Recipe Friday

Baby brother is moving this weekend. I am going to make him and his family a meal so they can eat hot food once they get into their new home. I remember moving and being so tired when we were done, the last thing you want is to cook! Pizza and sandwiches get old fast when you are moving. There are 4 kids in that house, too. Besides, I love to cook, this will give me a chance to make a nice meal for them.

I'm going to make Lasagna and the Pioneer woman's olive cheese bread, and a garlic cheese bread. I am betting one or more of them might not like olives. Print the olive cheese bread recipe here.

I am also going to make these Pear/Ginger/Pistachio Blondies for Steve and I, it's a recipe my little friend Lindsey made, she has photos on her blog. I have the Martha Stewart Cookies book, the recipe is in there, also. She also has the recipe on the web. It took me more than a week to find dried pears, but I persevered and located them, finally. I'll post photos when I am done.

Pear, Ginger Pistachio Blondies
Makes about 1 dozen.

• 9 tablespoons (1 1/8 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped dried pears (4 ounces)
• 3/4 cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped (3 1/4 ounces)
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped candied ginger (1 1/4 ounces)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan or a round cake pan. Line with parchment paper, allowing 2 inches to hang over sides. Butter parchment; set aside.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Put butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla; mix until combined. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture until combined. Mix in pears, pistachios, and candied ginger.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 15 minutes. Lift blondie out of pan; transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely; cut into wedges. Blondies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.