Finally, something Tina likes! :-D

Meg and Tina

Tina loves sweets.  That girl can sock them away, yet still maintains her girlish figger.  I dunno how she does it - Of course, being 21 helps...A LOT.  In my own, sneaky, mom-ish way although I am not her mom, I'm still a mom to her best friend, so I sort of consider myself one of her "moms" but not the real mom.  There really should be a name for us - moms that saw their daughter's best friend grow up, get married, and become an adult, who cares for them, and loves them, not as much as their daughter mind you, but still with that "momish" sorta love you reserve for only a chosen few.  There are a couple more of Meg's friends I love that way, but I don't wanna play favorites, so I'll keep my mouth shut - I think she knows who :).  I try to get Tina to eat healthier by posting some recipes that look and taste yummy, that are super easy to make.  However, everyone needs something sweet once in a while.

I found this recipe on the Food Network courtesy of Ms Paula Deen - you know, that southern charmer from GA who makes all those wonderfully, sinfully, fattening, bad-for-you-but-oh-so-good desserts.  She shouldn't have a cooking show, she should have a baking show.  That woman is a wonder.  So, this recipe is based on hers, I give her mayjah props - Family declared three thumbs up and they each have only two, and hubby could not have said it better when he muttered "This cake is TOO good" as he cut another slice.
It's chock full of pecans, coconut, chocolate chips, and is more like a blondie.  The coconut really brings out the chewiness in this cake, and my son who assiduously picks every nut he can find out of every piece of cake/brownie he eats scarfed it down without a crumb remaining, since the pecans sort of just blend in.  And please don't say "PEE-cans".  That's something guys use on a long trip.  It's "peh-KAHNs."

Utterly Decadent Blondies (with major props to Miss Paula)
Printable recipe HERE

serves about 12, depending on how many pieces everyone takes :)

2 cups of granulated sugar
3 tbs. molasses
1 stick butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
2 cups pecans, chopped
12 oz. package of semi-sweet chocolate mini chips

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch baking pan, or spray with nonstick cooking spray.

2.  In a large bowl, cream the molasses, sugar, eggs, vanilla and butter until light and well combined. Ms. Deen used brown sugar, but I love the subtle flavor that molasses gives.  Don't be afraid to buy a bottle.  It stays good for EVER. 

3.  You can now put the mixer away, and add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.  Batter will be very thick, almost cookie like, but not quite.

4.  Fold in coconut, pecans, and chocolate chips until well combined.  Did I mention the batter will be thick? I think I did. 

5.  Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted through the middle comes out clean. 

Don't overcook this, or you'll have tough blondies.  Better to err on the side of slightly gooey than totally overdone.  

6.  Remove from oven, and while the cake is still hot, sprinkle the remainder of the chocolate chips on top, and when they melt, swirl lightly to either cover the cake, or make a pattern.  Cool the cake completely in the pan before cutting it into squares.

 If you are a super chocoholic, you can spread a can of chocolate frosting over the top while still warm, and throw ALL the chips INTO the batter.  That would be really, really, reeeeealllly chocolately bordering on one of the seven deadly sins - gluttony.  If you want to go over the edge and plunge right in, use Grandma T's Chocolate Icing recipe I blogged about earlier.

The other way to serve this that is absolutely sublime is with a scoop of Sweet Cream ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.  Girrrllll....your hips will be screaming "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!" but your taste buds will slap them silly and put them in their place.  It's so good it'll make you slap yo' granma away from the table.  Fer real.