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Cranberry Blondies


I know I was MIA again. This whole work thing gets in the way doesn't it?  I had this recipe waiting to be tried for quite some time (2007 to be exact - my "to try" recipe archive is quite large).

Cranberry Blondies (Adapted from BHG)

1/2 c butter
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
3/4 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 c flour
1/2 c dried cranberries
1/2 c chocolate chips
1 c fresh cranberries

Line a 9x9 square pan with aluminum foil, grease and set aside. Beat butter and sugars together until creamy. Add eggs one at a time and then beat in vanilla. Combine baking powder, soda, flour, and salt in a separate bowl. Add to butter sugar mixture. Stir in dried cranberries and chocolate chips. Spread into pan. Press fresh cranberries into batter with spatula. Bake 25 -30 minutes at 350 or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool on rack for 1 hour. Remove foil from pan. Cut into bars.

These certainly aren't lookers but they are tasters.  The original recipe says to use white chocolate chips. I didn't have any but I do think I actually preferred the contrast between the sweetness of the milk chocolate chips I used and the tartness of the cranberries. The Sous Chef liked these. I was surprised as you know he's not really a dessert guy.

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