Cranberry Crisp Bars

This recipe turned out much different than I had planned, but it was still really good.  I had been hoping to create a coffee cake with a crispy cranberry struesel.  However, I didn't check my pantry for ingredients before I started my baking-oops!

After making the struesel, I went to the pantry to grab a box of French Vanilla cake mix and was bummed when I realized I didn't have one.

So I got out one of my favorite church cook books and found a recipe for a cake - Grandma Cake to be exact.  It has to be good with a name like that, right?!

They were yummy warm out of the oven with ice cream.  And they were nice and crunchy the next morning for breakfast (no ice cream!)

 

Cranberry Crisp Bars

3 cups Cranberry Crisp Cereal

3/4 c. brown sugar

1+1/2 tsp. cinnamon

2/3 c. butter, melted

Mix this all together in medium bowl.  Set aside.

For Cake:

2 c. sugar

1/4 c. butter, softened

2 eggs

2 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

1 T. cinnamon

Mix the above ingredients in a large bowl in the order given.  Mix well.  Place half of this mixture in a greased 9x13 baking dish.  Top with half of cereal mixture.  Spoon remaining cake mixture over that. And top with remaining cereal mixture.  Sprinkle 1 cup white chocolate chips over crisp.  Bake 40-50 minutes at 350 F.

Frosting Filled Bugle Bites

After making Egg Nog Thumbprint Cookies this Christmas I knew I wanted to try that fabulous frosting in or on something else.  As I was shopping at Meijer a few weeks I ago, I came upon a lone bag of Caramel Bugles sitting up on a shelf where it didn't belong.  I tossed it in my cart and became excited realizing that General Mills makes a caramel flavored bugle.  Plain bugles are yummy, I can't imagine how good they must be covered in sweet caramel.  And then I got more excited at the thought of filling those bugles with the frosting! 

I dipped some in melted white chocolate and chopped pecans - but after tasting them I decided I liked just a simple drizzle of melted milk chocolate.  They are a little time consuming to make, but they are a fun and yummy little treat!

Frosting Filled Bugle Bites

1 bag Caramel Bugles

1/4 c. butter, softened

1 c. powdered sugar

1-2 T. rum (mine was coconut flavored)

milk chocolate chips, melted - to drizzle

Mix together butter, powdered sugar and rum until creamy.  Pipe frosting into bugles (I used a frosting bag and tip).  Drizzle with melted chocolate.