How was your Christmas? Was it merry and nice? Were your stockings filled with ice?

(Don’t ask. Just nod your head and smile.)

I know that I just posted a brownie recipe last week, and I know that I raved about how I love said brownies but here’s something weird: I don’t really, really love brownies. I mean that sometimes I want a brownie, and I REALLY just need a brownie. But most times, I can pass by a plate of brownies without much of a glance. Something about all that chocolate and not much else going on. I suppose that, alone, will get me voted off the island.

Give me a Blondie any day, however. I love the buttery brown sugar taste, the dense interior, and the crusty tops. Gve me that brown sugar base, and I can go to town pulling out all sorts of mad science moves, adding a little bit of this and a little bit of that.

This go round, I grooved with a lemon theme and added white chocolate chips. Admittedly, I was trying to suck up to Mr. Hausfrau, who la la loves la la lemon and hates the following:

Pumpkin
Sweet potatoes
Donuts
Peanut butter anyplace other than between two slices of white bread
Large quantities of chocolate
Mint desserts
Bacon anyplace other than beside a pile of eggs

(He’s such a boy.)

So, if you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know the past month has left him out of the desserts madness. And gifted me a few pounds. So, aside from sucking up, I thought it was high time for his pants to start straining some seams.

Not necessarily because misery loves company. But maybe because misery is ready to put away her elastic waist pants.

Lemon White Chocolate Chip Blondies

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350.

In a small bowl, combine the salt and flour. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat the butter until light. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla, lemon extract, and lemon zest and beat until well combined.

Fold in the flour mixture until no streaks of flour remain. Add the white chocolate chips and stir until evenly dispersed. Scrape the batter into an 8 x 8 pan and bake 25 minutes. Allow the Blondies to cool before slicing.