Baby Spinach and Arugula Salad with Pears and Dried Cranberries

As a surprise,  my husband bought a tasting for us at The England Olive Oil Company in Concord MA.  We had a fantastic time sampling their olive oils from around the world and balsamic vinegars imported from Modena Italy.  It was difficult to choose, but we settled on a red apple balsamic vinegar, a pear and cranberry white balsamic vinegar, an everyday extra virgin olive oil and and an extra virgin olive oil infused with garlic.   Pear, dried cranberries and blue cheese on a bed of baby spinach and arugula were the perfect ingredients to highlight our new purchases.  I splashed the extra virgin olive oil and the pear cranberry white balsamic vinegar over the greens and ripe Bosc Pear.   A little drizzle of my cranberry bog honey, blue cheese and fresh ground black pepper finished it off.   Easy and so delicious.

Cranberry Nut Bars...

If there is one thing I enjoy this time of year its my fireplace.  I have the kettle on and as soon as my tea is brewed I am going to sit down in front of the fire and enjoy my tea and these delicious cranberry bars.  Here's the recipe adapted from Food.com

Ingredients:

2 eggs (beaten)
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 cups cranberries chopped (fresh or frozen)

Orange rind from one orange

Directions:

Beat together eggs, butter, sugar and vanilla.

Add flour and baking powder and mix well.

Fold in nuts, orange rind and cranberries.

Pour into greased 9 x 12 cake pan.

Bake@ 350 degrees 40-45 minutes .