White Chocolate-Gingerbread Blondies

These are incredible! And yes, they are from our favorite baker...Martha!

INGREDIENTS

Makes about 4 dozen 2-inch squares.

Vegetable-oil cooking spray
2 3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 1/2 sticks (20 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
10 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped


DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 17-by-12-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Line bottom with parchment cut to fit, and coat parchment.

2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.

3. Beat butter and brown and granulated sugars with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs and yolk, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla and molasses. Reduce speed to low.

4. Gradually add flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Stir in white chocolate.

5. Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake until edges are golden, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into 2-inch squares or desired shape. Blondies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Sugar Cookies & Buttercream Frosting

Love these sugar cookies...and this is my mom's special buttercream frosting recipe.

1 c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
3 Tbsp. sour cream
1/2 tsp almond or lemon extract (I use almond)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3 1/4 c. flour

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, sour cream, almond or lemon extract and vanilla. Mix well. Add soda, salt and flour and mix on low just until combined. Roll dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours. Roll out on floured surface and cut into shapes. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 375 degrees fr 6 to 8minutes. Watch so they don't brown. Coll on racks, then frost and decorate.

Frosting

The thick but creamy texture of this flavorful frosting makes it ideal for decorating. It can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week.

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
5 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
3 Tbsp. milk

Cream butter and shortening in electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all the sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at high speed until light and fluffy. Keep icing covered with a damp cloth until you're ready to decorate.

Something healthy coming next...

PB/Oatmeal/Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 c butter, softened
1/2 c brown sugar
1/3 c white sugar

Cream together.

1/2 c peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg

Add to mixture.

1 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Combine and add to mixture, beat just until blended.

1/2 c oats (I usually add a tad more)
1 c chocolate chips (I usually add a tad less)

Bake at 350 degrees for exactly 10 minutes.

YUM!!! This recipe doesn't make a ton of cookies, so I double it most of the time. Enjoy!!