Desserts/cranberry orange chocolate chip bars

Makes: 9x13 pan

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hours 20 minutes

From: Dutch Iris Inn, Granby Conn.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. orange oil or the zest of 1 small orange

2 cups fresh cranberries chopped

1 cup semi-sweet choc. chips

3/4 cup chopped nuts of your choice (optional)

Directions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 13x9 baking pan with parchment paper, if you don't have parchment flour and butter the pan instead.

Step 2

Sift together dry ingredients. In a separate bowl lightly beat the eggs. Pour the cooled melted butter into the eggs and mix well. Add vanilla and orange/zest to the mixture and mix well. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and mix well. Dough will be sticky. Add chopped cranberries and choc. chips (and optional nuts) and mix well.

Step 3

Spread the sticky dough into prepared pan and bake for 35 minutes, or until the top is very lightly browned. When cool cut into squares.