This lighter cousin of the chocolate brownie won our vote for easiest-to-make holiday square. Then I came up with endless variations and finally whittled them down to my top four.Preparation time 10 minutes. Baking Time 30 minutes
Makes 16 squares or 32 Bars
Ingredients
11/4 cups (300 mL) all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla
100-g pkg pecan pieces, about 1 cup (250 mL)
1/2 cup (125 mL) white-chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Lightly butter or spray an 8-in. (2-L) square baking dish. In a small bowl, stir flour with salt.
2. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter with sugar for 1 min.
3. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture. ((If you don't have a mixer, use a wooden spoon. Beat butter with sugar for 2 min. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture.))
4. Stir in pecans and chocolate chips just until evenly distributed. Turn into prepared baking dish and smooth the top as best you can.
5. Bake in centre of preheated 350F (180C) oven until top is deep golden and blondies come away from sides of pan, 30 to 35 min. Remove dish to a rack to cool slightly.
6. While still warm, cut into 16 squares or 32 bars. Store in an airtight container between layers of waxed paper at room temperature. They will keep well for 3 days or freeze up to 2 months.
CHOCOLATE-TOFFEE SQUARES
Omit white-chocolate chips. Add 1/2 cup (125 mL) each dark-chocolate chips and Skor toffee bits along with nuts. Continue as in main recipe. Just before serving, drizzle top with a little caramel sundae sauce. Makes 16.
CRANBERRY-WHITE-CHOCOLATE SQUARES
Replace pecan pieces with chopped walnuts and add 1 cup (250 mL) coarsely chopped frozen or fresh cranberries along with white-chocolate chips. Continue as in main recipe. When cool, place 1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped white chocolate in a small bowl. Microwave on medium until almost melted, 2 min. Stir until melted. Using the tines of a fork, drizzle over blondie. Makes 16.
GLACÉ-CHERRY-AND-CHOCOLATE BARS
Omit white-chocolate chips and pecan pieces. Stir 1 cup (250 mL) chopped mixed or green glacé cherries and 1/2 cup (125 mL) semi-sweet chocolate chips into dough instead. Continue as in main recipe. Just before serving, place 1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped dark chocolate in a small bowl. Microwave on medium until almost melted, 2 min. Stir until melted. Lightly spread overtop. Makes 32.
PINEAPPLE-CASHEW BARS
Omit chocolate chips and pecan pieces. Stir 1 cup (250 mL) finely chopped candied pineapple and 1/2 cup (125 mL) coarsely chopped toasted cashews into dough instead. Continue as in main recipe. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup (125 mL) shredded sweetened coconut for the last 10 min of baking. Makes 32.
Oh my goodness girl, you have started a riot at my house. Checked in , seen the recipe made a batch, they was gone in licky-de-split. They are sooooooooo good.
ReplyDeleteI am so happy you all liked them.They are so simple.
ReplyDeleteI just put up a recipe for red velvet cupcakes.They are a bit more complicated but you will get raves.Perfect for the holidays.
I just seen it, I was looking for you and I found them.
ReplyDeleteI am tall and slender, I love homemade sweets...I will have to try them all, But I'm scared I will be looking like the woman in the thong.[giggles] and my man will fall in a wrinkles, I will tell him it's your fault. Hahaha
ReplyDeleteI couldn't get my second post up last night because Blogger shut down.I went to their help centre and boy were there a lot of unhappy bloggers complaining with the same problem.
ReplyDeleteI'll finish it tonight.
Glad you liked the Blondies.
Don't worry about love handles. It gives them something to hang on to.You get a better ride.
ReplyDeleteI will have to finish mine also.
ReplyDeleteI wrote something about the gadget, you may have to change it some, it's in draft under recipes Galore.
It takes Blogger so long to get back with you.
You know you will have to go back to see their answer...I think they are moving to fast.
ReplyDeleteThey didn't get back to me so I just went to bed.I just got the recipe up before they shut down.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter-in-law's mama was the finest pastry chef I've ever met.Her creations melted in your mouth.Brian thought he was in heaven when she brought him a tin of assorted sweets that she made.He used to hide them so we wouldn't steal them.
She passed away and her daughter tries but she doesn't have the touch.
Hope you have nice weather for the weekend, I might get lucky.
ReplyDeleteNot many people cook anymore, most things come from a box..I remember one of my daddy's sister had a wood burning stove and she made the best homemade breads.
ReplyDeleteWe've got drizzle all weekend.I have the twins tomorrow and I can't send them outside.I may take them to 'Kid's World'. It's an in-door playground.The I can sit in the longe with a coffee and magazine.
ReplyDeleteI know Brian was in heaven she made them just for him..I bet you are a good cook.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of magazines,I got People today and read the Jaycee article.It didn't say much except the bones are ancient;maybe an Indian burial site.
ReplyDeleteAlso Jaycee is probably going to change her daughters names to give them a fresh start.She won't allow their pictures to be taken.
The twins will love that, they enjoy doing things with you.
ReplyDeleteIs your post about Dave Letterman or Jaycee?
I am glad she wants them to have a fresh start. I have the book ,but haven't read it yet.
ReplyDeleteMy post is about a scientist who is turning chickens into dinsaurs.
ReplyDeleteIf Dave's wife sticks with him she is crazy.He's addicted to sex.He may may promises but he will break them.Why would she set herself up for all that heartache??
ReplyDeleteBut it looks like they are going to try to save the marriage.
You have a full day tomorrow and it's date night also.
ReplyDeleteI dropped in on dodo and she has the Obama family's picture up.
Nan told me she was copying after you,Nan said she would surf the net to check things out and no one was doing what you did, and a couple days later she would have something up similar. But she has no humor.
I am doing one on how he lured women.My ex liked poking women, but I had to catch him. You can't work something out like that, he told the whole world and she should feel like a fool. He's not going to stop.
ReplyDeleteDodo would do a lot better if she diversified a bit.Did some celebrity stuff like you do.Not just Dave.And did a bit of current affairs, a few jokes.
ReplyDeleteShe doesn't have much humor,it's true but I think her main problem is that she has no imagination.
I always said DC was the lowest, but I take that back, Dave have crawled on his belly lower than DC.
ReplyDeleteWe read about DC but we watch it come out of Dave's mouth, I watched his show the other night and the lady seemed to be uncomfortable.
Apparently Dave has a secret bedroom at the studio.No one is allowed in there except the women he invites.It's a love nest with a bed a stocked bar and sex toys and costumes.He likes the girls to dress like cheerleaders among others.
ReplyDeleteDid Dodo say nice things about Obama??
ReplyDeleteYou hit it on the head.
ReplyDeleteA commenter told her Sharon posted some things about what she and DC talked about...and dodo told her Sharon was just like Heidimarie just paranoid.
To me she is worse than Heidi.WE knew Heidi had a problem, so whats up with her.
Dodo is jealous of anyone who knows Dave better than she does.
ReplyDeleteShe is in love with that hack.It doesn't say much for her taste.
No,not really,some crap about it being the offical portrait and wonder was it the like the officalDC mag. and don't put it on the dashboard, the bullseye is to the left. One commenter asked her what that meant..it was very short.
ReplyDeleteLike you said Obama is not perfect but he's better than we had.
ReplyDeleteStrange,the whole world thinks he's a good man with the best intentions and his own country is suspicious of him at best and downright insulting and racial at worst.
ReplyDeleteShe don't know if Sharon know DC or not, we talk about men all the time and go curl up with our own.
ReplyDeleteWe both know we will not be put on a shelf. How can you love a man with his history. I wonder how many hours she stay on her PC?
They have a producer blog about CSI:M ..I will get it for us tomorrow, I asked Mac to go by Abe's and pick it up for us.
A Producer blog?? That sounds very interesting CC.I look forward to seeing what they have to say.
ReplyDeleteEveryone likes him, look how he was treated in your country, even the "QUEEN" liked his family.
ReplyDeleteDid the Queen ever invite the Bushes over?
I guess they would have been happy with McCain and he had to leave office and Palin took over. We would have been in shit knee deep.
It's chilly in the hidey-hole.I am going to put the kettle on for a cup of herbal tea.
ReplyDeleteI have a secret room too.Although everyone actually knows about it and I'm always kicking someone out of here.It has a lot of my favorite things in here; paints and pencils,books and my guitar and a wall of pictures of all my grandkids.
ReplyDeleteAnd I have my little TV.Not the one I like because that was stolen by some guy who says he lives here.
ReplyDeleteI think they just talk about whats going to happen, I don't know if we can comment. I don't know how long it's been up.
ReplyDeleteI think we get more information about him than she do..and that is little to none..If we spent 12/16 hours a day, we would have a lot.
I rather hear about space and all the other stuff, at least it's not boring.
I wonder how Keyser is doing.I haven't been back since I told him he was full of bullshit.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how Heidi found so much stuff about DC.He never does anything newsworthy except when he dumps another woman.
ReplyDeleteWatch that guy that says he lives there ,he might just steal the ch****ie next. Hahaha
ReplyDeleteI forgot, he won't have to steal it, you will wait and asked who's there.[giggles]
I need a TV in here.
You play guitar?
ReplyDeleteI haven't been to Keyser, his blog is just as boring as dodo, we was not the cause of him moving,he came to us. I followed Heidi there to see what she was talking about, he enjoyed the shit.He took them on, his chioce.
ReplyDeleteHe really pissed you off for you to tell his ass off.
You just need a little one up on the shelf so you can track what's going on.I often leave it on CNN if it's a big news day.
ReplyDeleteMan, that is good tea.Bengal spice blended with butterscotch.
ReplyDeleteI will forever believe he flagged his blog, Hell we had stuff up, and I have seen far worse on other blogs. DC man whore ahs the on the fucking.
ReplyDeleteI just pick a little bit.My music lessons were for the violin.
ReplyDeleteKeyser was telling me that the Canadian health care system sucked.He didn't feel an addict or hooker should get as good medical care as himself.In other words,keep the better doctors for the better people.
DC man whore has one on fucking.
ReplyDeleteShit I can use big words and talk about myself in the third party, thats no bigger, all I need is to pull out my college dictionary.
Just who in the hell is the better people? That's why I like Da Vinic's Inquest with Nicholls Campbell, we all are the same, I hope to heaven we get a health system like yours,I know good people that's on food stamps and welfare.
ReplyDeleteWell, obviously Keyser thought he was one of the better people.He has a little ego problem.
ReplyDeleteYou know I told you about I had a bad experience once a while back.
ReplyDeleteIt had nothing to do with money or racism...I know he said he lost a bundle in the market, hell so did a lot of other people I know but you have to take what you got and keep on moving.
He was always a little condescending to me.I'd had enough and told him he was full of shit and left.
ReplyDeleteHe was a good writer though.He wrote university text books.
ReplyDeleteMy man has a high IQ and smart, but you would never know it by him acting or telling you...he's very common and down to earth, he says you know where you been, but don't know where you are going,he says his mama told him never forget his roots.
ReplyDeleteAww shit you can write text books, all you have to do is revised them, or update them like they are doing the dictionary.
ReplyDeleteBook learning ain't wroth a shit without common sense.
You are a very smart lady and so is your daughter, but you don't push it down people throats. In other words you let your hair down.
Your husband is right.We're all God's children and we all have the same rights.It 's in your Bill of Rights that all men are created equal.
ReplyDeleteI lived in a rented/furnished apt. util last year and was happy.
ReplyDeleteYou don't get 2 nickles to rub togrther and turn up your nose at people, hell it might rain and the water get in your nose and you drown.
If you have a loving family and able to take care of your needs you are truly rich.
ReplyDeleteIt just bust my nuts for people to think they are more than others, just because they have 2 pair drawers and the other person only has 1 pair.
ReplyDeleteI have a really early morning tomorrow.I have to pick up the kids.One of them is not too well and will require a lot of fussing.
ReplyDeleteSo I'll say goodnight and wish you a great weekend.I hope you don't get floods, hurricanes or tornados.With any luck you'll see the sun...see you Sunday if I don't check in sooner....j
I will leave the address on the cupcake post when I get it, I hope it is halfway interesting.
ReplyDeleteYou have the twins coming in the morning and you want to finish your post.
I know tomorrow night is date night so enjoy .If the weather is messy, rent a movie and snuggle.
I will say goodnite and see you soon...If you will be here tomorrow just leave a note.
Goodnite and great cuddling.
NITE.......CC