Blondies

Blondies a.k.a chocolate chip cookie bars.  This recipe is from the Mrs. Fields cookbook. When we were growing up, Mrs. Fields was the shit. If Sam & I went to the mall– or my mom went without us, she would bring us back something from Mrs. Fields, usually a raspberry muffin (a recipe i have longed to recreate but haven’t found.) One of the best things about blondies, besides the taste, is how quickly they come together. If you are craving chocolate chip cookies (or dough, as it happens)  but you don’t want to bother w. the scooping of the individual cookies– which shouldn’t seem like such a chore, but sometimes does. Anyway, fast, easy, gooey, great.  By the way, I was thinking that this could also translate to a chocolate chip cookie pie…

1 cup salted butter [i used 1 cup unsalted butter, and 1/2 tsp salt]
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (9 oz)
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 300. Line an 8×8 inch pan w. foil and grease w. butter. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, soda, and salt (if using unsalted butter.) W. an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, beat until light and fluffy.  Add flour mixture, blend on low until just combined, don’t overmix. Gently fold in choc chips and pecans w. a spoon. Put in pan. With damp hands, press down until flat across the top. Cook for 35-40 mins, until toothpick comes out clean but still soft in the middle. [I cooked mine for 33 mins, toothpick wasn’t exactly clean, but I like them gooey.] Wait until cool to cut. Another thing, blondies usually dry out more quickly than say brownies or cookies- so the fresher the better.