Ah that sushi...

Just returned from an all-you-can-eat sushi orgasmo dinner. The yellow tail was, as usual, fantastic. Ditto the tuna. Loved the avocado roll, the miso soup and the seaweed salad. But also as usual left craving coffee ice cream - a treat I haven't had in many years. What is it about being totally full, stomach bloated from all the sodium, light-headed buzz from all the raw fish that makes my body think that caffeine-loaded, sugary, fat-as-can-be ice cream is the exact answer? Instead will probably have a carob-coated rice dream sandwich. Life without caffeine is just not the same.

First Bite Boulder

It is that time of year again when local restaurants put on a $26-3 course dinner for a week. Now is your chance to sample some of the best that Boulder has to offer. Check out www.firstbiteboulder.com for menus and participating restaurants. Book early and eat often.

Brownie or Blondie?

There are few people who don't love brownies. Bake them fudgy and chewy or cake-like and crumbly; cut them into giant wedges or bite-sized squares - they are still yummy chocolate goodies. You can stir in white, dark or milk chocolate chips; you can top them with rainbow sprinkles, fresh raspberries or marshmallow cream; you can spike them with amaretto, espresso or Frangelico and you still won't have leftovers. But how about brownie's little sister, blondie? Not dark and rich and mysterious as chocolate but a delicious dessert or snack with a sparkling personality none-the-less. I like mine just chewy enough not to be cake but not really ooey gooey. You can stir in chocolate chips if you miss the cocoa or carob chips for variety (I am generally not a big fan of carob-as-chocolate-substitute but as a blondie addition they add a nice contrast to the sweetness.) Try this recipe and enjoy.
Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a sauce pan then remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup brown sugar. Beat in 2 eggs, one at a time. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350. Stir in 1/2 tablespoon vanilla. Add 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt then stir in 1 1/3 cups flour. Stir in any additions, pour into well-greased pan (square or round cake pan.) Bake until middle is set up, about 30-45 minutes. Cool before cutting so they can firm up. Variation 1: substitute amaretto for vanilla (or 1 teaspoon almond flavoring) and top with sliced almonds. Variation 2: substitute espresso or dark coffee for vanilla and stir in chocolate chips to make mocha blondies. Variation 3: swirl together blondie batter and brownie batter to make marble browndies.