A blonde and brunette walk into a bar . . .

Every time I say or type blondies and brownies, I feel like I'm starting a joke. Yeah, I know, I'm weird.

So, for week two of my "I'm back in the baking game" thing, I wanted to try something new and something I've made so many times before. I've never made blondies and since I wanted to make something my manager could eat (she can't eat chocolate), they sounded perfect. I also wanted to make a different brownie from my old Betty Crocker brownies that I've made a million times before. The girls on What's Cooking message board (from The Nest) came through with some awesome recipes.


Blondies
(Basic Blondie Recipe, from Bakingblonde's Weblog)




6-7 TBS butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder (optional, creates lighter blondie texture)

Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8×8 pan with foil and lightly spray with PAM. In a large microwave safe mixing bowl melt the butter. Allow to cool for 5 mintues. Mix the brown sugar with the melted butter and beat until smooth. Beat in egg and then vanilla. Add salt, stir in flour and baking powder (if using). Mix in any additions (some ideas below).


Pour into prepared pan and use a greased spatula to evenly spread mixture in pan and level the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until set in the middle. Cool on rack before cutting.



Add in ideas:
1/2 to 1 cup chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, white chocolate or butterscotch chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, almonds
1/2 cup M&M candies
1/2 chopped Reese’s PB cups
1/4 cup toffee pieces
1/2 tsp mint extract in addition to, or in the place of vanilla extract

Sissy's Variations:
For my add ins, I used little caramel pieces (about 1/2 c.) in one batch and chocolate chunks (about 1/2 c.) in the other.
I used right at 6 1/2 tbsp. butter.
I used the baking powder in the caramel blondies, and I think I liked the texture better on those.
Mine were done right at 20 minutes.



Brownies
(Deep-Dish Brownies, from Lauren's Kitchen)





3/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8 inch square pan.

In a large bowl, blend melted butter, sugar and vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time. Combine the flour, cocoa powder and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually blend dry mixture into the egg mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.


Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until brownies begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Let brownies cool, then cut into squares. Enjoy!


Sissy's Variations:
I used chocolate chunks in one batch and the caramel pieces in the other (about 1/2 c. each).
Mine cooked in about 30 minutes. That may have been because the the oven was already hot.