Azoresgal~Life on an Island

These bars are in a word...amazing!  They are a  combination of a blondie base packed with white chocolate & cranberries,  topped with a cream cheese frosting then sprinkled with a few more bits of  cranberry for good measure and white chocolate drizzled over the entire thing. Oh my, just describing them makes me want to eat one or two!They are super rich, so you may want  to cut them into small pieces. Smaller pieces just means you can have more than one.  Enjoy! Ingredients Bars: 1 cup  butter, melted 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon orange extract ( I used orange zest) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 cups all purpose flour 1 cup white chocolate chips 3/4 cup dried cranberries Frosting and Topping: 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 1/2 teaspoon orange extract ( I used orange zest) 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/3...

Well here it is another Christmas day ! I hope you are enjoying a beautiful day with your families where ever it is you may be ! We are all still in our pyjamas, watching movies, enjoying new gifts, and just relaxing. I do not know about you , but I am really exhausted, I feel like I was hit by a truck. I gave it my all this week, really just trying to do and make or bake all of my kids favorite things. It's what I love most about Christmas, getting everything ready for them, in the hopes that many, many years from now, they may stop and remember, "that´s how mom used to make it". Find myself a bit overwhelmed, I admit that baking gingerbread cookies this year, was something I had crossed off the to do list. Somehow I thought it was something the kids would not miss, boy was I wrong, yesterday mid afternoon, Simon asked, "when are we baking the gingerbread cookies?" I told him "we already have so many other things on the dessert table, we can leave them ou...

The Nanaimo bar, whose origins are said to be from Nanaimo, British Columbia is one of Canada´s much loved desserts. It is certainly one of my all time favorites! Sooooo why is it, that I never make them? I will tell you why....because they are down right dangerous! Do not be fooled by these little no-bake squares, they are pure evil, in an ohhhh soooooo delicious way. They are creamy and crunchy and chocolaty all at the same time. I made these babies yesterday, it's only one little tin, it is sitting in my fridge, and I can hear them calling me, you know like in the film Jumangi! You know what I mean! If you have never had them, you are in for a treat, they are amazing ! Please do not be discouraged by what seems like alot of steps, they are very easy to make, and so worth it, I promise ! Crust Layer: ½ cup butter, softened 5 tbsp cocoa powder ½ cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla 1 egg, lightly beaten 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs ( marie cookies work) ½ cup chopped ...

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar 3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened 3 eggs 1 1/2 cups white sugar 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/4 cup lemon juice confectioners’ sugar for decoration Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan. Combine the flour, 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, and butter. Pat dough into prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until slightly golden. While the crust is baking, whisk together eggs, white sugar, flour, and lemon juice until frothy. Pour this lemon mixture over the hot crust. Return to the preheated oven for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Dust the top with confectioners’ sugar. Cut into squares. Enjoy, Diana