Recipe: Cranberry Zinger Bars

Denise Walker of Cary
1st Place, Eagle Brand Great Baking Bonanza Contest, North Carolina State Fair

Cranberry Zinger Bars

1-14 ounce can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 box vanilla wafers
1 stick margarine, melted
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup orange flavored Craisins (dried cranberries)*
1/2cup macadamia nuts, chopped
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes

*If orange flavor dried cranberries are hard to find, combine 1 cup of dried cranberries with 1/2cup orange juice and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a small bowl. Stir mixture well. Allow cranberries to soak in orange juice for 15 minutes. Strain the cranberries, and spread them out on wax paper to dry. Store in a covered container until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place vanilla wafers in a food processor, and pulse until finely crushed (or place wafers in a sealed bag and crush with rolling pin). Mix crushed vanilla wafers and melted margarine together in a bowl until well blended. Press mixture evenly into 13X9 inch baking pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Layer the white chocolate chips, craisins, macadamia nuts and coconut evenly over the crust. Pour the Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Remove dish from oven, and allow to cool. Cut into squares.

Makes 20 bars.