Today I made my famous Cranberry & Caramel Date Bars. I have made them for several years and I have quite a few family members who expect them around Christmas time! They are actually very easy to make and they are really yummy if you like cranberries!
Here is the recipe:

Cranberry & Caramel Date Bars

Makes 24 bars.
1-1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar
2 + 1/3 cup flour
2 cups oats
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup margarine, melted
1 1/2 cups dates, chopped
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted
1 cup (1 jar) caramel ice cream topping (fat free is fine)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cranberries and 2 Tbsp sugar; set aside. In bowl combine 2 cups flour, oats, sugar, brown sugar and baking soda. Add margarine and mix well. Reserve 1 cup of this mixture. Press remainder firmly on the bottom of a 13 x 9 pan. Bake 15 minutes until slightly golden.

Sprinkle dates, walnuts and cranberry mixture over the crust. Mix caramel topping with 1/3 cup flour. Spread over the top. Top with reserved crumb mixture. Bake 20 minutes or until light brown.

Cool and then cut into bars.

I also finally have the house decorated the way I want it to look for Christmas. This is my first year decorating this house and thank goodness most of what I already had seemed to fit in with our new house. I just bought a few things to give it a new look and I must say I really like it! I will be trying to get some photos posted up soon.

Now on to some other news:Friends...
I have a couple of friends I especially want to say thank you too!!!
Carrie...you are just so sweet & I am so very glad we met each other! Thank you so much for my goodies that arrived in the mail today!!! You are the best!!!
Rachel...you too are just so sweet! This week literally!!! Those wonderfully yummy chocolate goodies you gave us were sooo good!!! (We ate them before I thought about taking a photo!:)) Thank you Rachel!!!

Sharing...
I wanted to share my first pub in Paper Crafts magazine. I get so excited seeing my creations in print! It might be silly, but it makes me happy!!! They returned my creation to me along with 2 copies of the Jan/Feb 2009 issue! There are some fabulous card ideas in there. I am still shocked that I had a card pubbed by them. I am so not a card maker! LOL!!!
And now for my first blog give away....
Leave me some love and I'll send one of you a copy of the Paper Crafts Jan/Feb issue!!!