Superbowl Treats

I made Dorie's blonde brownies and chocolatey football bites for the Superbowl and they were both so easy and good!

Chewy, Chunky Blondies

(Source: Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan)

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups (packed) light brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate , chopped into chips (or 1 cup store bought chocolate chips) I used 1 cup of store-bought chips

1 cup butterscotch chips or Heath Toffee Bits I omitted these and added an extra 1/2 cup of store-bought chips

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts I used pecans

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut I omitted this b/c Casey hates coconut =)

Center rack in the oven and preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter (I use Pillsbury flour baking spray) a 9x13 inch baking pan and put it on a baking sheet.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Beat butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add both sugars and beat for another 3 minutes, or until well incorporated. Add the eggs one by one, beating for 1 minute after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing just until they disappear into the batter. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the chips, nuts and coconut. Scrape batter into prepared pan and even out the top the best you can.

Bake for 40 minutes or until knife inserted into the center comes out clean. The blondies should pull away from the sides of the pan a little and the top should be a nice honey brown Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for about 15 minutes before turning the blondies out onto another rack. Invert onto a rack and cool the blondies to room temperature right side up.

Chocolatey Football Bites

(Source: Kraft)

6 squares Baker's semi-sweet chocolate

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1 tbsp. butter or margarine

1/2 tsp. vanilla

4 cups cocoa sweetened rice cereal

white decorating gel

Microwave chocolate, corn syrup, and butter in large microwaveable bowl on high 2 1/2 minutes, stirring after 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in vanilla.

Add cereal; mix well. Cool 10 minutes. Shape into 18 (3-inch long) footballs with moistened hands. Place on large sheet of wax paper and cool completely.

Use decorating gel to add laces. Let stand until gel is firm.