Brown Sugar Peanut Blondies

Day 74

Summer is finally here! I’m sincerely hoping that you are reading this with the sound of ocean water nearby, or at least the beach or a vacation somewhere in your near future. 

Over the summer, we will all be invited to various picnics and barbeques, most likely, so I thought that the next few blog recipes should be good ideas to take to grilling events. To make the cut, I think the recipes should be easy to eat and serve, not too heavy, and somewhat unique.

 I found this delicious blondie recipe in a Better Homes and Gardens magazine earlier this year, and I adapted it to include peanuts and chocolate rather than the almonds in the original recipe. Peanuts and chocolate always seem to be a crowd-pleaser, especially if there are any kids in the party mix. 

This recipe is one of the easiest I’ve ever made, and it lends itself nicely to an ice-cream sundae with caramel sauce (I recommend Haagan Daz’s brown sugar ice cream if you can find it) or simply to be eaten au naturel as a bar or cookie. Each square offers a chewy center with lots of brown sugar flavor. In many ways, it’s a better summer alternative to brownies since these blondies aren’t quite as sweet and rich. 

You’ll surely fall in love at first bite. Enjoy your summer, and may it be filled with relaxation, friends, sunshine, and lots of smiles!

Brown Sugar Peanut Blondies

Ingredients: 
2 cups packed brown sugar 
2/3 cup butter, cut up
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour 
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1½ -2 cups chopped peanuts and chocolate chips, combined 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside. In a medium saucepan heat brown sugar and butter over medium heat until butter melts and mixture is smooth, stirring constantly. Cool slightly. Stir in eggs, one at a time; stir in vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder, and baking soda.

Spread batter in prepared baking pan. Sprinkle with nuts and chocolate. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool slightly in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars while warm.

Original recipe from Better Homes and Gardens magazine, and at this link: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/blondies/