S'mores graham cracker toffee

I'm a big fan of the saying "man plans, and g-d laughs."  It's very much the story of my life.  Like take for instance B's work schedule.  Turns out he has to travel for work this week -- and he has to leave NYC the evening of my birthday.  No worries though - we'll celebrate a day or two later when he's back and well-rested!

But I digress...back to my birthday. With a pretty stressful past week and a half, my birthday really snuck up on me this year!!  Which means I've been pretty delinquent on the "birthday treats."  But fret not - while B was busy prepping for work this weekend, I got busy in the kitchen!

I started with an easy but super tasty looking treat -- S'mores "Crack" Graham Cracker Toffee.  It's a riff on the saltine "crack" that people make (and I've been dying to make, but haven't gotten around to it yet), and very similar to the matzah candy that my mom and I make for Passover every year.  Except these have graham crackers and mini marshmallows!

I made sure to cut these into small (about one inch) squares because they're super rich answer...but in the best way possible!!

S'mores Graham Cracker Toffee
From Something Swanky

Ingredients:

Approximately 1 sleeve graham crackers (I used closer to 1.5 sleeves), enough to cover the pan in one layer
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar (I used light)
2 cups milk chocolate candy bar pieces, chopped (I used good-quality milk chocolate chips)
1 cup marshmallow bits for topping
Graham crackers crumbs, for topping

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400F.
Prepare a 10.5" by 15.5" jelly roll pan by lining it with parchment paper.
Be sure to crease the edges so that it lays flat.
Place the graham crackers on top on one layer, don't worry if there are any gaps between them.

Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan over medium-high hear.
Mix in the brown sugar.
Bring to a boil (it should definitely be bubbling around the edge, you should not have to wonder if it's boiling).
Set a timer for 3 minutes.
Allow to boil without stirring.
After 3 minutes, remove it from the heat immediately.

Pour the mixture over the crackers.
Use a spatula to gently spread the toffee over the crackers (it's OK if they get displaced a little, but try to keep them as flat as possible).

Bake for 6 minutes.
Remove from the oven.
Sprinkle the chocolate pieces on top.
Return to the oven for 1 minute.

Spread the melted chocolate evenly across the toffee with a spatula (my mini offset spatula was the best for this).
Sprinkle marshmallow bits and graham cracker crumbs on top.
Let the pan cool to room temperature for a few minutes before placing it in the fridge.
Chill for about 30 minutes, until hardened.

Break apart to serve (I used a sharp knife to cut it into squares).
Store chilled for best taste and texture.

Tip from Something Swanky: "for easier cutting/breaking, remove toffee from the refrigerator after 10 minutes (it should be partially cooled -- the chocolate should be hardened enough that it won't be disturbed by cutting, and soft enough that it's easy to cut) and cut the toffee into small squares.  Return to the refrigerator to finish cooling and harden completely."

"Coconut Ranger" cookies

When, while scrolling through my Facebook feed the other day, I came across these cookies.  Immediately, I turned to B and said "these cookies have your name written all over them."  He looked at me quizzically and I explained to him that they had coconut, toffee, and almonds in them, and then he seemed to agree.  I don't remember if he asked me to bake them or if I had already committed myself to baking them, but the next day I left work and went straight to the store to get the ingredients.  It didn't hurt that I was annoyed and I find baking to be therapeutic, so cookie baking that night sounded like a damn good idea!  The only problem I could come up with these cookies was that you have to wait at least 8 hours from when you make the dough till you bake them.  EIGHT HOURS! (Confession: I got 32 cookies worth of dough but only had space for 30 cookies on the tray to put in the fridge, so I baked up the last two after, gulp, not even 8 minutes in the fridge.  And they were goooooood!!)

So when I actually got around to baking these cookies the following day, I baked up a bunch (and then froze the remaining dough for when I wanted a cookie fix and didn't have at least 8 hours to wait for one).  Then, I brought some with me when I met up with friends that night and then also brought some to B.  The response was, across the boards, a resounding "these are awesome!!"

Coconut Ranger Cookies 
Originally from Royal Carribean, recipe found on Chocolate, Chocolate and More

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup Heath Toffee bits (plain toffee, not the ones with the milk chocolate)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup finely chopped almonds
2 Tbsp Cream of Coconut (Coco Lopez or Goya)
2 1/4 cups sweetened shredded flaked coconut

Directions:

Beat together the butter, toffee bits, and both sugars until light and fluffy.
Add in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.
Beat well.

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Gradually add to the butter mixture, until combined.
Add in the chopped almonds, cream of coconut, and shredded coconut.
Mix until fully incorporated.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper.
Use a medium cookie scoop or a spoon, then shape into balls.
Place on the prepared sheet and then flatten to about 1/2 inch thick.
Cover with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate dough overnight, or at least 8 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325F.
Place cookies on a baking sheet (I used a parchment lined sheet), 2-3 inches apart.
Cookies will spread.
Bake in oven for 12-14 minutes, just until edges start to turn brown (it's OK if they look a little raw in the center....they actually are supposed to).

Remove from oven and let cookies rest on baking tray for 10 minutes to finish baking.
Remove from baking sheet and place on cooling racks to cool completely.

Dark chocolate toffee brownie cups

Last weekend my friends E & G invited a few of us over for their newly opened roof deck on the 45th floor of their apartment building.  Since I need a lot less of a reason to bake, I gladly offered up some homemade treats for the event.

I wanted something transportable (I was going over straight from work) but also something tasty.  And I didn't want to make cookies (I don't know why; it could've been those time intensive Brookies I made recently).  So I opted for brownies, but then figured that brownies baked in cupcake tins would be even easier, so I went with that.  I found a recipe for a dark chocolate brownie, and then added a good helping of toffee bits (leftover from those Peanut Butter Monster Cookie Bars), because toffee makes just about everything better.

These brownies are uber rich and chocolate-y -- just the way I like them!!

Dark Chocolate Brownie Cups with Toffee Pieces
I got the brownie recipe from here, but then left off the ganache and added in toffee...but I can't wait to make her original recipe, too!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 Tbsp coffee or water (I used water, since I didn't feel like making a pot of coffee for 2 Tbsp)
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder or dark cocoa powder (I used dark, since that's my favorite!)
1 tsp instant espresso granules/powder (optional, but it is recommended)
3/4 cup flour

Heath toffee bits, about 1/3 to 1/2 cups....I started with 1/3 cup but then kept adding without actually measuring it, so 1/2 cup is my best estimate

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F.
If making cupcake brownies, line a 12 cup cupcake tin with waxed cucpake papers (I used regular white paper liners and the brownies stuck a little bit.  Waxed liners would probably work a little better, but there's really no harm in using regular papers if that's what you have/want)
If making a tray of brownies, line a 9x9" pan with foil and then spray the foil with cooking spray.

In a large microwave safe bowl, melt the butter.
I do mine in 30 second increments so that the butter doesn't get too hot and/or splatter all over my microwave.
Let the butter cool a little, so that it won't scramble the eggs.
Add the eggs, sugars, vanilla, and coffee.
Whisk to combine.
Add the cocoa powder and instant espresso, if using.
Whisk until it is all incorporated and is smooth, and there are no lumps.
Add the flour and stir until it's just incorporated, making sure to not overmix.
Add the toffee bits and fold in with a rubber spatula, a few times only to make sure the pieces geet mixed in, without overmixing.

If making brownie cups, use an ice cream scooper to fill the cups, about 2/3-3/4 of the way full.  I had enough for just over 14 brownie cups.
If baking a tray of brownies, pour the batter into the prepared pan/
Smooth the top lightly with a spatula to make the top as flat as possible.

Bake for 25-29 minutes (for brownies, about 19-22 minutes for brownie cups, but watch them closely to make sure they don't burn), or until the top is just set but isn't jiggly in the center.  Inserting a toothpick in the center and checking to make sure it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (but no batter).

Allow brownies to cool completely in the pan,

Peanut butter monster cookie bars

About ten days ago -- actually, MORE THAN TEN WHOLE DAYS AGO!! -- I decided to make some peanut butter monster cookie bars.  I just felt like having a yummy, chunky bar to bite into.  But just one.  I wanted to be good on my diet, so I planned to give most of them away (and for once, I succeeded!!).

I thought I had written a blog post on these already -- I had definitely talked about them enough on facebook, but alas, there is no post here.

So, without much ado, but definitely much belated, here are these delicious (and easy!!) Peanut Butter Monster Cookie Bars!

Peanut Butter Monster Cookie Bars
From Averie Cooks

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (heaping) creamy peanut butter (the original recipe says to skip homemade or natural since they're too runny, but I used Skippy natural and it worked just fine)
1 cup flour
1 cup peanut butter M&Ms, plus a few extra for the top
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, chunks, or a combination (I used a mixture)
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/3 cup toffee bits

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Line an 8x8" pan with foil.
Spray foil-lined pan with cooking spray.
Set aside.

In a large, microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter.
I did mine on 30 second intervals, to make sure it didn't get too hot.
Let cool for a few minutes, so that you don't scramble the eggs when you add them.
Add the egg, brown sugar, and vanilla.
Whisk until smooth.

Add the peanut butter, and with a whisk, incorporate until smooth.
Add the flour and stir until just combined, being sure not to overmix.
Add the add-ins (M&Ms, chips and chunks, and toffee bits).
Fold until incorporated.

Pour the batter into the pan.
With a spatula, smooth the top to make it flat.
Place a few of the peanut butter M&Ms on top, since it'll make them look extra pretty :)

Bake for about 24 minutes, or until the top is set.
Inserting a toothpick in the center is a good way to check -- it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.  If there is batter, they are undercooked and need to bake longer.
Allow them to cool in the pan for at least a half hour, before cutting them.

Toffee and chocolate chip cookies

When I set out to make holiday treats for my doormen, my original goal had been to make them a box of cookies and maybe some cranberry bliss bars (I really do love them and they're very festive).  But then I started making fudge, and peppermint bark, and marshmallows, and brownies, and chocolate crunch, and then I only had one kind of cookie (two, if you consider meringues a cookie) for my doormen!

So this morning I went searching for a quick cookie recipe.  I thought I had a chocolate chip-potato chip-pecan cookie recipe somewhere, but of course when I went looking for it, I couldn't find it anywhere (not to self, find it or create one!).  So I ended up finding this chocolate chip cookie recipe, and it was perfect for what I needed -- quick, and I had (almost) all the ingredients on hand!

Now this recipe claims it is the "best EVER chocolate chip cookie" -- and so I decided to check it out.  Now to be completely fair, I doctored the recipe a little by adding milk chocolate toffee bits with the chocolate chips, since I only had a cup of chocolate chips in the apartment and it's Christmas Day and the stores are all closed, but it was a very good cookie!  And I thought the whole "no chilling the dough" part was especially awesome...especially because I was waiting all night last night for the marshmallows to set.  I don't do very well with delaying gratification...especially when it comes to sampling the things I make.

The Best EVER Chocolate Chip Cookie
Slightly adapted by yours truly to be Fantastic Toffee and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 3/4 cups (12 oz) all-purpose flour *If at all possible, please weigh the flour (I didn't weigh it)

3/4 tsp. smallish-medium coarse sea salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips -- I subbed 1 1/4 cups of Heath toffee and milk chocolate bits and 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips, simply because I didn't have enough chocolate chips in the apartment.  I was happy with the tasty results :)

 

Directions:

 

Preheat oven to 360 degrees.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

 

Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar until it is nice and fluffy.

Add both eggs and vanilla and beat for an additional 2 minutes.

Add baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour until cookie batter is fully incorporated.

Finally add chocolate chips and toffee bits until well distributed.

The cookie batter should be somewhat thick.

 

Drop about 2 tablespoons of dough or use a medium cookie scoop and plop the batter onto the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  I used my mini scoop and cut down on the baking time.

Bake for 12-14 minutes (mine took about 6 minutes) until the edges are nice and golden brown.

 

Remove from heat and allow the cookies to stay on the cookie sheet for an additional 2 minutes.

Pick up the parchment paper with the cookies still on top and transfer to a cool non-porous surface.

 

Allow the cookies to cool on the paper for at least 3 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Toffee-dark chocolate chip cookies

One of my best friends from college is coming to visit this weekend!  It's been a while since she's been in NYC -- she has two kids under 4!! -- and her husband has volunteered to watch the kids over the weekend so that R can come to visit (Thanks, J, for letting me have R for the weekend!!)!

I need to clean my apartment before R gets here -- and I'm running out of time, since I'm working a long day tomorrow and then B is taking me out for graduation.  My apartment is a bit of a mess since I was too busy working on my portfolio and not cleaning over the past month and a half.  But I spent most of today running errands, watching some TV, cleaning a little -- and baking cookies.  Because when I'm stressed and have deadlines and I'm running out of time, and don't feel like cleaning, I bake.  Clearly that makes sense, right?

So I found a recipe for chewy white chocolate chip and dried cranberry cookies - they looked delicious and I decided they'd be great cookies to make.  Why?  Because I wanted to bake for R when she was here, but also prepare a care package to take back to J and the kids, and I figured cookies would transport well on her train ride back to Boston.  And because the combination of white chocolate and dried cranberry is tasty (for instance, these copycat cranberry bliss bars).  And best of all, I had all the ingredients on hand. 

Or so I thought.  I swore I had white chocolate chips, but if I do, I can't find them anywhere.  And those craisins I had been holding onto for a while?  Yeah, they expired in March.  But seeing as I had the butter already warmed to room temperature, I started looking around the kitchen for some other mix-in options.  I'm not a huge fan of nuts in my baked goods (I prefer candying them and serving them as such), so I nixed those.  I did, however, have some toffee pieces and some dark chocolate chips, and after some deliberation -- I thought milk chocolate may be better -- I decided that they would go well together. 

Lastly, I was intrigued by the addition of cornstarch to the cookies.  Apparently they make the cookies "thick and chewy, not flat and flimsy" -- and who doesn't like a chewy cookie?!

Soft Baked Cookies
Adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

Ingredients

 

3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup white chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate chips)

3/4 cup dried cranberries (I used toffee pieces)

 

Instructions

 

Line an ungreased cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.

Set aside.

 

In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed until fluffy and light in color.

Mix in egg and vanilla.

Scrape down the sides as needed.

On low speed, mix in flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt.

Stir in white chocolate chips & dried cranberries the toppings.

Chill dough (covered) for 30 minutes or up to 3 days.

 

Preheat oven to 350F.

Drop balls of dough onto cookie sheet.

Bake for 8-9 minutes, until barely golden brown around the edges.

Do NOT cook them longer than 9 minutes.

Remove and let cool for 5-10 minutes on the cookie sheet.*

Transfer to cooling rack.

 

Note: *If cookies do not spread at all, gently press down with a spoon when they come out of the oven. (I didn't see this part when I baked mine, so they look a little domed)

Personal cheesecakes

I was talking to a friend recently, and he mentioned that cheesecake used to be his favorite dessert.  While I know he has a sweet tooth, and loves a pastry in the morning, I've never known him to order dessert, so I filed away this little tidbit of information.  And now I can put it to good use. 

This New Year's Eve my friend and I planned a low key evening in, cooking dinner and watching the ball drop.  The perfect opportunity to bring some cheesecakes!  The only issue was that I didn't remember if he mentioned that he liked a regular graham cracker crust or a chocolate crust.  Not a problem, I mused, I'd just make personal cheesecakes and I'd make a few with each type of crust.  Added benefit?  I didn't have to go buy a new springform pan, since I own a 9" and the recipe called for a 7".  I didn't even know 7" was a standard springform size.  But I digress.

Just over a year ago I went to a "New York" themed party and needed a New York-y dessert.  The hostess wanted me to make black and white cookies, but I hadn't made them before and was hesitant to make them for a party (it was before I made them for a black-and-white themed New Year's Eve Party last year).  Rifling through my mind for other New York inspired desserts, I settled on mini cheesecakes (baked in a mini muffin tin) with their own little crusts.

 

Since I was making personal (aka baked in a regular cupcake tin) cheesecakes, I figured I could experiment with flavors.  Maybe add some mini chocolate chips to some, some heath bar to another, and I even stuck a mini rolo into the centers of a few...so I divided the extra cheesecake filling and added a few different mix-ins.  Just for fun.  Truth be told, they weren't as pretty as the plain cheesecakes.  And maybe I didn't add enough of the mix-ins, but I didn't think they tasted much different either.  But it didn't really matter...I packed away a few of the plain ones for New Year's Eve, and the rest for my doormen.  The not-to-pretty ones were tasted and then tossed.  I didn't need to be picking at cheesecakes....too many calories for something I don't even love that much.

Heath Bar Cheesecakes

Now, there is actually an interesting story behind this cheesecake recipe.  A while ago my parents, aunt, and sister went out for dim dum (Chinese passed dumpings and small plates) in Westchester, and were talking to another lady in line.  Somehow their conversation lead them to - of all things - cheesecake.  She and my mother exchanged email addresses, and she forwarded my mom this recipe shortly after they met.  When I was looking for a cheesecake recipe, my mom forwarded it on to me.

Shari's Cheesecake (Shari is the lady from the dim sum line)
This made just over 30 full sized cupacake cheesecakes.  I had leftover crust mixture, but I did make a full batch of each crust recipe, and that may have been too much.  My baking time was about 25-28 minutes.  As you can tell, mine didn't get golden brown, but they were cooked through (bonus points if you can find the toothpick holes in one of the cheesecakes from testing it's doneness.).

Ingredients:

For the crust
(if you're making "mini" or "personal" cheesecakes, you will need extra crust mixture....I doubled it last time....or you can make a mixture of graham crusts and chocolate crusts, and follow the link/recipe beneath for the chocolate crust)

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter (I used unsalted, as I always do with baking)
1/6 cup sugar

For the filling

1 lb 14 oz cream cheese (3 and 3/4 8 oz packages of cream cheese)
7/8 cup sugar
2 Tbsp corn starch
2 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 tsp vanilla

Mix-ins: With the leftover cheesecake filling, I decided to experiment with some mix-ins.  I used some mini chocolate chips, and some leftover health bar pieces from those chocolate covered pretzels.

Directions:

Grease a 7" springform pan (or in my case, line a regular sized (or mini) muffin tin with paper or foil liners).

Make the crust

Mix the crust ingredients together.
Press the crust into the springform pan.
Bake a 400 degrees until brown, being careful not to burn it.

Make the filling

Mix the sugar and cornstarch together.
Add the cream cheese and blend well.
Add the eggs and blend well.
Add the cream, a little at a time, and blend.
Add vanilla and blend.

* Pour the cream cheese mixture into the well greased springform plan on top of the crust.
Cover the pan with foil.
Place the pan in a water bath -- Fill a lined baking sheet with water, and place the filled springform pan on the tray.
Bake at 450 for 40-45 minutes until golden brown.

Shari's directions:  When done, open the oven about 3-4 inches so the oven cools, leaving the cake there for about 20 minutes.  It is supposed to stop the top from cracking.  (I skipped this step, and they turned out OK)

No-Bake Chocolate Crust (from Martha Stewart)

Ingredients:

7 ounces chocolate wafer cookies
3 Tbsp sugar
6 to 8 Tbsp unsalted butter

Directions:

Place cookies in a food processor and process until finely ground.
Combine cookie crumbs and sugar in a bowl.
Add 6 tablespoons butter, and mix well until crumb mixture holds together. (If needed, add remaining 2 tablespoons butter.)
Transfer cookie mixture to bottoms of lined cupcake tins, and pat out evenly to make the crust.
Place in freezer while proceeding.

Go back to the previous recipe and follow from the *

Festive chocolate covered pretzels

I saw a post on Pinterest the other day about chocolate covered pretzels in different flavors.  I thought they'd make a cute gift idea.  Then the following day someone brought a tray of chocolate covered pretzels to the office as a gift.  They disappeared in about 5 minutes flat, so I - in my health care, evidence-based research mind - deduced that chocolate covered pretzels are a great gift!  I set out to make them in a few flavors, as I had a 4 section gift box that I wanted to put them in.

First up were the vanilla CandiQuik dipped pretzel snaps sprinkled with crushed candy canes.  I made those with leftovers from the Candy Cane Oreo Pops - I just dipped the pretzels partially in the CandiQuik and then sprinkled little crushed candy cane pieces on them when the coating was still wet. 

Next up were pretzels dipped in mik chocolate and sprinkled with pieces of Health Bar.  I admittedly got the idea for Heath Bar on the pretzels from the original blog, so when I was at Target buying some other baking ingredients, I grabbed up a bag of Heath Bar pieces specifically for the purpose of making these.

Next were semisweet chocolate dipped pretzels decorated with nonpareils.  I of course didn't have holiday colored nonpareils, so I went with plain white ones.

Lastly, I made some white chocolate dipped pretzels drizzled with semisweet chocolate.

Check out how pretty they look all packaged up.  What a sweet gift!

Chocolate Covered Pretzels
Check out the original recipe for her "advanced" directions, which involve melting the chocolate with butter in a double boiler.  I find you can skip that step.

Ingredients:

Chocolate, melted - different flavors (white, milk, semisweet)
Pretzels - any shape, although I'm partial to the snaps and mini twists
Decorations - sprinkles, nonpariels, crushed candy canes, candy pieces

Directions:

Melt chocolate
Dip pretzels
Place pretzels on a wax paper-lined cookie sheet
Sprinkle decorations onto wet chocolate

When cookie sheet is covered with pretzels, place in the fridge.
Let cool/harden.
Package pretzels as you'd like....or keep them all for yourself!

Pretzel, potato chip, chocolate chip, and toffee blondies

My friend K's birthday was a few weeks ago.  She had a party and a friend of hers brought these blondie-brownie creations.  They had chocolate chips and pretzels, and I was informed that they also had potato chips (I didn't quite taste them), but what I did taste the AMAZINGNESS that they were.  I asked K to get me the recipe, and she told me she asked her friend.  But it's been over two weeks, and the recipe hasn't come.  There was only thing I could do: try and figure out a recipe myself. 

First, I searched for a blondie recipe.  No surprise that I found one on smitten kitchen.  And no surprise that her recipe is "infinitely adaptable" - perfect for the baker who wants to add her own add-ins!  Then, I did some searching to see if there was an already-published potato-chip-and-pretzel blondie recipe, and came across one (which, not surprisingly, used the same smitten kitchen blondie base).  That recipe called for white chocolate chips and butterscotch chips, but I'm not a huge fan of either of those, so I went with the original chocolate chips that were in the blondies I had originally.  Just for fun, I added some toffee chips (which I had in my kitchen cabinet).

And, very unlike me, I doubled the recipe (instead of my usual halfing it).  I have a few events I'd like to bring them to over the next few days.  I slightly underbaked them, since no one I know likes overbaked blondies or brownies.

Blondies:

Use the smitten kitchen base linked above. 

When adding the mix-ins, add:
1/2 cup crushed potato chips (I used ridged ones)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup crushed pretzels (I wanted to use mini pretzels, but the store was out)
1/4 cup toffee bits (optional)