Sometimes, the world doesn't make sense, and what happened in CT yesterday makes me want to snuggle my little girl all day and all night.  Luckily, she is too young to understand something so horrific, and hopefully by the time she is old enough I will have some sort of a meaningful guidance to provide.  I just can't imagine what that would sound like.  I lack the ability to verbalize why some people do horrible things.  But, this is also a good time to think about all of the good things in the world.  I love this website with 26 moments from this year that will restore your faith in humanity.  Just try to read it without smiling.

It's also important to remember that we live in communities, and being part of a supportive neighborhood is fundamental in good times and in bad.  If you don't know your neighbors, then now is the perfect time to open up your door and make friends.  Ringing the doorbell with an arm full of cookies and sweets are a good way to light a spark that will hopefully lead to a meaningful relationship.   I gave a batch of these cranberry lemon bars to our next door neighbors, and they responded by giving us cookies, too.  Win-win!  If you are looking to do some community building then definitely give this recipe a try.   The tartness enveloped in pie crust is impossible not to enjoy.

Cranberry Lemon Bars

Dough:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt zest of one lemon
• 8 ounces (2 sticks) cold butter, cubed
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 Tablespoons-1/4 cup cold water

Filling:

• 1- 12 ounce package fresh or frozen cranberries
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• juice of one lemon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a food processor, add flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and lemon zest. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until dough is crumbled into small pieces.  Move the crumbles to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix in the egg and vanilla extract. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until dough comes together (I used all 4 tablespoons).  Press half of the dough in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Set the remaining dough aside for the topping.

In a medium bowl, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Add cranberries and lemon juice. Stir to coat cranberries. Pour filling ingredients over the dough in the baking dish. Spread cranberries so that they are in a single layer.

Crumble the remaining dough over the top of the cranberries. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top and the sides are golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Once cooled, lift squares out of the baking dish using the parchment paper. Cut into squares.

Source: Adapted from Southern Pink Lemonade