Blondie with Maple Butter Sauce

This recipe involves sticks of butter, half a bag of brown sugar, mounds of white chocolate chips and a full cup of syrup.

I'm exaggerating, but just a little.

It's worth it anyway, by the way.  So rich you can't eat two servings, so you're safe from that temptation.

Serve it with a good, dark coffee (Starbucks Cafe Verona or Gevalia's French Roast, anyone?) and light ice cream.  Yes, I mean the reduced-calorie, reduced-fat kind.  Believe me, you won't notice.

This picture doesn't even do it justice.  Do you see that sauce puddled around the blondie?  That's just butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup.  Unbelievable.  I'd like to start every morning with a fluffy stack of pancakes drenched in that stuff.

I suppose I'll share the recipe with you.

Blondie with Maple Sauce
Serves 2-8*
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup flour, sifted
1/4 c chopped walnuts (or more)
1 c packed light brown suar
5 1/3 Tbsp butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 c white chocolate chips
Maple Butter Sauce
3/4 maple syrup (real or otherwise)
8 Tbsp butter
3/4 c packed light brown sugar
1/4 c chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Add the baking powder, baking soda and salt to the already-sifted flour, then sift the dry ingredients again.  Add the chopped nuts and mix well.  Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, add the brown sugar to the melted butter and mix well.  Mix in the egg and vanilla extract.
4. Stir in the flour mixture, a little at a time, until well incorporated.  Stir in the white chocolate chips.
5. Spread out the batter in a 9x9 nonstick pan.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
6. To make the maple sauce, cook the maple syrup and butter over low heat until the butter is melted.  Stir in the brown sugar until completely dissolved.  If you desire, add the walnuts.
7. Serve the blondie warm, with ice cream on the side, and the sauce drizzled on top.

* The serving size really depends on what you had for dinner, your sugar tolerance, and if you're around people you can unbutton your jeans in front of.  And how much sauce you want to be able to drizzle (pour) on top of your blondie and ice cream.