Blondies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pecans
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract (tablespoons is correct)
• 1 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Line a 13×9 inch pan with aluminum foil so that there is over-hang on all sides. Spray foil with cooking spray or brush with oil or butter. Note: the aluminum foil makes it very easy to reove the Blondies from the pan).

3. Spread the pecans onto a medium size baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. When cool coarsely chop the pecans and set aside. Note: you can skip toasting the nuts if you want but toasting does enhance the nuttiness.

4. While pecans are toasting, melt butter in microwave or on stove. Set aside to cool.

5. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl. Set aside.

6. Combine the cooled butter with the brown sugar. Mix or whisk until combined.

7. Lightly beat eggs and add to the mixture.

8. Add vanilla to the butter-sugar-egg mixture. Stir well to combine all ingredients.

9. Gently fold in the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.

10. Add white chocolate chips and pecans. Stir until just combined.

11. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Spread the batter evenly.

12. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

13. Cool the Blondies in the pan until room temperature. This may take a couple of hours.

14. Gently remove the Blondies from the pan by lifting the foil overhang. If the Blondies are not at room temperature they will break apart on lifting (I know this because I was in a hurry once and didn’t wait long enough).

15. Gently peel the foil from the bars.

16. Cut into 36 bars.