12.20.2009

Bliss bars for all........

Oh....hello there.
I just came home from a lovely evening at a friends home...and we started in on the wine at 4 p.m.
which means....
i might have a bit of a hard time with the whole spell check thing...
thank goodness for spell check...
that's all i have to say about that.
Oh...and the cookes that i brought home are a whole different story...
15 girls...with 15 different variety of cookies.....
sheesh.....

oh....and i'm sitting here watching my all time favorite movie...
have you seen it...
The family stone?
I love that family.....i could sit here for hours on end....watching it over...and over...
and please don't get me started on how we moms love our boys...
grrrr...
let me grab a tissue...and be right back.



I'm back....
sniff...sniff.
Where was i.....
oh well....
let me just say i have the most fabulous recipe for you...
just don't tell anyone where you got it...
because if you do...
then i might be put away ...
in jail.....
jail.
As in ...the chokee...
{i guess you have to know the movie Matilda to know what a chokee is...}

I will deny that i gave you this recipe...
let me just say that i know "someone"...
someone who used to work for my beloved starbucks..
and i was given it in strict confidential....
the recipe...
this recipe...
Cranberry Bliss Bars...
for all...



























Bliss Bars:
{cake}
1 c. {2 sticks} butter, softened
1 1/4 c. light brown sugar softened
3 eggs
1 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1.5 c. all-purpose flour {I did not use the coveted trader joe's...just so you know}
3/4 c. diced dried cranberries
6 ounces white chocolate, cut into chunks
{frosting}
4- ounces cream cheese-softened
3 c. powdered sugar
4 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c. diced dried cranberries
*preheat oven to 350 degrees.
* make cake by beating butter and brown sugar together with a mixer until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla, ginger, salt, then beat well. Gradually mix in flour until smooth. Mix 3/4 c. diced dried cranberries and white chocolate into batter by hand. Pour batter into a well greased 9x13 in. baking pan. Use a spatula to spread the batter evenly across the pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cake is light brown on the edges.
Allow to cool completely.
*Make frosting by combining softened cream cheese, 3 c. powdered sugar, lemon Juice and vanilla extract in a medium bowl with a mixer until smooth. When the cake has cooled, use a spatula to spread frosting over the top of the cake.
*Sprinkle 1/4 cup of diced cranberries over the frosting on the cake.
*Allow the cake to sit for a few hours, then slice the cake lengthwise {the long way} through the middle. Slice the cake across the width three times making a total of 8 rectangular slices. Slice each of those rectangles diagonally creating 16 triangular slices.
Makes 16 bars.
*here are some changes that i made...and of course you don't have to...but it makes my life a bit easier:
I use the white chocolate chips instead of buying the fancy white chocolate...i also buy my cranberries in bulk at costco....and i also cut the bars in half so instead of 16...i can get 32 out of one pan.
But if you want them to look exactly like the ones...from say.....
starbucks...then go ahead and cut them as is.
I tend to make a double batch .......
because people are will be begging you where you found the recipe.
Enjoy!!
Now i'm going to go and wash the snot off my face from watching my movie back to back.....
xo








37 comments:

Leah C said...

Oh yummy...thank you so much for the recipe...and {sshhh} don't worry, I won't tell a soul! Loved that movie, The Family Stone. Makes me laugh & cry:) Have a very Merry Christmas!

Love the Decor! said...

Yum! Do we dare ask you to proof the recipe in the morning after the wine wears off to make sure you gave us the right amounts :)
LoL! Have a great week and Merry Christmas to you and your family!!

paula said...

this looks divine! next year is my year to learn how to cook, I hope.

Mary said...

Looks like I'll be going an extra 30 on the treadmill this week! I'm makin this baby with dried cherries tomorrow! Curse you for posting this. ~mary~

Unknown said...

Love, Love, Love the Family Stone and your bliss bars look just divine!

Blessings!
Chas @ http://onewomenshaven.blogspot.com/

Julie Harward said...

Thanks for the recipe...looks like a good one..I will make it this week for sure! You have a great week! Come say hi :D

1 Funky Woman said...

OMG The Family Stone is my all time favorite! My mother passed away in 2002 and someone gave me the movie and I have watched it a zillion times. I swear that is exactly my mom and our crazy family. I grab 2 boxes of kleenex when I watch it! I just love coming back to your blog!
Meg

Anonymous said...

Oh my these look so good! I will certainly have to try them in fact, the cranberries are already on the counter but I have to clean up from the 60 + loaves of sweet breads that I have been baking for the past few days!

blessings
mary

vicki archer said...

Yum....thank you Kasey for the recipe .....and I have shed a tear or two for that movie, xv.

Florence said...

I love those cranberry bliss bars, I will have to try your recipe. Thanks for sharing. Florence

FEDERICA said...

This looks great! YUM!
Happy new week!

adrienne said...

yum--i am so making these for christmas eve! and yes, love the family stone. have a great week!

Unknown said...

You know I would have loved to have gone...glad you had a good time...I guess with wine and cookies how could you not have a good time :) I'll have to make some of these famous cranberry bliss bars!!

Oh and don't worry about me, I had a great time with the hubby's family yesterday...got me some argile socks and purple sheets...

Happy Monday my friend!

:) T

paige said...

yummy!
nothing better than a blackmarket recipe, especially one that includes frosting!!

xo

Jo said...

Oh I am so going to make these! Hey, we started in on the wine at 3 for our cookie exchange ~ needed to stay warm for the impending blizzard that was coming! :)

Jo

Kelly Berkey said...

Kasey!
Wow, those cookies look amazing, they are my one true weakness...or is that vino? well, ok, one of my true weaknesses!!
Hugs,
Kelly
http://kellyberkeydesigns.blogspot.com

Room Service ~ Decorating 101 said...

I loved the family stone, but both my girls said that the mom in the movie was just like me! I was surprised by that, but I thought, oh, there just messing with me and then a friend ask me if I had seen the movie? She said D.K. is just like you in the movie...Needless to say, I watched it again!!!

traci said...

i love The Family Stone, just watched it last week and almost watched it again yesterday. yeah, i'm crying with you on the son thing. it's so true!!! thanks for the recipe. those look so yummy. kind of a lot of ingredients and steps for me. i am a 5 ingredient/step kind of baker. maybe i'll tell karlie to make them or i'll throw her in the chokee. lol!

Martha said...

I LOVE that movie...LOVE it!!! But I don't have any boys...hmmm...still love the movie though:)

Yummy recipe may I say...thank you!!!!

susan said...

those look DEVINE.
Thanks for sharing the secret recipe!
Susan

Jboo said...

Wow -- sounds yummy -- definitely going to print off your recipe! Love that movie the Family Stone too -- bought it for hubby (really me) and also bought him the Hangover -- wonder which one he'll like better?! Have a wonderful Christmas!

Janet

The Flying Bee said...

Yummy! Love that movie, too.

xo,
Adrienne

Linda Jo said...

I LOVE that movie, too! And you are soooooo right about us moms and our sons! I gotta make those bars...thank you oodles! Merry Christmas!

Wendy said...

Now, if I baked, I'd say thank you. Instead, let's just say I'll be waiting for a package of these wonderful bars to end up on the doorstep of my new home. hee hee!

Holly said...

OOOhhh these are sooo yummy!! thanks for the recipe!!

truly blessed said...

i'll have to add this to my holiday baking list. they sound marvelous! i'll add the movie to netflix too. :) thanks!
merry christmas kasey!
xo

littlebyrd said...

I love that movie too! And Love Actually....I watched that last night....so good. I am calling you this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mande said...

Thank you sooo much! Cannot wait to make these yummy bars. Happy Holidays to you & yours!

Cherry Blossoms said...

I am making this recipe right now {thank you so much for it!} just wondering how much vanilla goes into the cake and what temp to bake the cake at?
Thanks!

Lou Cinda @ Tattered Hydrangeas said...

Family Stone is also my all time very favorite movie!!! I watched it twice this weekend!! And yes, us mothers, our sons! I have two boys! I will fight to the death for them!!'

This recipe looks divine! I printed it out, but won't tell a soul where it came from!

Have a Great Christmas!!

Lou Cinda :)

Brenna LaPray said...

Looks so yummy! Okay so I'm FINALLY sending you a Birthday-Christmas-Anniversary any other special day inbetween gift!! They can't be sure you will get it before Christmas but it will be coming UPS! Thanks for being soooo patient with such a neurotic friend! Happy Holidays! Love you xoxo

Suzann said...

Okay, I am a Starbuck's junkie and I must must must make these bars. Once I get through this blasted holiday. I think they will be a delicious treat for New Year's.

LuLu said...

I haven't baked yet for Christmas but this recipe has pushed me into gear to bake! It looks soooo delicious!
can you believe i haven't seen the movie! I definitely need to see it,
xo,
LuLu

Sa-Sea said...

this is the best! i seriously go to starbucks every year and buy their whole box of these! I serve them on my own plate as if I made them! mmmmmmm!

Tracy ~Seeking Refinement~ said...

mmmmmmm. I haven't baked yet either - would be the perfect thing to kick off any baking this year.

loooove you!!

xoxoxo

PS - family stone - one of my FAV movies! I pray I create a family just like that!!

My Vintage Treasures said...

OK JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW MY 12 year old DAUGHTER MADE THESE FOR ME TODAY!!!

YUMMMY ;)

Thank you!!!

Andee said...

I was also wondering how much vanilla for the cake. Looks great, making it right now!