Butterscotch Ganache, oh my gosh! (Pierogis & Blondies)

OK, so hubby came up with the title for this one.

Today I made blondies with butterscotch ganache and pierogies for dessert. Or, maybe it was supposed to be the other way around. Anyway, whichever way you eat it, they were both delicious!

This recipe I adapted from Real Simple. I can't find the original on their website, and I changed it up a bit anyway. Next time I would use ground beef instead of the meatballs (the original called for chorizo or Italian sausage).

Meatie Potato Pierogi

1 package potato & onion pierogi

3/4 pound meatballs, sausage or ground beef/turkey

8 oz marinara sauce

1 medium tomato, diced

1/2 red onion

shredded mozzarella cheese

Brown the ground beef, meatballs or sausage in a skillet. Drain the fat off, add the onion and the sauce. Cook until sauce is bubbly, then add tomato. Prepare the pierogi (I boiled them, but you could also saute them with some garlic). Plate the pierogi, top with the meat sauce, sprinkle mozzarella on top.

Butterscotch Blondies

This recipe I adapted from one of my favorite food blogs, smitten kitchen, which is fabulous site for newbie foodies like me. The link should take you to her recipe, but check out everything on the blog, it all looks amazing!

I added mini chocolate chips to the blondie base and topped the entire thing with butterscotch ganache. I doubled the amount of ganache I thought I would need, but it turned out that I could have made do with the usual amount, so that's what I'm going to post. Double or halve however you want.

Blondies

8 tbsp butter, melted

1 cup light brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

pinch salt

1 cup flour

3/4 ish cup mini chocolate chips

Beat the butter and brown sugar together until smooth, then add egg, vanilla and salt (I made these by hand, since it didn't seem to warrant dirtying the stand mixer). Mix in flour until completely combined (batter will be a little soupy). Add chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 25-27 minutes in a lightly buttered 8x8 glass pan.

Ganache

3/4 cup butterscotch chips

1/4 cup heavy cream

Put the chips in a glass or stainless bowl. Heat cream on the stove just until it boils, stirring constantly. Quickly pour the boiling cream over the chips, stirring until melted and combined. Let stand until cool before drizzling over the blondies. Ganache will run off the sides, giving it a decadent dripping effect.

Let stand until cool. Eat! (As if you could resist all that...)

The Not So Humble Pie Pie Contest has officially come to a close, and Ms. Humble is going to name the winner this week. Cross your fingers for me! If I win, I'll post the recipe for my famous Cinnamon Yum Yums. If I don't win, I'll be sad and dejected, then post the recipe for the Yum Yums. Oh please please please please!! :-)