#COOKING WITH CLORIS--LISTEN WHILE YOU BAKE CHRISTMAS BAR COOKIES!

If you’re like me (and probably most of us) right now, you’re up to your eyeballs in holiday prep. Especially if certain family members have been raiding the Christmas cookie jar, and you suddenly find yourself in need of some last-minute baking! Frazzled? Stressed? Already tired of the same old/same old Christmas music that’s been playing since before Halloween? Instead of listening to Grandma getting run over by a reindeer for the umpteenth time, why not multitask and tick a few books off your reading TBR pile while you’re elbow deep in gingerbread dough and sprinkles?

The first eight books of the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series are now available in audiobook format. Put Anastasia on the case, and she’ll figure out which reindeer was the culprit in grandma’s demise as she reluctantly stumbles her way through murder and mayhem but always figures out whodunit in the end.

And speaking of last minute baking, here’s a bar cookie you can whip up in no time. You don’t even need to lug out the stand mixer!

 

Quick ‘n Easy Bar Cookies

Yield: 24 bars

 

Ingredients:

2-3/4 cups spooned and leveled all-purpose flour

1-1/2 tsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup packed brown sugar, either light or dark

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 room temperature lg. eggs

2 tsp.  vanilla extract

1/2 cup each mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and butterscotch or caramel chips

1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts.

Christmas sprinkles

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for lifting bars from the pan. 

 

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt together. 

 

Melt the butter and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

 

In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until no brown sugar lumps remain. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract. 

 

Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix together with large spoon or spatula.  Fold in the chips and nuts. 

 

Transfer dough to the prepared baking pan and press into an even layer. Add sprinkles, pressing lightly onto dough.

 

Bake for 25–30 minutes or until lightly browned on sides and top. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out mostly clean. Don’t over-bake. 

 

Place pan on wire rack and allow bars to cool at least an hour. Lift bars from pan and cut into squares. (Note: a pizza cutter works well for cutting.)

 

Remember, along with cookies, if you’re pressed for last minute gifts, don’t forget that an audiobook subscription or a gift card for ebooks or print make great gifts.

Happy holidays from author Lois Winston, her reluctant amateur sleuth Anastasia Pollack, and all the other characters swimming around in Lois's brain.