Care Package #15 - Fruit Bars...and lots of other fun stuff

Ok, so I don't have a picture of the fruit bars... But they turned out really yummy and I will certainly be using this recipe again! Plus, I finally made use of the neat book "Lipsmackin' Vegetarian Backpackin'."

Oasis Fruit Bars
3 Cups various chopped, dried fruit (I used raisins, cranberries, apricots and prunes)
2 2/3 Cups chopped nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds)
1 TBS wheat flour
1/2 Cup brown sugar
2 TBS butter
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 Cup wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking powder

Pre-heat the oven to 325. In a bowl, mix together the fruit, nuts, seeds and 1TBS wheat flour, then set aside. In another bowl, cream the brown sugar and butter. Add eggs, vanilla and cinnamon. Sift the 1/2 Cup wheat flour and baking powder and add it to the sugar mixture. Combine the fruit and nut mixture with the sugar mixture. Line a 13" x 9" baking pan with parchment paper and spread the batter, pressing down to make sure its compacted. Bake for 35 minutes, cool completely then cut into 16 servings.

On to the other fun stuff...

If you hadn't heard, Savannah got the first measurable snowfall in 14 years! Here is a picture of my car in the Winter Storm.

Now, I thought I had left all fears of snow behind in Connecticut, so I was more than a little annoyed by the whole thing. However, Savannah made it up to me by having a glorious spring preview this weekend!

And I finally got around to making the gray skirt and jacket that I mentioned a while back. I got several compliments on it, so I might have to whip up a few more!

This week I'll be presenting workshops on post at Ft. Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield and was asked if I had anything that could be used as a door prize. We don't really have much that would be considered prize-worthy lying around the office, so I went by Office Max and got a bunch of stuff to create this wonderful "Budget in a Box!" The box is just the right size for keeping files organized and holds everything you need in one place (so you don't have to go running all over the house to find your budget book or whatnot).

It has everything you need to get your finances in order, including a calculator, budget book, calendar, notepads to track your spending, coupon organizer, monthly files and envelopes, instructional materials and a Snickers bar. well, the Snickers won't really help you get organized, but it's a great reward for when you're done!