, reduce the heat to medium and cover for about 15 minutes, or until the carrots are softened.  Add the cilantro.

Step 3

Remove the soup from and heat.  Take about 5 cups of beans and vegetables from the soup (it's okay to get some of the liquid too) and set aside.  Then use an immersion blender, blender or food processor to puree the rest of the soup until it is smooth. 

Combine the puree and whole vegetables in the pot again and simmer another 15 minutes, uncovered.  Season with salt to taste and serve with a cilantro garnish.

Enjoy!  Happy shopping and cookie baking!