Coffee-Orange Bar Cookies

I love the smell of coffee brewing but don't much care for the taste of the hot liquid. However, put that scent into a cookie and I'm all over it. This is such a cookie and a one-pan baking which is always a plus when you are in a hurry or just have several batches of baking to get done in one afternoon.

Coffee-Orange Bar Cookies
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup solid shortening
1 large egg
1 tablespoon freshly-grated orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup hot strong coffee (sometimes I use espresso with good results)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (raisins will substitute nicely)
1/2 cup toasted, chopped walnuts

Line a 13x9x2 rimmed baking pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, extracts, and zest.

Mix together the dry ingredients and add with the coffee to the creamed mixture. Stir in the cranberries and nuts.

Spread the batter in the prepared baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. Cool on rack and then dust with powdered sugar. Cut into serving pieces.

Amusing with underlying thought . . .

"I belong to no organized party. I am a Democrat."
-- Will Rogers

"The only thing wrong with immortality is that it tends to go on forever."
-- Herb Caen

"Reason has always existed, but not always in a reasonable form."
-- Karl Marx

"After all is said and done, a lot more will be said than done."
-- Unknown

Words to the wise?

Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.

- P. J. O'Rourke

Without a battle scar . . .

This is the morning that we take Mrs. Black Cat to her new foster home. My husband was thinking of traps and plans to catch her. I got up first, put out a can of canned clams (my sacrifice from the cupboard for the event!), grabbed her, and put her in the carrying cage. After that, I figured out the cat could escape if the top and bottom latch wasn't properly in place, got another can of canned clams, and repeated the procedure. She is currently on our entrance way inside the house awaiting her transport to her new home. She isn't happy about the loss of freedom right now. I do have to say that she was very nice and didn't even try and scratch or bite me.

On the plus side, for me, I'm having an easy time working on the computer as our own cat, Marcela, is entranced with the fact that there is a cat in her house and is sitting on top of the carrier peering at Mrs. Black Cat. I'm thinking this is also not sitting well with the expectant mother.

I had a moment of dismay, this morning, when everyone (including an unknown tom cat!) showed up for breakfast except for the subject of transport this morning! I was worried that she had given way to her pregnancy and had the babies during the night and I know we'd never find where she had them until they could walk enough to follow her here . . . like the last time! About 20 minutes later, she came waddling up the walkway and, as they say, the rest is history.

Finding homes for these porch-dwelling cats has been interesting. I've sort of enjoyed getting to meet them and love the one we kept but I'm ready to put away the litter box in the front yard and go back to our boring existence. We still have the two black kittens and the other mother cat to get adopted but having found a home for a massively pregnant cat was a gift from Heaven. Who would have thought Mrs. Black Cat would be so lucky? And these small town cats are go far afield! Two of the other litter of kittens found homes in San Diego which is two hours from our house. Mrs. Black Cat is going to live in San Clemente which is along the coastal area. At least they are moving up to the better real estate!