toffee blondies with a twist

Memorial Day weekend is drawing to a close.  It was filled with work, good food and great friends. I didn't have alot of time to bake or make anything, but nothing beats a great big bowl of watermelon at a friends bonfire.  It hits the spot after a long hot day and you have to smile when the watermelon juice rolls down chins and if you are lucky..... your elbows.

I know it is almost bedtime and I can't seem to remember that tomorrow is Tuesday, but I still felt like baking something.  Something oooey and gooey, and rich and warm and something that deserves an ice cold glass of milk next to it.  I know what you are thinking!  "Sara you must be crazy!  It is a billion degrees out there!  How can you be baking!"  Well....when you need chocolate, you need chocolate!  Okay!  Stop yelling!

I found this recipe in "Everyday Food" issue #6 from October, 2003.    I chose this Toffee Blondies recipe because I already had most of the ingredients on hand.  I had to run to the store to get corn on the cob for dinner anyway so I picked up the only ingredient I was missing while I was there.  I was only missing the toffee chips.  Oh, and dinner wasn't anything to blog about.  We had hot dogs, macaroni and cheese and corn on the cob.  A great dinner to kick off summer.

 In the title, I mentioned that the toffee blondies had a twist to then.  I added butterscotch chips and mini chocolate chips to them.  I had partial bags of both and I was tired of eating them by hand so I dumped ( not an exact measurement) the rest of them in.  The blondies turned out warm and delicious and oh so tasty.  My youngest said that he wanted some dessert and I told him to ask his dad because I was busy and he said "But Mom, you are the dessert boss".  I guess I can't argue with that!


Toffee Blondies with a Twist.

1/2 cup (1 stick) of melted butter
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup toffee bits
1/2 cup mini -chocolate chips (optional)
1/2 cup butterscotch chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil (or parchment paper), with a bit of an overhang on the sides.  Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth.  Beat in eggs, vanilla, and salt.  with mixer on low speed, add flour, and beat until combined.  Stir in toffee bits by hand.  Also, if using the optional ingredients mix in now as well.

Spread batter in prepared pan.  Bake cake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.  Remove from oven; cool completely in pan, if you can stand it.

Grasping foil, lift cake from pan.  Peel off foil.  Using a serrated knife, cut into 16 squares.  Store blondies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days if they last that long.