Baked on Monday - Blondies

Happy Labour Day to you lovely bloggers in Canada and the U.S. It's a rainy day here in Vancouver, so it's perfect for staying indoors baking, eating and watching "Bell Book and Candle" (though I really should be working).

Today's treat is a good old fashioned Blondie. Perfect with coffee, which we'll drink lots of today.

Blondies - makes one 8"x8" pan (about 16 squares)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chocolate pieces (optional, but why would you not opt for chocolate?)

Preheat oven to 350f/180c. Grease an 8x8 baking pan.

In a large bowl, cream softened butter with an electric mixer, or wooden spoon, then beat in the brown sugar. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until fluffy.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir the flour mixture into the creamed mixture, then stir in walnuts. Spread the batter in the greased pan. Sprinkle the chocolate bits (if you opted for chocolate, but again, why wouldn't you?), evenly over the dough and press down slightly with a spatula.

Bake the blondies in the centre of the oven for about 25 minutes, or until they have started to pull, very slightly, away from the edges of the pan. Cool in the pan, on a wire rack, before devouring.

These will keep, at room temperature, for several days or several weeks in the refrigerator. But they probably won't be around for that long ;)

Have a lovely day! Back again soon.