And now for my favorite part of any gathering – the treats!  These come from a blog called “Mel’s Kitchen Cafe” and are a knockoff from an Applebee’s recipe.  I’m on board with anything that is loaded with brown sugar and butter, that being said, I have to admit that of the three treats that I made for last night’s gathering, these were number three on the list!  That’s not to say that they’re not good, they were just less good than the other two.  But they were also gone at the end of the night so other people obviously enjoyed them a lot!

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

10 tablespoons butter

2 cups packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

3/4 cup semisweet or milk chocolate chips

3/4 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)

1  Preheat oven to 350.  Line 9 x 13″ pan with foil and grease foil lightly with cooking spray.

2  In a medium microwave proof bowl, melt butter.  Add brown sugar and mix well.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix.  Add flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda and blend until combined.

3  Spread batter in prepared pan.  Sprinkle chocolate chips and nuts over batter.  Bake 25 – 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.