scrimpySnack of the Week: Blonde Bites

Good Sunday afternoon! Here in Boston, it's rainy and dreary, and Dylan is teething and so miserable. I have a new follower, Ariel, so that's has really made my day. I just love to see people are reading. So, welcome Ariel, and thanks for following me as I try to enjoy life in the city on the cheap!

This week's scrimpySnack is Blondie Bites. It's actually surprisingly difficult to think of new and unique things to bake each week, but I'm looking forward to getting a bit more adventurous. This week's snack is not adventurous. I didn't have any chocolate, but I had everything I needed to make blondies (and I'm sure you do, too). I just finally realized that "blondies" are a play on "brownies". Like, blonde vs. brown hair I guess? Anyways, I should probably go ahead and file this post away in the "i am an idiot" folder.

I hope you enjoy these bites, we sure did/are still. They kind of taste like sugar cookies.

the centers fall to form the cutest little dimple on top!

Bangin' Blondie Bites

makes:
2 dozen mini-bites
1 dozen normal muffin-tin size
1 9 x 9 pan

2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour (you could use half whole-wheat, half AP...$.37)
2 1/2 t. baking powder (as usual, double check you're not using baking soda...$.10)
1/2 t. salt (<$.01)
3/4 c. butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks...$1.05)
1 c. white sugar ($.31)
2/3 c. brown sugar ($.40)
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract ($.24)
2 eggs (organic - $.70)

Total is $3.18...not bad, my friends!

1. Prepare muffin tin or pan with butter or muffin cups. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt.
   
3. Cream butter (if you haven't thought far enough in advance, and your butter isn't softened, cut it into very thin slices) and sugars.
   
4. Add eggs to the butter mixture one by one, making sure one is incorporated before adding the next.
   
5. Add vanilla to the egg + butter + sugar mixture.
6. Gently stir flour mix into wet ingredients until combined.
7. Spread in pan, or put into tins. For pan, bake 25 minutes, for bites, bake 15-20 until golden and crisped on top.

scrimpyTips:

- For a chocolaty kick, add a cup or two of chocolate chips...or caramel chips...or peanut butter chips.

- I made mini-bites and a few normal muffin tin size, and they were too cute. These would be great to bring to a home as a hostess gift or dessert!

- How about this...make regular muffin sized bites, and top with tiny little scoops of vanilla (or any) ice cream and a shaving of chocolate on top. Easy, scrimpy, elegant, and cute! (Haagen Dazs is on sale 2/$6 at CVS this week!)