Blondies

I'm not a huge chocolate fan so I'm always on the lookout for recipes not completely centered around chocoholic contents. I have to be in the mood for gooey, chocolate brownies, but Blondies, I can always be in the mood for! I made these Blondies for a Friday night get-together with some of my best friends a few weeks ago. We made homemade pizza, spilled drank red wine, and caught up. These delicious goodies were a perfect treat for dessert. I used a recipe over at Smitten Kitchen that she says is "infinitely adaptable." I made classic ones with pecans, chocolate chips, and butterscotch chips, but next time I think I'll switch it up and try something new!

Infinitely Adaptable Blondies
*I would double the recipe if you want thicker blondies, next time I will double it and cut them into smaller chunks.

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Pinch salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

1. Butter an 8×8 pan
2. Mix melted butter with brown sugar – beat until smooth. Beat in egg and then vanilla.
3. Add salt, stir in flour. Mix in any additions (below).
4. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350°F 20-25 minutes, or until set in the middle. Cool on rack before cutting them.

Further additions, use one or a combination of:

• 1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts, toasting them first for even better flavor
• 1/2 to 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 teaspoon mint extract in addition to or in place of the vanilla
• 1/2 cup mashed bananas
• 1/4 cup bourbon, scotch or other whiskey; increase the flour by one tablespoon
• 2 tablespoons of espresso powder with the vanilla
• Stir 1/2 cup dried fruit, especially dried cherries, into the prepared batter
• Top with a vanilla butter cream or chocolate peanut butter cream frosting

These were buttery, chewy and delicious! Try them out and see what you think!