Hey!  I’m Chelsea of ‘Whatcha Makin’ Now?’ and I’m so thankful that Liz asked me to guest post on her fabulous blog.  I mostly share dessert recipes but really try to work in ‘real’ food from time to time.  I have loved to bake since I could remember; I find it very relaxing after a long day at work.  Trying new recipes and sharing my results with each of you is a blast.  And seeing my friends and family enjoying the final product brings me great joy.  I hope you will pop over and flip through my recipe index and connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, or by email. 

This past week my boss was cleaning out her desk and found the Thanksgiving Recipe insert from last year’s newspaper.  I was immediately drawn to the Coconut Cranberry Bars.  I love white chocolate and who doesn’t like sweetened condensed milk.  Plus, it can be prepared in about 10 minutes and bakes for only 23 minutes – quick and easy!  The final product was a sweet, moist, melt-in-your-mouth bar.  This would be a perfect dessert for Thanksgiving dinner.  I opted for cinnamon graham crackers because, truthfully, that is what I had on hand, but I think the touch of cinnamon worked perfectly.   

Coconut Cranberry Bars

Yields about 3 dozen bars

Source: Kansas City Star newspaper

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (regular or cinnamon)
• ½ cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1 ½ cup white chocolate chips
• 1 ½ cup dried cranberries
• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 1 cup pecan halves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter; press into a greased 9 x 13 pan. 
3. In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and mix well.  Gently spread over the crust and press down lightly. 
4. Bake for 23-28 minutes or until edges are golden brown. 
5. Cool on a wire rack.  Cut into bars.  
6. Store in an airtight container.