Snickerdoodle Bars

Boy it's gotten cold in this neck of the woods.  It was in the 50's the other day and this afternoon we had a brief snow shower.  Please, please let the snow stay away!!!!  We spent the day with my stepson who flew in from California earlier in the week.  He cannot wait to get back to LA....and I don't blame him!  It doesn't snow out there and the weather is nice and warm. Sounds good to me.  I would love to go out there but since I don't fly I don't see that in my future, at least not in my near future or until I am over this fear of flying.  Haven't flown in many years and I do not miss it.  What I am missing though are sweets.  I've been trying to cut back this past week and drop a few pounds.  I'm not overweight by any stretch of the imagination but weight just tends to go to my stomach and hip area since I've gotten older.  And I'd rather be a size 6 than an 8 and don't want to get up to a 10 so I need to cut back on the sweets.  They love my butt! 

Now since I am trying to cut back on sweets you are probably wondering why in the world I am baking and posting this recipe?  I still like to bake them and I still live with people who enjoy them.  Doesn't mean I won't have a bite or two. I won't deprive myself totally and I do have the self control to just take a bite or two. Or at least I think I do!  Oh and by the way the SHAMROCK SHAKE has arrived at the McDonald's in this area. They are seasonal and are my favorite shake ever!  Now if I can only take a sip or two of that and not suck down the whole thing.......

Snickerdoodle Bars by Betty Crocker

2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softenend

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cinnamon Filling

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray or grease bottom only of a 13 x 9 inch pan with cooking spray.  In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on high speed until creamy.  Beat in sugars.  Gradually beat in eggs and vanilla into sugar mixture until combined.  On low speed, beat in dry ingredients until combined.

Spoon half the batter into pan; spread evenly.  Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over batter.

Dollop teaspoon size amounts of remaining batter evenly over cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in 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.  For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows.

Makes 24 bars