Love and eating are what the holidays are all about!
Whitley
Cox - Contemporary Erotic Romance -For the Curious Kink in all of Us.
Whitley shares her holiday recipe.
Cranberry Bliss Bars – BETTER THAN STARBUCKS!
And cheaper too!
For years I would make it a sinful habit to
treat myself at least once a week to a cranberry bliss bar and a chai tea latte
with egg nog, because they’re only around for a short time, so the belly needs
to stock up. But then I decided to try and make my own, that way I could eat a
whole pan if I wanted to, and in the comfort of my own home (in the dark in a
corner with crumbs all over my face…you get the picture). And voila, I found
the perfect recipe that mimics the original, if not improves upon it. Now I
just have to figure out how to copy their chai lattes with egg nog and I never
have to leave my house again!
Recipe
Cranberry
Bliss Bars
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat
the oven to 350 degrees (325 for a glass or dark pan). Prepare a 10x15 by
lining it with parchment paper or use a non-stick spray.
- BARS:
With an electric mixer, beat together softened butter and sugars 3-5
minutes until light; gently blend in eggs and orange extract (don't
overbeat eggs). Add the flour, baking powder, and ginger and beat briefly.
Add the cranberries and chips, stirring just until incorporated.
- Spread
thick batter in prepared 10x15 pan. Bake 350 for 20-24 minutes until light
brown AT EDGES and a skewer tests clean. Don't overbake or your bars will
be dry. Let it cool completely. NOTE: If you use a 9x13 pan, the bars will
be thicker and will take 26-28 minutes.
- FROSTING:
Blend cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add orange extract and
confectioners sugar and beat until frosting is fluffy and spreadable
(adding 1 t. milk if needed). Spread evenly over COOLED bars.
- GARNISH:
Use a zester to remove rind from an orange; sprinkle zest over frosted
bars. Chop 1/3 cup Craisins coarsely; sprinkle over frosted bars.
- DRIZZLE:
Mix white chocolate and oil in a glass measuring cup. Microwave 1 minute;
stirring every 15 seconds until melted. Use a fork or whisk to drizzle the
white chocolate diagonally across the bars.
- Allow
one hour for the white chocolate to set before cutting. **To make signature
Starbuck triangles, cut into 20 large squares (5 cuts by 4 cuts with the
knife). Then cut each square in half diagonally to create triangles.
Ingredients
· BARS
- 1cup butter (2 sticks, very soft)
- 1cup brown sugar (some cooks reduce this to 2/3
cup)
- 1⁄3cup granulated sugar
- 3large eggs
- 2teaspoons
orange extract or 2 teaspoons vanilla
extract
- 2cups flour
- 1 1⁄2teaspoons baking powder
- 1teaspoon ground ginger
- 3⁄4cup craisins (dried cranberries)
- 3⁄4cup white chocolate chips
· FROSTING
- 3ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2tablespoons butter, softened
- 3cups confectioners' sugar
- 1teaspoon
orange extract (or vanilla)
· TOPPING
- 1⁄3cup craisins, chopped
- 1
-2tablespoon grated orange rind
- 1⁄3cup white chocolate chips
- 1⁄2teaspoon canola oil
Love, Passion and Power: Part 1
The Dark and Damaged Hearts Series Book 1
January 29, 2017
Blurb
He was her beginning; she was his
undoing.
When personal
trainer Kendra Black saw millionaire Justin Williams walk through her door all
she saw was money and a practiced swagger. A man who's used to getting what he
wants, especially when it comes to women. But Kendra is startled to realize
that there is more to Justin than meets the eye, he’s kind and funny and
brilliant, and she wants him, desperately. Unable to resist Kendra or her fiery
spirit and zest for life, right from the start, Justin pursues her, only her
troubled childhood holds her back. She’s been running from love for so long,
she doesn’t know how to stop and let it catch up.
Elated when
Kendra finally gives into their attraction, Justin jumps in with both feet,
only his hectic and demanding life continues to interfere, and Kendra’s past
comes creeping back and the two are tested. When the couple embarks on a
daring, passionate and physical adventure, Justin discovers Kendra’s secrets
and fears while exploring and uncovering his own wild and dark desires.
Excerpt
I turned my head around as I continued up the
path and his smile was adorably cocky, shit-eating and amused beyond words. So
I quickly spun back around to face the path, wondering if I should give him the
satisfaction of playing into his comment and questioning it or if I should play
my own game and ignore him, let him sweat -I’m not one for head games!
“What the hell did that mean!?” I asked,
stopping in my tracks and facing him.
“Relax,” he said. Smile not leaving his eyes
or his lips as he gently placed his hands on my shoulders to ground me, “I’m
not asking you to marry me right now.
But I KNOW for a fact that I am going to marry you. You’re everything I’ve ever
wanted and I’ll wait until you’re ready and feel the same, but I WILL make you
my wife, Kendra Black.” He shrugged again and smiled that adorable triumphant
grin that made my heart melt and leap and spin and dance.
A small smile crept its way on to my face no matter
how hard I tried to fight it, damn he was handsome. “Now get moving and stop
fretting. I can see by that wrinkle between your brows that you’re worrying.
Please don’t.” He turned me around by my shoulders and smacked my butt again
until I started hiking. My mind reeling and going in all directions about what
he’d just said. And maybe, just maybe, if I’m being 100% honest, thinking of
bridal gowns, honeymoon destinations and flowers.
Author Bio for Whitley Cox
Born and
raised on the West Coast of Canada and married to her high school sweetheart,
with a spirited toddler and a fluffy dog. Whitley spends her days making food
that gets thrown on the floor, vacuuming Cheerios out from under the couch and
making sure that the dog food doesn't end up in the air conditioner. But when
nap time comes and it's not quite wine o'clock, Whitley sits down, avoids the
pile of laundry on the couch, and writes.
A lover of
all things decadent; wine, cheese, chocolate and spicy erotic romance, Whitley
brings the humorous side of sex, the ridiculous side of relationships and the
suspense of every day life into her stories. With mommy wars, body issues,
threesomes and role playing, these books have everything we need to satisfy the
curious kink in all of us.
Social Links
@WhitleyCoxBooks
Buy Links
-Currently available for pre-order
Thanks so much for hosting me on your blog and
I hope you and your family have safe and happy holiday season. All the best for
a successful and prosperous 2017!
Cheers,
Whitley
Cox
Thanks for the great recipe, I'll have to try it out! Your book looks great, best of luck!
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