Easy Copycat Cranberry Bliss Bars

Happy Fall, y'all!

It's been a long time since my last blog post, so hello again!

It's almost that time of year for Starbucks to bring back one of our holiday favorites, the delicious and beautiful-to-look-at Cranberry Bliss Bars. I don't know about you, but I've been craving those little beauties since they went away last January. Have you, too?

In the meantime, while we are all waiting for all things Christmas to arrive, and for these amazing bars to return to our favorite coffee house chain, my copycat bars are a nice and fairly quick-to-make substitute that taste, well, close.  I hope you and your family enjoy them as much as we do!

Here's what you'll need to make this version:

Bars:
1 box of Krusteaz supreme muffin mix, cranberry orange flavor.  These!
2 eggs
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
(optional - a tablespoon of molasses to darken the color of the bars, if you want to make them look more like the originals. I didn't use it, and you can see the color difference in the photos above)

Frosting:
1 8-ounce pkg cream cheese (Pictured here is dairy-free cream cheese, since my kiddos are dairy intolerant, but regular cream cheese is great, too)
1/2 cup white chocolate chips, melted in the microwave
1 pound (16 oz) powdered sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1-2 teaspoons lemon juice (to cut the sweetness)
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated orange peel (oops...didn't have an orange today, so not pictured below with my ingredients.  I just left it out this time and added a little extra orange extract)
Several tablespoons of milk to thin (I used coconut but any kind of milk is fine)
Dash of salt

Topping:
1/3 cup (heaping) dried cranberries, chopped in halves. Definitely use new, moist craisins, as old dried out ones from a bulk bin or from a previously-opened package are going to be too hard.
Optional - 1/4 cup more white chips, a touch of orange extract, and a teaspoon of veg oil for drizzle

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees farhenheit.
2. Spray a 10 x 15 inch baking pan with Pam. If you use a smaller pan, the bars will be thicker and they won't look like bars so much like a cake.
3) In a bowl, mix the Krusteaz mix, oil, water, orange extract, and eggs.
4) Blend in the can of cranberries that comes in the box, and the white chocolate chips.
5) Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. The dough is going to be very thin, but don't worry...it will rise during baking. Bake at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes, until the top is light brown.
6) Cool thoroughly in the fridge.
7) In the meantime, make the frosting. Basically, you are making a normal cream cheese frosting but adding in orange extract and orange zest: Blend the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, orange extract, salt, and 3 Tablespoons of milk together by using a mixer. Keep adding milk one tablespoon at a time until you reach a nice thick frosting.
8) Melt the white chips in the microwave, stirring well until completely smooth and melted, and add them in to the frosting. Mix well.
9) Add in the orange zest and blend.
10) Frost the bars with the frosting, then sprinkle the top randomly with the chopped cranberries. Note: If you want to add the drizzle design across the top, melt 1/4 cup more white chocolate chips and mix in a touch of orange extract and a teaspoon of vegetable oil and go to town!
11) Cut the bars into large squares, then cut those in half diagonally to make triangle shaped pieces. It's easier to do the cutting if you refrigerate the bars until firmly set first.

Enjoy!
~Dana

Ingredients

Bake the bar ingredients until light brown on top

Pouring the frosting onto the cooled bars

Sprinkled cranberries

Close-up of the mix

Camp Songs

Ah, summer camp.  The fresh mountain air, life-long friendships, teepees, and songs sung around a campfire. Here are the songs from my 1996 summer camp staff manual.  Bring on the memories!

RELIGIOUS CAMP SONGS (the non-religious ones are further down)

TITLE OF SONG         GUITAR CHORDS

A-Ia-Ia-la                                   G-D-C-D-C-G-D-G

All God’s Critters                       A-E-D-A-E-A

Allelu-Praise Ye the Lord            G-C-D

Alleluia                                      F-D-E-D-C-F-D-E-F

Amazing Grace                          D-G-E-D-G-A-D-G-E-D-G-D-G

Behold What Manner of Love     E-F-E-D-E-F-E-C-G-A-E-D-G-A-E-D-C

Beloved (I John 4:7-8)                F-C7-Gm7-C7-F-F7-Bf-Gm7-C7-Bf-F

Bind Us Together                      G-D-G-A

Blindman                                  A-G-F-E-(R)-A-B-C-B-E  A-G-F(Rx2)-E

The Butterfly Song                    E-C-E-D-E-F-G-F-C

Call Upon Me                            D-A-G

Clap Your Hands                         C-G

Create in Me a Clean Heart         G-D-C-G-C-D-G

Deep Down in My Heart             D-G-A

Do Lord                                    G-C-D

Ducks-ology

Father                                       D-G-A

Father I Adore You                    D-G-A

Father Abraham                         D-A

For I'm Persuaded                     A7-D-G

Four Song Medley                     D-A-G

Freely Freely                             A-B7-E-F#m7

Give Ear to My Words: Ps. 5     G-C-G-C-G-Am-G-D-Am-Em-Am-C-Am7-G-D-Am-Em-Am-C-G-Am-G-D-G-C-G-C-G-Am

D-C-G

Give Me Oil in My Lamp             D-G-A

Give Thanks                              C-B-A-G-F-E-D-G(R)G-F-E-D(R) C

God Is So Good                       F-E-E-F-F-D-C-F           

God's Cheer                              G-C-D

Grin Again Gang

He's a Peach of a Savior           C-F-A-F-D-F-C-C-F-A-F-G-F-F(R)

Heaven is a Wonderful Place     F-C-F-C-F-C-F-C-F-E-D#-D-C-E-F

Hey Mon                                   D-A-A-D-D-G-A-D

Holy... (ls the Lord)                   

How Can You Still Love Me?      D-A-D-G-A-D-A

How I Love You                         G-D-C-G-C-G-C-D-G-D-C-G-C-D-G

Humble Thyself                         Em-D-Em-D(R)C-D-Em-D-C-D-Em

I Am the Resurrection                A-Em-A-Em-C-D-C-A(R)C-G-D-A(R)G-D-C-A

I Believe in Jesus                      E-A-B(Rx3)A-B-E-A-B-E(R)

I Just Wanna Be a Sheep           D-A-G

I Will Call Upon the Lord            A-D-A

I'll Do My Best                          C-G-F-Am-G(R)-F-G-C-F(Rx3)

I'm in Love with the King            D-G-D-A(R)D

I've Been Redeemed                  C-G7-C-F-C-Am-F-G7-C

I've Got Peace Like a River        D-G-A

I've Got the Joy, Joy, Joy            G-D7-G

Jesus in the Morning                 G-A-D

Jesus is the Rock                      E-A-B

Jesus Loves Me                        D-A-E

King Jesus                                D-G-D-A

King of Kings                            Gm-D7

King of the Jungle                     D-G-D-A-D

Kum-Ba-Yah                              D-G-D-Bm-A-A7-D-G-D-G-D-A-D

Lions                                        E-B-A-B-E-B-A-B(R), E-B-A-B, C#m-B-A-E(Rx3)

Lord Be Glorified                       C-G/B-Am-Em-Dm7/C-Bf-Gsus-G7-C-G/B-Am-Em-Dm7-Gsus-G7-C

Lord I Lift Your Name on High    G-C-D-Am-Dm

Lord of the Dance                     G-Em-G-Em-C-D7-G-Em-G-Em-C-D7-C-G, G-Em-G-Em-G-Em-C-D7-G-C-G-Am-C-D7

-C-G

The Lord's Army                        D-A-D-A-D-G-D-D-G-D-D-A-D-A-D

Make Me a Servant                   

More Precious Than Silver         A-E-A-D-A,A-E-A-D-E,A-E-A-D-A,A-D-A-E-E7-A

Morning Song (Birdie Song)      

My God is So Big                     D-A-D(R)G-D-A-D,D-A-D

Open Our Eyes                                     G7-A/G-G-A7,A7-G/D-D-Bm,Bm7/A-Em-A7,A7-G/D-D

Pass It On                                 D-F#m-G-A,D-F#m,G-A,G-D,Em-A-D-Bm,G-D-G-D,G-A-D

Rejoice in the Lord Always         G-D7-G(R)G-G-A7-G(R) 

Rise and Shine                          C-F(R)C-F-F-C-C-G7-C(F-C), C-F(Rx3)C-G7-C

River of Life                              D-G-D,D-Bm-E-A7,D-G-D,D-Bm-D/A-A-D  D-G-D-D-G-E7-A-D-G-D-G-D-A-D

Seek Ye First                            C-Em-Am-C,F-C-G-G7,C-Em-Am-C,F-C-G7-C

Shalom                                     Em-C-D7-G-Em-C-Bm-Em

Sing Hallelujah                          Cm-Gm-Cm-Gm,Cm-Bf/D-Ef-Fm-Gsus-G,Cm-Gm-Af-Ef,Cm-Gm-Cm

Step By Step                            G-D-C-D-G(R)Em-D-C-Am-G-D-C-D-G

This is the Day                          D-Em-A-D-G-D-G-D-A-D-Em-A-D

Titus 3:5                                    C-E-C-E-A-G-A-E-D-C-E-D-C

The Truck Song                         G-E-C-G-D-G-C-E-D-C

We Are More Than Conquerors   G-D-C-G-D(Rx6)

We Are One in the Spirit             Em-Am-Em-Am-Em,C-Em-Am-Em-Am-Em

Wounded Soldier                        G-D-C-G-D or  F-C-F-C-Bf-F-Bf-F-C-F

Amazing Grace Eagles Style

Deep, Deep                              D-G-D-A

I Don’t Know                             D-G-A

Jesus Loves Me (Gimme a J)

Jesus Loves Me (Alleluia-Allelu)

Love Rescue Me                        D-G-A

Micah 6:8                                  D-G-A

Radical God                               E-A-D

LYRICS

NON-RELIGIOUS CAMP SONGS

Donut Shop

Weeeell I walked around the corner

and I walked around the block

And I walked right in to the donut shop

And I picked up a donut and I licked off the grease

And I handed the lady a five cent piece

Weeeeell she looked at the nickel and she looked at me

And she said this donut is no good, you see.

There’s a hole in the nickes and it goes right through,

I said, “Lady, there’s a hole in the donut too!”

Thanks for the donut….. You bet!

My Old Man’s a Sailor

My old man’s a sailor, whaddyathink about that?

He wears a sailor’s collar and he wears a sailor’s hat.

He wears a sailor’s raincoat, and he wears a sailor’s shoes,

And every Saturday evening he read’s the Sailor’s News.

And some d-a-y , if I c-a-n

I’m gonna be a sailor, just like my old man.

(Ask campers what their dads do for a living then substitute it for the word sailor)

Challenge verse: Rootin tootin cotton pickin’ finger lickin’ ear flickin’ chicken plucker

The Ladies of the Harem of the Court of King Arakatus

(Motions are in parentheses)

The ladies (curvy body) of the harem (palms together above head)

of the court  (palms flat like touching a basketball court)

of King Arakatus (make crown shape on head)

are just passing by (move hands along to show progress)

The boys (bow forward at waist with arms in front and back of it)

who put the powder (dip imaginary powder puff in powder) \

on the noses (pretend to bang it onto nose) of…(repeat first part)

           

The fascinating witches (ride a broomstick)

put the stimulating stitches (sew)

in the britches (smack your  bottom) of…(repeat second then first part.)

So if you want to see (repeat all) It’s too late, they just passed by.

Stay on the Sunny Side of Life

Stay on the sunny side

Always on the sunny side

Stay on the sunny side of life

You will feel no pain as we drive you all insane, so

Stay on the sunny side of life.

(Have a camper tell a joke, then repeat the song)

I Was Going to Kentucky

I was going to Kentucky,

Going to the fair,

I met a senorita, with flowers in her hair.

Oh, shake it, shake it, shake it. 

Shake it all you can.

Shake it like a milkshake and like a rubber band

Oh, rumble to the bottom, rumble to the top.

And turn around, and turn around, until you holler stop!

Down by the Banks

Down by the banks of the hankey pankey,

Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bankey

With an oops, ops, soda pops,

He missed the lily, and he went kerplop.

The Nanner-Nanner Song

At a time like this (clap clap)

At a time like this (clap clap)

At a time like this (clap)

Oh, I need the Lord to help me

(Add an extra motion each time so it becomes longer each time:

 clap, snap, nanner, whoop, womp, booga, buzz)

Head Shoulders Knees and Toes

Head shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes

Head shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes

Eyes and ears and mouth and nose

 Head shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes

Backwards:

Toes knees shoulders head, shoulders head

Toes knees shoulders head, shoulders head

Nose and mouth and ears and eyes

Toes knees shoulders head, shoulders head

Good Morning Song/Birdie Song

Way up in the sky

The little birds fly

Way down in the nest

The little birds rest

With a wing on the left

And a wing on the right

The little birds sleep

All through the night

Shhhhhhhhhhh

THEY’RE SLEEPING!   (yelled)

The bright sun comes up

The dew falls away

GOOD MORNING, GOOD MORNING  (yelled)

The little birds say!

Dum Dum Song

Verse 1

Sit right next to your neighbors.  Start by slapping both hands on your own thighs twice, then move one leg to the left so you are slapping someone else’s right leg and your own left leg and slap twice, then slap your own legs again twice, then move one leg to the right and slap twice.  Repeat this process throughout the verse.

Dum dum dah da, da

 (repeat 6 more times)

Dum dum dum

Verse 2

Slap your own thighs, then clap twice, then slap legs once, then make a fist and thump your chest with your right arm at a diagonal as if doing the pledge, then slap thighs once again, then do thump with other arm.  Repeat this process throughout the verse.

Dum dum dah da, dah da dum (huh!) dum (huh)

(repeat 4 more times; the last time change the end to three dums and slap thighs 3 times)

Verse 3

Cross arms Indian style, with left arm on top of right arm, on the first dum.  Then straighten left arm straight out, parallel to the ground.  Then straighten the other one. Then bend the right one again.   Then do the same with the left arm to make crossed arms.  Then keep the left elbow connected while you raise your left arm like a hinge on the (huh!s)

Use the same words as verse 2

Flea

Flea  (Echo)

Flea fly (Echo)

Flea fly mosquito (Echo)

Cumalada cumalada cumalada vista (Echo)

Oh no no no not the vista (Echo)

Emmie meenie wallomenia ooh walla walla meenie (Echo)

Emmie meenie wallomenia oh walla wah (Echo)

Little Bunny Foo Foo

Little bunny Foo Foo

Hopping through the forest

Scooping up the field mice

And bopping them on the head

Down came the Good Fairy, and she said

"Little bunny Foo Foo

I don't want to see you

Scooping up the field mice

And bopping them on the head."

I'll give you three chances,

And if you don't behave, I will turn you into a Goon!"

(Repeat 3 times, subtracting a chance each time. 

The last time, she turns him into a Goon.)

And the moral of the story is: Hare today, goon tomorrow.

Going on a Bear Hunt

We're going on a bear hunt! (echo)
And I'm not afraid!
Are you?
Not me!
Opening the gate
Now we're on a bear hunt

We're coming to a mountain " "
It sure is high " "
It sure is wide " "

Can’t go around it

Can’t go under it

Gotta climb up it " "
Well, I see nothing over there " "
and nothing over there " "
Wait! I think I see something
Better run down it!

We’re coming to a prairie

We're going thru the tall grass " "
We're going thru the short grass " "

Swish swish swish

Hey! There's a tree " "
Can’t go under it

Can’t go under it

Gotta shimmy up it
Whoa! Its skinny at the top
See anything over that way? " "
Anything over that way?,

Well, better climb down it

Oh, no! " "
It's a big mud puddle
Can't go over it " "

Can’t go under it
Gotta go thru it " "
Yeuk! " "
Well, let's go.
Squish, Sqwish, Squish

We're coming to a river " "
And there's no bridge over it " "
No tunnel going under it " "
It's just plain old water " "
And we're gonna have to swim " "
All right, dive in!
Start swimming
Do the back stroke
Do the side stroke
Do the doggie paddle
Try the little cat paddle
OK, jump out,

shake yourself off

Shhh, it's a cave " "
Looks like a cave B-bears live in " "
I don't know if I want to go in there
You think we oughta go in?
Are you nuts?
There's probably a bear in there

All right, I'll go in, You stay here
And if I find a bear, I'll come out and get you
And we'll all go in and grab him together
Now, everybody quiet

Shhhhhhhhh!

Don't make a sound while I'm in that cave,
Cuz if you wake him up, we'll be in trouble
Bears are awful mad when they first wake up
OK, I'm going on in
Oooo, It's dark in here
It's really dark in here
I can't see a thing
Ah!! There's spiders webs
Ooo, what was that???
Hey what's this?  It’s kind of fuzzy

It’s a bear!!!!

Ahg!!!!!!!!!

Everybody run!!

Jump in the water!

Swim fast!!
Do the backstroke!
The sidestroke,

Do the doggie paddle
Jump out of the water
Run through the mud!
Climb up the tree

Climb back down the tree
Go through the tall grass
Go the short grass
Quick, go up the mountain
Go down the other side
Go thru the gate
Into the house, and hide under the bed

Uh, it's awful quiet around here
I'm not afraid
Are you?