Hazelnut blondies

Usually, I make it a policy not to make things that require me to buy ingredients I'll have a hard time using up. This goes double for recipes involving alcohol, 'cause I hardly ever drink -- bottles of liquor will just sit around in the back of a closet or in the fridge, collecting dust. But this recipe made me break the rule, 'cause it's a hazelnut recipe, and I freakin' love hazelnuts. Plus, it looked easy, and the last time I tried to make blondies, they failed pretty hard, so I was looking for blondie redemption.

I've never bought Frangelico before, and what struck me about it, aside from the cute bottle that looks sort of like a friar, is that when you smell it, it actually smells pretty good, like hazelnuts with a hint of alcohol, but also, if you smell it a second time, a little bit like artificial chocolate flavoring. I guess that's why the chocolate cake shot was invented. I suppose that might be a way to help me use up the rest of the bottle. :)

If you don't like hazelnuts, by the way, I don't think it would be a problem. I bet this base would be good without the liqueur and nuts and white chocolate and with, say, walnuts and chocolate chips, or whatever your heart desires.

Hazelnut Blondies
From "Family Circle" magazine

3/4 c butter, softened
1 c brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp hazelnut liqueur (Frangelico)
2 c flour
1 c chopped hazelnuts (save your sanity and buy them pre-chopped in a bag)
1/4 c white chocolate chips

1. Cream together the butter and brown sugar. Beat in the egg, vanilla, liqueur and salt.
2. Stir in the flour, then the nuts until incorporated.
3. Spread in an 8-by-8 pan (I line mine with foil for easy blondie/brownie removal) and bake at 325 degrees for about 35-40 minutes, until the top is nicely golden. Let cool.
4. Melt the chocolate chips and drizzle over the blondies.