holidays

Orange Cranberry White Chocolate Bars

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Each year, I search and search for a recipe to send out with my Christmas cards. I found a similar recipe to this, tweaked it just a bit, and perfection was born. These have a ton of great flavor…they are a little sweet and a whole lot of delicious! You can use light or regular cream cheese for the frosting, add a little more or a little less orange zest, depending on your taste. Completely customizable to your tastes.  Plus, they turn out really pretty. Great for a holiday cookie exchange, gifts to neighbors, or to devour yourself! They are ah-maz-ing!! ~Kathy

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Blondie:

  • 1 stick (8 Tablespoons) butter
  • 1 1/3 c. packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. freshly grated orange zest
  • 2 1/8 c. flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 c. dried cranberries, coarsely chopped (this helps distribute them more evenly throughout
  • the batter)
  • 4 ounces white baking chocolate, coarsely chopped or 1/2 ­ 2/3 cup white chocolate chips

Frosting / Topping:

  • 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened (regular or light)
  • 3/4 c. powdered sugar
  • Pinch salt
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp. freshly grated orange zest
  • 4 oz. white baking chocolate, melted
  • 1/2 c. dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

Instructions: 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F and lightly grease a 9×13 ­inch pan with cooking spray.
  2. In a microwave­-safe bowl, melt the butter.
  3. Stir in the brown sugar until well­-combined.
  4. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla extract and orange zest.
  5. Stir in the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon until well combined; then fold in the cranberries and white chocolate.
  6. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
  7. Bake for 18­-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist (not gooey) crumbs. Do NOT over bake!!!
  8. Let the bars cool completely in the pan.
  9. For the frosting, using an electric mixer (handheld or stand mixer), beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and salt together until light and fluffy (about 2­-3 minutes).
  10. Mix in the vanilla.
  11. Add about half of the melted chocolate and mix until creamy.
  12. Spread the frosting onto the cooled bars.
  13. Sprinkle with cranberries and orange zest and drizzle the remaining white chocolate over the top. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set.
  14. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Christmas Cranberry Cobbler

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My sisters and I have a love for all things cranberry. I even love the cranberry ‘sauce’ that you must carefully remove from its can so that it retains that perfect can shape. With the holiday season about to be in full swing, I’m already planning which family get-together (or rare weekend at home) can be an excuse to make one of my favorites. This Christmas Cranberry Cobbler is the perfect combination of tart cranberries and a sweet cobbler topping. It’s great by itself or topped with a couple of scoops of your favorite vanilla ice cream. I’ve even been known to eat it for breakfast….cranberries are fruit, after all. ~Tracy

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Ingredients:
  • 2 12 oz. bags of fresh cranberries
  • ½ c. + 2 T. granulated sugar
  • ½ c. packed brown sugar
  • zest from 2 med. oranges
  • juice from 2 med. Oranges
  • 2 tsp. Corn starch

Ingredients for topping:

  • 1 ½ c. all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ c. brown sugar
  • ⅓ c. granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 ½ tsp. Baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 stick butter
  • ⅓ c. boiling water

Ingredients for sprinkle on top:

  • ¼ tsp. Cinnamon
  • 1 T. granulated sugar

Instructions: 

  1. Rinse cranberries and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
  2. Add orange zest and juice to cranberries. Stir in sugar, brown sugar, and cornstarch and combine the entire mixture. Set cranberries aside.
  3. In a separate medium mixing bowl for topping, combine flour, cinnamon, both sugars, salt, and baking soda.
  4. Chop the butter into small pieces and use a pastry cutter to combine it with the flour mixture until all is crumbly.
  5. Add boiling water and mix with the flour mixture until forms a thick doughish batter.
  6. Spoon the cranberries in a 9×13 casserole dish that you have sprayed with cooking spray. Be sure to transfer all of the juices.
  7. Dollop spoonsful of the batter over the top of the cranberries covering the top.
  8. Combine the ¼ tsp. of cinnamon and the tablespoon of sugar and sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter.
  9. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 for approximately 40 minutes.
  10. Allow to stand and thicken for approx. 15 minutes before serving.

Healthier Heavenly Hash (a.k.a. Ambrosia Salad)

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Our mom makes this at many holiday meals.  If you are from the South (or the Midwest, as we are) this is considered a side dish.  Let’s be honest though, it’s a dessert that’s socially acceptable to eat along with your meal.  What’s not to like about that?! Whether you choose to enjoy this as a side or as a dessert, you’ll find no judgement here.  It contains fruit, so it makes sense it could be either one, right?! Right. ~Erin

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Ingredients:

  • 1 (6 oz.) container plain non-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1 (20 oz.) can pineapple tidbits packed in juice, drained
  • 1 (23.5 oz.) jar mandarin slices, packed in juice, drained
  • 8 T. unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 2 ounces (1/4 of a regular sized container) of Fat Free Cool Whip
  • 1 ½ c. mini marshmallows

Instructions: 

  1. Mix Greek yogurt with pineapple tidbits.
  2. Gently stir in mandarin oranges, coconut, Cool Whip and mini marshmallows.
  3. Serve immediately.

Tip: If not serving immediately, set aside marshmallows and stir in just before serving.

WW Freestyle Info.: This recipe makes 7 half cup servings. Each serving is 4 points.