Midlife Crises

Last week, I celebrated another birthday. It was a birthday that might mean I have officially hit middle age. It was also a birthday celebrated with multiple groups of friends and multiple dinners out, and some of the best blackened steaks, fettuccine, and bang bang shrimp I have had in some time. I also hit it big with home-canned pasta sauce, homemade wine, lots of silly cards, coffee, and purple hair.

Yep. I trudged into my first week of middle age with a midlife crisis that resulted in purple highlights framing my face.

As I have been busy catching up with canning tomatoes from the garden (and a large haul provided by friends), I have been wearing my hair up more often than not, and the purple isn't that visible. However, when I take the time to style and wear my hair down, I am often caught off guard when I pass a mirror and catch a glimpse. I. Have. Purple. Hair. It has to be a midlife crisis.

The drama hasn't been limited to just my brunette locks, I also had to mess with the recipe for a pan of Blondies. Friends were married the weekend before my birthday, and I helped with the wedding rehearsal supper. They had chosen a simple cookout menu and requested brownies and blondies for desserts.

Just like my hair, I couldn't leave those blondies alone. Chocolate chip bars were too simple. Butterscotch chips alone made them too sweet. And while white chocolate chips added some visual interest, they were also boring. Would it be a crisis to mix it up with ALL THE CHIPS? Well...maybe the crisis of middle aged spread after eating the entire pan.

Midlife Crisis Blondies

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 large eggs

3 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1-1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet, but if you prefer a sweeter bar, milk chocolate would be good.)

1-1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips

1-1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375F.
Line a 17x12 (half sheet) pan with parchment paper and coat any surface not covered by the paper (edges) with cooking spray.
Beat the softened butter with the sugars until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs and extract and combine well.
Gradually, stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Add the chips to the batter.
Spread in the prepared pan. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown. DO NOT OVER BAKE.
Cool in pan completely before cutting. (4 dozen bars)

And...just in case you were curious about what a middle aged woman looks like with purple hair...