Blondies
Blondies= the blonde version of a Brownie, get it?
A recipe I favor. A nice break from Chocolate (not that I ever need a break but some people do). I have been baking these for approximately 7 years now, only during December. I bake probably around 16 batches. Friends have asked me for the recipe, I have shared it and many say they just don’t turn out like mine. Here are some pointers:
1. The type of baking pan you use makes a big difference. Dark baking pans take less time to bake than lighter ones. Glass is different as well.
2. Butter needs to be room temperature, not almost melted. (A little firmness is needed).
3. Every oven is different, if you bake often, you should know yours pretty well. The altitude of the city where you live can have effect on the baking time too. I live in a city that sits 1,017 ft. above sea level.
4. Over mixing makes breads chewy, so …don’t!
5. DO NOT use an electric mixer to combine the dry ingredients into the sugar/butter mix. Do it by hand.
6. Roasting the nuts beforehand makes a big difference in flavor.
Here we go…
1 1/2 C. All Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt (I use Kosher)
3/4 Cup chopped Walnuts (Pecans or Macadamia Nuts are ok too)
3/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar
2/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 1/2 Sticks of Butter, room temperature
2 Large eggs
1 Teaspoon Maple extract (Imitation is ok)
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla extract (Imitation not ok, use the real stuff)
3/4 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips (alternative choices: White Chocolate chips or butterscotch chips)
Preheat Oven to 350F
Roast the nuts for 4 – 5 minutes on a baking sheet.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well with fork or whisk.
With electric mixer, combine brown sugar, granulated sugar and butter for about 2 minutes, your mix should look creamy & puffy. Add eggs, maple and vanilla extract and mix until well blended together.
Add to this, the dry ingredients previously combined in two batches, folding everything in with a spatula or large spoon. (Do not use electric mixer for this step).
Finally add the roasted nuts and chocolate chips.
Place batter into a 11 x 7 (brownie pan) or 8 x 8 (square baking pan) and try to spread batter evenly with spatula. I line my pans up with parchment paper to make cleaning easier. (No greasing needed)
Bake for:
Darker Pans, 33-34 minutes
Lighter Pans, 35-36 minutes.
Let them cool down completely, then cut in 2 inch squares and sprinkle them lightly with powdered sugar.
Enjoy them with a tall cold glass of milk , or coffee. Yum!
Happy Baking!
Apple Butter Pork Loin
2 lb Boneless Pork Loin
2 Cups Apple Juice
1/2 Cup Apple Butter (Fig or Apricot could work too)
1/4 C Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Water
1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
Preheat oven to 350F (175 C)
Season the pork loins with seasoning salt, and place them in a 9×13 inch baking dish or small roasting pan. Pour apple juice over the pork, and cover the dish with a lid or aluminum foil.
Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven. While the pork is roasting, mix together the apple butter, brown sugar, water, cinnamon, and cloves. Remove pork roasts from the oven, and spread with apple butter mixture.
Cover, and return to the oven for 2 hours, or until fork-tender.
Source: Allrecipes.com UMich97
thoughtsinmotiondotnet 