Blondies

We domestic goddess types always need a crowd-pleasing dessert that is easy peasy up our sleeves. So, I bring to you: Chocolate Chunk Blondies.

Really, Ina Garten is bringing the recipe to you. My blog is just a portal for her genius.

This recipe calls for all the chocolate chip cookie basics. I used regular chips instead of chunks because that's all I had. And I omitted the nuts due to my food allergies.

The pros of this recipe are that it is amazing and super easy. And less cleanup and cooking time than baking straight-up regular chocolate chip cookies.

The con is that it requires an odd-shaped baking pan: 8 1/2 by 12 by 2. Since I am a hoarder of many cooking and baking useless and random items, I of course, had this size on hand. You may need to hit up Bed, Bath and freakin' Beyond (I will always think of it like this due to Mario Cantone and Sex and the City and one of his awesome phone calls on the streets of NYC to Charlotte - my fave, natch). But really, the Triple B's has all the fanciful and random kitchen thangs a gal could want. Plus you can peruse As Scene on TV items while you're there. Always a fascinating experience. I would just purchase the weird size pan rather than finagling with the measurements and times and whatnots. People say I am this amazing baker, but really, I just follow the instructions. That's it!

Here's the recipe. It is so fab. Oozing with chocolate and brown sugar. Soft, yet perfectly crusty. There is nothing else to say.

Chocolate Chunk Blondies

By Ina Garten
From "Barefoot Contessa: Foolproof"
Makes 12 large bars

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1 1/4 pounds semisweet chocolate chunks, such as Nestle's

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8 1/2 by 12 by 2-inch baking pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar on high speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix well, scraping down the bowl after each addition. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Fold in the walnuts and chocolate chunks with a rubber spatula.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Don't overbake! The toothpick may have melted chocolate on it but it shouldn't have wet batter. Cool completely in the pan and cut into 12 bars.

Please note: The Jersey Girl omits the walnuts, and uses two cups of chocolate chips in place of chocolate chunks if that's all she has in her cupboard. I also cut them into smaller squares, usually yielding 20-24 bars.