Orange Creamsicle Bars are a chewy, citrus treat that taste like summer sunshine. White chocolate chips turn these orange bars into creamsicle bars ideal for snacks, picnics, and care packages.
Last weekend I attended my first food blogger conference, The Saint Louis Food Media Forum. The conference isn’t just for food bloggers. There were all kinds of people involved in food and media; chefs, photographers, newspaper/magazine writers and publishers, social media techies, cookbook authors, and food company representatives. It was great!
In its second year, the forum is small but growing. This year’s group of about 100 participants was plenty big enough to provide networking opportunities without being overwhelming. I was amazed at the talent located right here in St. Louis! There is something almost magical about meeting a person “in real life”, who you had only known before from words/photographs on a screen. One of the best parts of my weekend was attending the keynote opening event with the incredibly talented Shannon from The Periodic Table Blog. We have been commenting on each others blogs for awhile, often suggesting meeting, but never actually doing it until this weekend. She is every bit as friendly, creative and supportive in person as she is in print.
The forum took place at the Culinary Institute of St. Louis, a gorgeous facility that provided many perks. In addition to offering classrooms and professional kitchens, the Culinary Institute students cooked and served our delicious meals. Each day started with a breakfast buffet of savory and sweet dishes including waffle/pancake/French toast bars, egg dishes, and fruit parfaits. Lunch highlighted the specialties of the sponsors, offering salmon prepared in various ways and uncommon grains used in salads and spreads. Nerone Black Rice Pudding with blackberries was my very favorite item of the weekend! The students couldn’t have tried any harder to be helpful and accommodating. I was impressed by their sincere enthusiasm.
So what did I learn? There are as many different approaches to blogging as there are bloggers. Not exactly an earth shaking news flash. No approach is right or wrong as long as it is working, getting the blog where you want it to go. It’s helpful if you know where you want to go. I don’t know where I am going long term, but I do have short term goals. I know I want to provide delicious recipes with easy to follow directions. I want my photos to improve so that the food is enticing and for my writing to communicate a snippet of my thoughts. Most importantly, I want The Monday Box to be a go-to resource for care package recipes. The Food Media Forum gave me ideas and tools to tweak, apply technology, and “extend my reach to grow my numbers”. (Figuring out what the acronyms and jargon mean would help too!)
Inspired by the Forum to get more involved with social media (not being born in the same century as the iPhone, this may take me some time), I started working on my Facebook skills. The Monday Box has a Facebook page but I haven’t done much else on Facebook. This week, on the recommendation of my blogging friend Gina, I joined a Soldiers Angels Bakers group page. These dedicated and compassionate bakers regularly send home baked care package goodies to deployed military. I am excited to share Monday Box recipes with them and put to use their experienced tips and suggestions!
Though Fall is in the air here, it is still very much summer in many parts of the world. If, like the Soldiers Angels bakers you are sending a warm weather care package, these chewy Orange Creamsicle Bars are a desert safe recipe that will travel well in the heat. Any other time of year, their orange citrus scent and flavor will bring back summer flavors to your taste buds. I realize the bars are more yellow colored than orange (you could always add food coloring) but the flavor is definitely orange. The white chocolate chips add a creamy taste that gives these bars their creamsicle name.
The sparkling orange sugar on top of Orange Creamsicle Bars is pretty on its own, whether or not you choose to add the icing. No orange sugar in the house? No worries. I put 3 tablespoons of white decorating sugar in a ziplock bag with 1 drop of Americolor orange gel food coloring, mushed it around until the sugar was orange, then let it dry for about 30 minutes before using it on the creamsicle bars.
You can read more about desert safe ingredients and find an index of all of the desert safe recipes on The Monday Box by clicking here.
Orange Creamsicle Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter flavor vegetable shortening
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons orange zest ***
- 1 ½ tablespoons orange juice***
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 2-3 tablespoons orange decorating sugar
- ICING OPTIONAL:
- ½ cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- * **Desert-safe adaptations:Two teaspoons of orange extract can be substituted for the orange juice and zest. No icing should be used.
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9” x 9” pan with foil extending over the edges. Spray the foil with non-stick spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt.
- Place vegetable shortening in large microwave safe bowl and microwave about 1 minute until melted.
- Into the bowl of melted shortening add flour mixture, sugar, eggs and yolk, vanilla, and zest plus orange juice or orange extract. Mix with a large spoon until smooth.
- Stir in white chocolate chips.
- Spread the batter evenly into pan then sprinkle with orange sugar. With fingertips, press the sugar gently to make sure it sticks to the batter.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
- When cool, remove from pan by lifting the overhanging foil.
- Cut into bars.
- If icing, mix together orange juice and confectioners sugar until smooth. Adjust consistency if necessary by adding more sugar or juice. Drizzle over bars. Allow icing to dry completely before wrapping or storing.
- Store at room temperature in an airtight container or ziplock bag for 2** weeks. For longer storage, I recommend not cutting into individual bars, but wrapping the entire square.
Packing Tips
Double wrap bars individually or in pairs in plastic wrap before placing in airtight containers or ziplock bags. Wrapping the entire pan of orange creamsicle bars, without cutting, will preserve moisture and keep the bars chewy for longer.
Sinead says
These look amazing! I bet they taste incredible 🙂
themondaybox says
Thanks,Sinead! The chewy center and crunchy crust is my favorite part!
Gina left the mall says
Lol…I wish someone would send ME a care package of these! They look fantastic! And I’m so glad you went to the forum and had such a terrific experience. I hope the Monday Box just keeps getting bigger. The more “home baked love” we send out into the world, the better!
themondaybox says
In all seriousness, Gina, I would be so excited to send you a care package! Email a delivery address and you can be the first member of my shipment testing team! 🙂
The ladies on the forum seemed pleased and enthusiastic about the recipe I shared. 🙂 I have to get better at facebook stuff! Their experience seems to be that all of the desert safe precautions I have been taking, aren’t necessary. Hmmm…..better safe than sorry or relax and stop making life more difficult than it has to be? Not sure. Further research and inquiry necessary. Thanks, as always!
Gina left the mall says
I would LOVE to be on the shipment testing team! But maybe I can find someone who would be more helpful to you. A few of the military spouses I know love to bake. I think a fellow baker who has shipped things over there would be able to give you more valuable feedback. Plus the benefit of any of their recipe triumphs/fails. If their husbands are in town, you may get 2 testers! 🙂 I’ll email you and let you know.
As for the precautions, they would know but…I also know “accommodations vary” (big base vs. remote outpost etc) and so does mail delivery frequency. Again, talking to a fellow baker would be better than talking to me 🙂
But if you want to send me the creamsicle bars or pretty much anything chocolate, my birthday is December 2nd 🙂
themondaybox says
THANKS, Gina! Your contacts are always so helpful! I really think a Dec. 2nd care package would be perfect for anything chocolate. We could test out the STL to NYC mail service. 🙂 I need to be prepared for those sending holiday packages within the US also. 😉
noyomoco says
These look beautiful! I’m so glad you had fun at the conference – I have yet to go to a blogging conference, but I totally want to!
themondaybox says
Thanks, Jennifer! Because the bar looks lemon yellow, I thought some orange sparkle would be a clue to the true orange flavor of these bars! 🙂 I was so lucky that there was a small (affordable) conference minutes from my house! I could get my feet wet without making a major financial or time commitment. It is so much fun talking to other bloggers. A whole room full of people who don’t think it’s crazy to be excited over sprinkles! 🙂 I highly recommend going when it works for you. (I have seen photos of bloggers with their babies at BlogHer! 🙂 )
Mama's Gotta Bake says
These look so good, think I’ll make them ASAP!
themondaybox says
Thanks, Sheryl! We love citrus bars and the texture of these is chewy-crunch wonderful! 🙂 I hope you enjoy them!
Suzie says
Orange creamsicles were my favorite when I was young. I can only imagine how good these are! Facebook is a great way to “make your self known” and a great source of information too. There are many, many military groups on there. I have made numerous friends from those groups 🙂
themondaybox says
Thanks, Suzie! Creamsicles are one of my husband’s favorites too.
I think I am Facebook-phobic. There is so much about it that I just don’t get. Pinterest I am a pro at. 🙂 My “kids” need to give me lessons. My 25 yr old daughter lives on Facebook. 🙂 My son is trying to teach me basic Twitter skills. I am definitely technically impaired!
The Soldiers Angels bakers have been very friendly and helpful. None of them seem to follow “desert safe” recipe precautions and haven’t had any spoilage issues. Maybe it is a myth made up by Nestle’s to get you to bake their desert safe recipes!?!
Suzie says
Once you get used to facebook, you too will be hooked. I kept saying to my son, “This is dumb, I don’t get it”…lol! Now I’m hooked too. I don’t do Twitter. As you know, I don’t follow much (some I do) of the desert safe rules either. I just know what region I am sending too and can guesstimate the time to get there. That is how I know what to send. Crazy? Yes, but it does work, I’ve been doing it for ages. On the other hand, I give YOU a million kudos for working so hard to find desert safe recipes and for sharing them with us all!
themondaybox says
Thanks for the facebook encouragement, Suzie! I hope you are right, though I spend too much time on pinterest already so I better not get too hooked on facebook! 🙂 As far as the desert safe stuff goes….I think I have decided that each person has to make their own choice on what rules they will or won’t follow. A LOT of people google search for desert safe recipes, so I will try to have some of those as well as regular care package recipes. Variety. 🙂
Loretta | A Finn In The Kitchen says
A few months ago I never thought I’d be ready to see oranges, but I needed some the other day and there weren’t any! I guess I’ll just have to enjoy the summer produce for just a little longer 🙂
themondaybox says
Peaches/nectarines are my favorite summer fruit but we eat citrus year round. I will miss reasonable prices on berries in the winter! (These bars can be made with just orange extract and are just as good as with orange juice and zest!)
Anne ~ Uni Homemaker says
These look yummy Wendy! Orange creamsicle bars? Yes please! 🙂
themondaybox says
Thanks, Anne! This creamy citrus flavor is a favorite of so many. I think it brings back childhood memories of creamsicle popsicles. 🙂
shannon says
I think this goes without saying, but i had the best time at the conference with you! I have yet to blog about it (bad shannon!) but i think i’ve still been wrapping my head around everything i learned that weekend; so much great info and so many great new friends. It was wonderful finally getting to meet you in person, and i’m going to properly invite you to lunch sometime in the very near future (read: once i get the wee one safely off to preschool). 🙂
i’m really excited to see where your direction and focus leads you with this; we talked so much about going forward with our respective blogs, and i’m thrilled to see what comes of it.
these look incredible: is it me or is this one of your best photos? it’s gorgeous, truly.
themondaybox says
Thanks, Shannon! The conference has my head buzzing with ideas…when or if I will be able to actually implement all of those ideas is another story. I have been thinking hardest about my photos, so I really appreciate your comment!! Looking for my own style that isn’t too much and isn’t too little and accomplishes the goal of enticement. An ongoing effort for sure.
As much as we talked at the conference, I have all kinds of things I still want to ask you and discuss. I am looking forward to our future coffee/lunch chats. 🙂
I hope the carnival party was fabulous! Also, I hope you and the wee one have a wonderful start to preschool. (If she cries, its to make sure you come back. If you cry, join the crowd, its ok. 🙂
Joanne says
It’s always so great to come home from a conference feeling uber inspired!! Good luck achieving all your blog dreams! And for what it’s worth, these creamsicle bars are totally care package material, at least in my opinion!!
themondaybox says
Thanks, Joanne! It is so easy to get inspired at a conference. Then you come home to day to day responsibilities and there is less time and energy than you need to accomplish everything as quickly as you would like to. One step at a time. 🙂 These bars travel so well and stay fresh for so long, they really are great care package material!
Ashley says
So glad you enjoyed your time at the forum! I’ve yet to attend any type of blogging event, but it’s on my list for eventually : ) And these creamsicle bars sound downright awesome. I was completely obsessed with anything creamsicle when I was a kid!
themondaybox says
Thanks, Ashley! It was great to be able to start local and small. Now I am dreaming of a BlogHer Food type conference. First I have to put into practice what the STL forum taught me. 🙂 Creamsicles were also my husband’s favorites as a child. He loves these bars. 🙂
Mrs. DeYarmond says
OMG ! Can I say that this is the most beautiful food picture I saw this month ???
This is awesome ! The colours, the texture ! My mouth is watering ! I’ve missed your post so much and so glad to be able to have a look at them again !
Lots of love my dear Wendy xxx
themondaybox says
Thanks so much, Sarah! It is wonderful to have you back! I hope your travels were great. After the intensity of your exams, a vacation must have been very welcome! I was very happy with these bars. They tasted great and photographed well!
Frugal Hausfrau says
This is one of my fave flavors, ever since I was a kid and used to always pick orange push ups!! These look amazing! Thanks for linking up with us on Throwback Thursday!
Mollie
Jen V says
Thanks so much for participating in last week’s Friday Favorites link party! Your post was chosen as one of the features at A Heart Full of Love. http://aheartfulloflove.com/friday-favorites-link-party/ I hope you will come back and party with us again this week!
The Monday Box says
Thank you, Jen for hosting and for featuring the Orange Creamsicle Bars!
Carole @TootSweet4Two says
These look delish! Stopping by from SITS Pin-teresting Link-Up and sharing on Pinterest!
The Monday Box says
Thanks for stopping by and for pinning, Carole!
Miz Helen says
Your Forum sounds so exciting, it is always so much fun to meet other bloggers. I sure love your short term goal, a much needed resource for helping military members and their families! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday and have a great weekend!
Miz Helen
The Monday Box says
Thank you, Miz Helen! I agree, it is so much fun to meet other bloggers “in real life”! Meeting them can be inspirational and motivational! I truly hope that The Monday Box will be a helpful resource to the friends and family of military members. I am a wee bit passionate about sending love (and thanks and appreciation) in the form of baked goods in care packages! 🙂
frugal hausfrau says
I’m in love with these!! Ever since I was a child and had orange push ups, I love anything creamsicle! Thanks for sharing with us at Throwback Thursday!
Mollie
The Monday Box says
Thanks, Mollie! I agree, orange creamsicle is a nostalgic flavor for me too! Thanks for hosting Throwback Thursday!
christine says
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe w/ us at #TheWednesdayRoundup link party. I’m madly in love with them. Keep your eye out for your spot in our feature this week, as I’m picking them as my feature fave! Pinning to our party board and also my personal board!
The Monday Box says
Thank you, Christine for hosting The Wednesday Roundup and for featuring my Orange Creamsicle Bars! I hope you try them and love them. They are a favorite whenever I have included them in care packages. 🙂