What do you do when you say on a cold, rainy day, “hey kids, wanna make brownies?” and then realize you have neither brownie mix nor cocoa powder, and only 1/2 cup of chocolate chips?  Make blondies!  These are fabulous and quick.

Blondies (from Smitten Kitchen)

1 stick butter, melted
1 cup  brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

Grease an 8×8 pan.

Mix melted butter with brown sugar – beat until smooth. Beat in egg and then vanilla.

Add salt, stir in flour. Mix in any additions (below). I added 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350°F 20-25 minutes, or until set in the middle.

Further additions, use one or a combination of:

• 1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts, toasting them first for even better flavor
• 1/2 to 1 cup chocolate chips
• Stir 1/2 cup dried fruit into the prepared batter (craisins and white chocolate chips, yum)
• 1/2 cup mashed bananas
• Top with a vanilla butter cream or chocolate peanut butter cream frosting