Blog With Friends: Chewy Orange Pineapple Bars

Today’s post is the next in our series of Blog With Friends theme collaborations. Each month a group of bloggers get together and each publish a project based on a theme. What I love about this partnership is that it’s not bloggers with similar interests or strengths but a diverse group coming up with a variety of posts. In any given month we may have a recipe, sewing tutorial, crafts projects, book review and/or a technology post all related to the theme of the month.

This month's theme is Chill. There will be individual project pictures and links to what everyone else has to offer at the end of my post, but here’s a peek at what we all came up with:

I made Chewy Orange Pineapple Bars. 

Chewy Orange Pineapple Bars

When I think "chill" especially in July, I think of a few things. The first is floating on a raft in the pool with a Pina Colada in my hand. The second is sitting on the beach with a Pina Colada in my hand. The third is . . . well, you get the point.

The other picture that comes to mind is cookouts at the end of a hot summer day, with the perfect ending, my mom's Lemon Bars. We love Lemon Bars in our house, cookout or not, they've become a summer treat for us. I think it's that lemon is so refreshing in the hot weather. And they go so well with a big glass of icy cold lemonade. So I based these Chewy Orange Pineapple Bars on the classic Lemon Bars. And, the Pina Colada, of course.

I saw no reason to change the crust so for these bars I started with the same shortbread crust as the Lemon Bars and pressed it into my baking dish:

After baking the crust, I knew I wanted the same type of filling as the Lemon Bars but more of the flavors of the Pina Colada. I had orange juice in the fridge so I started there. Since I was using orange juice not pineapple juice, I went with chopped pineapple chunks.

I mixed up the filling, poured it into the crust and topped with some coconut flakes.

Pop in the oven and bake and wow, this looks (and smells) great.

After refrigerating to set, I cut, topped with a little powdered sugar and a final nod to the Pina Colada, a cherry. Delish!

As always, any time you make one of my recipes, feel free to post a picture of it to my Baking In A Tornado Facebook Page. I'd love to see it!

Be sure to visit all of this month's other Blog With Friends projects:
Dawn of Spatulas on Parade shares the recipe for her Tortellini "Chill" Salad. 

Lydia of Cluttered Genius shares her tips to Find Your Chill amidst kids, work and all the rest.

Rabia of The Lieber Family Blog shares a fun project perfect for displaying on your door, her Chillin' Triptych. 

 Melissa of Home on Deranged shares her tips to Chill Out for Your Next Vacation in the Great Outdoors!

                              

Chewy Orange Pineapple Bars

                                                                          ©www.BakingInATornado.com
 
Printable Recipe
 
Ingredients:
1 stick butter, softened
1 stick margarine, softened
2 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar

4 eggs, room temperature
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 tsp pineapple extract
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
8 oz pineapple chunks, well drained and coarsely chopped
1 tsp orange zest
1/2 cup coconut flakes

Opt for serving: powdered sugar and cherries

Directions:
*Grease a 9 X 13 glass baking dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*Carefully cream the butter, margarine, 2 cups flour and powdered sugar.
*Press into and just barely up the sides of the baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes. 
*While the crust is baking, beat the eggs and sugar. Once smooth, beat in the orange juice and pineapple extract. Once incorporated, beat in the flour and baking powder. Fold in the orange zest and pineapple.
*Pour this mixture over the hot crust. Sprinkle with coconut flakes.
*Bake for 30 minutes or until you gently press the center, it feels set, not wet. Remove from oven and cool on the counter for 1/2 hour. Move to refrigerator and cool completely before cutting.
*Opt: When serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar and top with a cherry.