Giving Thanks

Okay.  I admit it.  Thanksgiving makes me think a little bit more about how thankful I am for my life.  I should probably be a little more mindful and think about how good I have it all the other days of the year, but if it takes a national holiday to get me going, so be it.

A few years ago, I was in a serious rut.  I knew I needed to do something but I didn't know what that something was.  Every time I came upon an idea, before I could even fully formulate what that idea was, I came up with at least 100 reasons why it wasn't a good idea.  Clearly, I needed to act.

And then, one day 528 posts ago, I decided to start a blog.  Who knew that all these posts later I would still be going strong.

I know that I've had my peaks and valleys with You Little Tarte.  Sometimes I post a lot and sometimes well, not so much.  The nice thing is that I know that even if I take a little breather, you'll all still be there waiting to see what I cook up next -- both literally and figuratively.

And for that I am thankful.


Recipe:  Cranberry Crumb Bars with Mulling Spices 
(Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman)

Note:  I am currently having a "photo problem", but I made these and rest assured that they are (1) beyond delicious, and (2) pretty as a picture.

Ingredients:

For the crumb:

16 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, plus more at room temperature for the pan
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1 large egg

For the filling:

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice
3 cups fresh cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, and butter the sides and the parchment. In a large, widish bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and spices. With a pastry blender or fork, work the chilled butter  and the egg into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Pat half the crumb base into the bottom of your prepared pan; it will be thin.

In the bowl of a food processor or blender, briefly pulse the filling ingredients until the berries are coarsely chopped but not pureed. Spread the filling over the crumb base. Sprinkle the remaining crumbs evenly over the cranberry mixture.

Bake cookies for 30 to 35 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Cool completely before cutting into squares.