I’ve got some disappointing news today… I am no longer in the running for the perfect attendance award this year. I was always that student in class who never missed a day (you know, the one with the mom that said, “Oh, you’ll be fine once you get to school,” as I was hacking away). It basically instilled in me that you get up and go to school or work unless you are dying (okay, slight exaggeration, but I always feel guilty calling in sick). The streak is over with the two days I missed last week. I had what I thought was a bad cold. I have one of those anti-antibiotic doctors. I go in there wanting drugs, and listen to his usual mantra…” Let it run its course.”. The course of this cold had gotten out of control, so I finally broke down and went in. I ended up seeing another doctor who informed me that I had bronchitis and a sinus infection. She then proceded to scribble a prescription on a little piece of paper.

So what is a girl to do sick at home? I’m not good at lying there and watching television. I’m usually running around doing stuff with the t.v. on in the background (exceptions being, Glee, American Idol, and a few really bad reality shows that I’m addicted to) . I did attempt to recline and watch t.v., only to find myself in the midst of soap opera prime-time. Years ago, I found soap operas entertaining ~ you know, the Luke and Laura era. The story lines are all a bit too dramatic for me - man and woman become romantically involved, only to break up during the next episode, woman becomes pregnant, but keeps it from man. Lord knows, I’ve lived through enough drama, why would I want to sit and watch more of it? Needless to say, my rest on the couch was very short-lived.

I eventually gravitated back to my kitchen and ended up baking something amazing. It was a comfort food moment. Pretty much anything with the cinnamon-sugar combo says “comfort” to me. I could seriously eat an entire box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal if you put it in front of me. After searching the Internet, I found a recipe for Snickerdoodle bars… exactly the cinnamon-sugar combo I was craving. 

The recipe comes from Jasey’s blog Crazy Daisy (a super cute blog to check out!). She found it in an old cookbook of her mom’s. These bars are absolutely amazing ~ so incredibly moist. There’s a thin layer of cinnamon-sugar sprinkled in the middle of the bar, which makes this the ultimate in comfort food.

Quick Tips:

* The batter is a bit sticky so it is a little hard to spread into the pan. Either lightly spray your hands with non-stick spray and spread, or use a small spatula.

*These are also great without the glaze. The glaze may put some of you in a sugar coma (Personally, I loved it!).

*As soon as these are cool, wrap them up and give at least half of them away. These are way too good to keep in your house this close to bathing suit season!

Seriously Amazing Snickerdoodle Bars

2 1/3 cups flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon cinnamon-sugar filling:

1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla 

Heat oven to 350. Spray or grease the bottom only of a 9×13-inch pan with cooking spray. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

Combine sugar and cinnamon for cinnamon-sugar filling in a small bowl and set aside.

Using your mixing bowl, beat butter on high speed until creamy. Beat in sugars. Gradually beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Add dry ingredients and beat on low speed until combined.

Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar filling evenly over batter. Dollop teaspoons of remaining batter evenly over cinnamon-sugar filling. Gaps are okay. The filling can peek through.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

In a small bowl, stir glaze ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over bars.