It’s just another day in crazy town at my house. This whole pandemic thing gives a whole new meaning to cabin fever. The days are starting to blend together and resemble something like Groundhogs Day. Most of the day is spent cleaning up messes and trying to keep my two boys from breaking something.

As a nurse working on a COVID unit, I have done my due diligence and hunkered down in my home on my days off which unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at it) for my kid’s means no days at the park or playing with friends. We definitely miss those times and look forward to the future where we can enjoy those familiar activities again free from fear of spreading this deadly virus.

So here we are starting another God given day in a long line of what feels like all Mondays. And on Monday’s the coffee is always served cold, lunch is mac n’ cheese, again; and we’re lucky to be out of our pajamas by the time daddy gets home from work. If my 4 year old has learned anything during this pandemic, it’s the ability to communicate that he’s bored. When he first started telling me “I don’t know what to do”, I thought to myself- “well, neither do I, kid”. In the beginning I was all about finding new and exciting activities for him to do to keep him occupied like making flubber or painting rocks from the river by our house. Now I feel like I have no more energy or brainpower to come up with ideas or bring them to fruition.

I can’t help but feel like a failure or remorseful when that happens. I feel guilty that I’m not stimulating his mind or creative, playful side enough. But then I remember all the things that I DO give him- love, affection, a shoulder to cry on, good food, clean clothes, a warm house that feels like a home and a place he can always feel safe. I may not be able to always keep him from getting bored, but I will always keep him full of love.

On particularly messy and chaotic days, the last thing I feel like doing is a super complicated dessert recipe. Sometimes simplicity is just what’s needed. These Pecan Blondies are probably one of the simplest recipes I’ve ever made. It’s a one-bowl recipe and does not require an electric mixer. Though this recipe may be simple, it packs a punch with its flavor of brown sugar, pecans, butter and vanilla.

They are cooked in an 8×8 non-stick baking pan. Instead of adding the butter into the batter, it is melted in the pan and the batter is poured on top. While it cooks, it creates a nice caramelized crust. Once the bars have cooled in the pan, I cut them and gently remove with a small spatula. They are then inverted so the bottom becomes the top. The final touch is a small dusting of powdered sugar.

Things I love about this recipe? Super simple but delicious, very quick, not a lot of dishes and it’s a small recipe (9 bars once cut) so you don’t have a bunch of leftovers lingering around for days tempting you. You can count on them being gone within a few hours! Hope you enjoy.

XO-K

Pecan Blondies

Kayla Bauman

A simple, one-bowl recipe that packs a punch with its flavor of brown sugar, pecans, butter and vanilla. The carmelized tops are dusted with powdered sugar.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Course Dessert

Servings 9 Bars

Ingredients

2 tbsp butter
2 large eggs
1 cup light brown sugar packed
⅓ cup all purpose flour
⅛ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup pecans chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°. Place 2 tablespoons of cold butter into an 8×8 nonstick metal pan. Place pan in preheated oven until butter is completely melted and starting to brown ever so slightly. Remove from oven and set aside. Be careful of splattering butter.
In a medium size bowl, whisk eggs until pale and thick. Add all at once the remaining ingredients and stir until combined. Carefully pour batter on top of the hot melted butter in the pan.
Cook for 20-25 minnutes. Cake is done when it leaves the edges of the pan. Place pan on wire rack and let cool completely. Cut into 9 squares and remove gently with metal spatula. Invert the bars so the bottom now becomes the top. Lightly dust with powdered sugar.