Blondies With Variations - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, melted (1 block)
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 pinch salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

Preparation

Butter an 8x8 pan
Mix melted butter with brown sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in egg, then stir in vanilla or almond extract.
Whisk flour and salt together, then stir into sugar mixture. Mix in any additions (below) just until combined.
Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350\u00b0F 20-25 minutes, or until set in the middle.
Further additions, use one or a combination of:
1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts, toasting them first for even better flavor
1/2 to 1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon mint extract in addition to or in place of the vanilla
1/2 cup mashed bananas
1/4 cup bourbon, scotch or other whiskey; increase the flour by one tablespoon
2 tablespoons of espresso powder with the vanilla
1/2 cup dried fruit, especially dried cherries
Top with a vanilla butter cream or chocolate peanut butter cream frosting.