27 Mar Salted Dulce De Leche Blondies

I had a bad blog day, and it’s got me down. I’ve got hurt feelings.

It doesn’t happen very often, but once in a while I get a negative comment on one of my recipes. Most often it’s because I’ve failed to proofread a recipe and ruined somebody’s cupcakes. Or because a particularly health-conscious reader doesn’t like the fact that I lined my pan with aluminum foil.

And most of the time those kind of comments are easy to stomach. I should be called out on recipes typos – and I appreciate those of you who point it out. And aluminum foil, well I suppose it could be bad for you…I get it.

But today was different. I had a reader call me out on, well, me. On my writing style and effectively, my personality as it comes through from the words I share with you here. And as she was calling me out on the insensitivity of my words, her own words were harsh and disrespectful.

Nothing I put on this blog is meant to be interpreted as smug or hurtful to anybody. I want this to be a happy place where sure, jokes are made and often with a sarcastic tone, but never at anybody’s expense.

This reader’s words caused me reevaluate a post I had written with good intentions, and as a result, I did something that I’ve never done. I went back to a post I wrote almost a year ago and rewrote an entire paragraph.

In some ways it feels like a betrayal to who I was in that moment, writing those words and experiencing that day’s emotions. But, I also was able to put myself in her shoes. I was able to see why my words could be interpreted as offensive and I became increasingly fearful that if she was so provoked by what I had previously assumed as an innocent jest, then maybe more of you were as well. And that’s something that I, above all, want to avoid.

So even though I felt a little as if I were deleting a passage from my diary, I did it. And I want to apologize to anybody who has ever thought of anything I have written as insensitive. From the bottom of my heart, I assure you, I adore and respect each and every person who takes the time to visit my little corner of the web.

And to that reader, should she return, and to anybody else who has ever posted negatively on a blog, please try to keep in mind that bloggers are real humans. We’ve got feelings too. Often times our writing is, in fact, like a diary – reflective of our mood in the very moment that a post is written. Words, especially those that are not spoken, are infinitely subjective and are so easily misconstrued, even when their author meant no harm.

So should you find yourself reading something that upsets you, please, next time, be nice. As bloggers we do want to know. But you can effectively communicate your emotions without being disrespectful of somebody’s work or even going so low as to insult there motives and personality. And should you be unable to express yourself diplomatically, please remember that there is a high road, and you do not have to come back.

Now, let’s have a glass of wine and dance around the living room to cheer ourselves up.

I feel like these Salted Dulce de Leche Blondies have been tainted by my sour mood. Which they are completely undeserving of because, holy moly.

I loved these blondies. Especially after I let them chill in the refrigerator for a few hours. You know how some sweets are just better cold? Like frozen peanut butter cups or Thin Mint cookies? Well these blondies definitely fall into that category. The caramel firms up and they turn into rich, chewy squares of heaven. Not to mention they’re SUPER easy. One bowl easy.

The recipe for the blondie base, borrowed from one of my all-time favorite bloggers, Shelly at Cookies & Cups, is a vehicle for all the fillings. You could easily replace the caramel with chopped Snickers or Twix or chocolate chips…the possibilities are endless.

Thanks for letting me vent! Until next time – XO, Katie.

Note: I used Mexican Dulce de Leche that I pixed up at Fiesta, a local Mexican grocery store. If you can’t find Dulce de Leche you can use caramel ice cream topping or melted Brach’s caramels instead.

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