Kate's Kitchen: Whole Grain Pecan Blondies

Time again to make life imitate art in another chapter of Kate's Kitchen Kapers.  These entries used to be funnier wen I didn't know how to cook.  I know:  I lack entertainment value.  My family's grateful, though.  Here's the picture:  WHOLE GRAIN PECAN BLONDIES.

Cooking Light magazine tells me that, if I want better blondies, I should use a light metal pan.  My pan is dark.  However, the scratches are light.

Line with parchment paper to compensate for unsatisfactory pan.

You may already have these ingredients:

INGREDIENTS
6 T unsalted butter
1/4 C canola oil
1 C packed brown sugar
2 t vanilla extract
2 lg eggs, lightly beaten
6.75 oz. whole wheat flour (about 1 1/2 C)
1 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/3 C chopped pecans, toasted
baking spray with flour (or, if you're me, baking spray AND flour)
16 toasted pecan halves

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Place butter, oil and sugar in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil.

Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Pour mixture into a large bowl.  Cool for 8 minutes.

 

Stir in vanilla and eggs.

Who's a lucky girl?  I am!  I am!  Having a scale makes measuring flour easier.  Faster.  I am the bionic flour measurer.

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl; stir with a whisk.

Add flour mixture and chopped pecans to butter mixture; stir until completely combined.

Scrape mixture into an 8-inch square light-colored baking pan coated with pan spray and flour.  Smooth the top.

Arrange pecan halves in 4 x 4 rows.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 24 minutes.  Cool completely on a wire rack.  Marvel at the beauty of your creation.  Your kids will say, "Wow, Mom.  Way to go with the portion-control nuts."