Cranberry Crumble bars

During the winter, when the cranberries are on sale, I like to stock up and and buy several bags and freeze them.  Then later when I'm in the mood for the wonderful taste of cranberries, I can easily pull out a bag, thaw the berries, and make something wonderful.  One of our households favorite treats is cranberry crumble bars.  It's a dessert that has just the right amount of tartness from the cranberries, and not too much sweetness.  This desert will easily feed 8 people for very little money, and is quick to make.

You will need:
1/2 cup sugar
1 large orange
1/4 cup water
2 cups cranberries
1/2 teas ground cinnamon
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, (or margarine), softened
1 1/2 cup quick-cooking, (or old fashioned), oats
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teas salt

Zest the orange, (you will need 1 Tablespoon of orange zest).
Then, squeeze the juice from the orange, (you will need 1/4 cup of orange juice).

In a medium, (1 1/2 quart size), saucepan, mix the sugar, orange juice and water together, until sugar is dissolved.  Heat to boiling over medium heat. 

Add in the salt.

 Add in the orange zest.

Add in the cranberries.

(note:  make sure to wash your cranberries before using).

 Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened.

After about 10 minutes, this is what the sauce will look like.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.  This smells wonderful.

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl, stir together the softened butter and brown sugar.

Add in the oats, flour and salt.

Mix together until the mixture is crumbly.

Press 1/2 of crumb mixture into the bottom of an 8 X 8 inch ungreased baking dish.

Pour the cooled cranberry sauce onto the crumb mixture.

Spread the cranberry sauce filling out over the crumb mixture, evenly.

Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture evenly over the top of the cranberry sauce.

Lightly pat the crumb mixture topping.

Bake in 400 degree oven for 25 minutes, or until light brown.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Cut into 8 bars, (4 rows across, 2 rows down).  Allow to cool until 15 minutes, (or even completely), before eating.

And you can now enjoy your cranberry crumble bars.  Notice how you have a nice thick filling between the oatmeal crust and top.

It holds it's shape, and it taste wonderful.  Not to sweet, and not overly tart.  A glass of milk is great with it.  Or with a scoop of ice cream on top, (my husband's favorite way), is wonderful.


Enjoy !