Nothing about these blondies makes them particularly special for the Super Bowl. They're just your basic blondie recipe with the substitution of chopped Heath bars for chocolate chips. However, because they're so easy to make, can be made the night before, and are easy to serve and eat, they work for a Super Bowl party, or any party for that matter.
Heath Bar Blondies Preheat oven to 350. Grease 9x9 baking pan. (You can use an 8x8; the blondies will just be slightly taller.) Into a large mixing bowl, sift together: 1 c. all-purpose flour, ½ tsp baking powder, 1/8 tsp baking soda, and ½ tsp salt.
In a large bowl, beat together 1 c brown sugar with 1 stick melted butter. Add 1 large egg and ¼ tsp vanilla.
Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture along with 1 c. coarsely chopped Heath bars. (Add nuts if you feel so inspired, but don't tell me about it. I hate nuts in cookies and brownies). Pour batter into pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool (if you have the patience) before cutting into squares.
I realize that I've posted nearly every day this week about one or another dish that appeared at the Philly Food Blogger Potluck last Friday. I hope I'm not boring you with all these posts, it just doesn't seem right not to share all the wonderful things that I got to taste that night. And with that introduction, let me tell you about what may be one of the best cookies I've ever tasted (and I've eaten more than my share of cookies over the years).
Elizabeth, who is also responsible for the Elvis and Fluffer Nutter cakes I've posted about in the past, brought a large container of her famous Coconut Almond Toffee Crunch cookies to the potluck. She describes them perfectly in her post as a cookie that has evolved into a treat "that combines chewy, crunchy, sweet, salty, and buttery." People who loudly announced that they didn't like coconut devoured them. Folks sneaked stacks of them out in napkins. One blogger said she was going to take the cookie in her hand home to her boyfriend but was then spotted eating it a few moments later. They are just that good.
Imperial Exclusive Vodka from Emperor Brands L.L.C., made in France, is 40% abv. / 80 proof. This super premium vodka is made from a secret recipe that has been handed down for generations. This is a very clean and clear vodka made from the finest French grains and ultra pure and smooth Normandy water, then distilled five times. Many vodkas have as much taste as a glass of pure medicinal grade alcohol. In other words, none. They have had every trace of taste filtered out until there is no character left. That is not the case with Imperial Exclusive Vodka.
When I first tried this spirit I immediately noticed the aroma. Faint but very evident hints of butter, sweet caramel or toffee, the slightest trace of vanilla. I was trying to place the exact scent when it struck me. It was like the faintest touch of the best part of the aromas from the gorgeous movie theaters I vaguely remember from my childhood. Not the cookie cutter places that have two dozen tiny theaters crowded under one roof that you find today. Perpetually grimy and lacking soul. No, I mean the grand old places that only played one movie for a week or two before the next came along. The ones that were spotlessly clean, had comfy, red velvet chairs to sink deep into; and ushers to help you to your seats. Walls decorated with hand-painted murals and thick velvet curtains thirty feet high that spread across the walls right before the lights dimmed to soften the acoustics of the room.
Ghirardelli has been making delicious dark chocolates since the company opened more than 150 years ago, but to
meet growing consumer demand, they have introduced some new, gourmet chocolates. Intense Dark Gourmet Chocolate Bars are blends of
unique Ghirardelli dark chocolate with new flavors and varying cocoa contents, designed to appeal to a wide
variety of chocolate lovers. The four flavors include:
Twilight Delight- 72% cacao smooth dark chocolate Citrus Sunset - 60% cacao dark chocolate with orange and caramel crunch Espresso Escape
- 60% cacao dark chocolate with finely ground espresso beans Toffee Interlude - 42% cacao
dark chocolate with toffee and carmelized almonds
Ghirardelli hosted an event with chocolate experts including Alice Medrich and Elizabeth Faulkner to
determine the best food and drink pairings with these chocolates, all of which can be viewed here. My favorite suggestion is to
pair Espresso Escape with marshmallows to make "adult" s'mores. Yum! The 3.5 ounce bars should be in stores
around the country by now, but I have only seen them online so far.
Looking for a tasty treat to make during Passover? Look no further than David Lebovitz's blog. The blogosphere's favorite chocolatier has posted an
easy and delicious-looking recipe for Caramelized
Matzoh Crunch topped with - what else - chocolate. Even if you don't normally celebrate Passover, you have surely
noticed the influx of crispy matzoh in your local grocery store. It makes an excellent crispy base for these treats,
which are topped with a simple toffee layer and coated in melted chocolate and slivered almonds. David offers several
potential variations with his recipe, if dark chocolate and almonds aren't your favorite. White chocolate and
pistachios, anyone?
Sometimes, particularly when you have just finished a delicious or surprising meal, you might wonder where the
inspiration for a dish comes from. More often, this is a phenomenon associated with words. The name "banoffi,"
for example, is something that must be the subject of much rumination, for who would assign such a ridiculous name to a
dessert? Ian Dowding and Nigel Mackenzie would, and it is this delicious pie that has both a surprising name and a
surprisingly delicious flavor.
It was in 1972 at The Hungry Monk in East Sussex, England that Dowding
and Mackenzie melded the syllables of the words "banana" and "toffee" to name a pie that contained
those very same ingredients: banoffi pie. though the restaurant's website gives a good description of the origin of the dessert, Mr. Dowding described its true evolution in the Guardian.
The pie began as a dish that was unsuccessful more often than not. It was a recipe from America that involved
folding toffee into pastry cream and layering it in a pie shell that provided the foundation for the pie. After much
refinement and a little inspiration regarding the method of making the toffee itself, the banoffi pie found itself with
a permanent seat on the Hungry Monk menu and a place in British hearts. The pie is popular outside of the UK, as well.
If you want to try your hand at it, the recipe provided by
the Hungry Monk is the perfect place to start.
I saw Nicole's Food Porn post on
gingerbread toffee in December, and the culinary green-eyed monster took over. I had to have that toffee! And I had
to wrap it in pretty little waxed-paper twists and take just that picture. I printed out the recipe and stuck it to the
white board in my kitchen.
Weeks later, I gathered my sisters and babysitter for a candy-making day. I got out the candy-making chocolate, the
sugar, the spices, the butter, and we all took turns stirring and measuring and playing with my son, Truman. The first
thing on the list: gingerbread toffee.
The recipe was fairly easy to follow, even though it was all
in metric: the ratios were even (100ml:100ml:50ml) and, as one cup = 250ml, I multiplied the recipe x2.5. I also
took a wild guess at the "golden syrup" and ended up using a combination of dark corn syrup and maple syrup
(there is no exact substitute available in the U.S.). The most important bit: Dagmar mentions in the comments to be
careful not to cook your batter too short, or too long. Mine got cooked too long and came out hard and brittle. It was
still absolutely delicious, crunchy, and lovely - but didn't make my longed-for photos come out quite the same way.
The other day I was all set to make mashed potatoes -- I'd even peeled the cooked potatoes and placed them in my big bowl, when I realized that I couldn't find my masher! With a little bit of innovation, clumpless potatoes were only moments away.
Ghirardelli has been making delicious dark chocolates since the company opened more than 150 years ago, but to
meet growing consumer demand, they have introduced some new, gourmet chocolates. 
Sometimes, particularly when you have just finished a delicious or surprising meal, you might wonder where the
inspiration for a dish comes from. More often, this is a phenomenon associated with words. The name "banoffi,"
for example, is something that must be the subject of much rumination, for who would assign such a ridiculous name to a
dessert? Ian Dowding and Nigel Mackenzie would, and it is this delicious pie that has both a surprising name and a
surprisingly delicious flavor. 
I saw 
Chocolate-stuffed bananas on the grill
Tyler Florence welcomes new daughter
Beware kids' menus!
