Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookie Bars

Last week while I was in Laguna Beach for work I bought a card that said it all.  It really went with what I have been thinking about lately...

The small text...

"We must take with great seriousness the effect such a little thing can have on the soul."

Over the past year I have really come to realize that there will always be times in life when you want things to slow down.  Times when you want to be able to enjoy every single little moment, and be able to remember all of the laughter and the smiles.  Those moments that you hope create memories that will last you a lifetime.

Then, there are those times that you wish you could just get past, press fast-forward to a time that seems a little easier, a little less complicated and messy.  But no matter what you want, things always keep changing.  

For some reason over the past couple of weeks especially, I have been telling myself and others that things will ultimately work out the way they are supposed...well at least for the time being and then things will get stirred up all over again.  That we can't control everything, and as much as we might want to, we can't speed up or slow down time. We can however always take a minute to enjoy the little things and we should, but ultimately things will speed by, leaving us to think that "it feels like only yesterday."  So today, stop right now, look around, think of something that will make you smile or laugh.  Enjoy just one moment and well maybe one of these cookies.  

Recently the little things have included...

A quick walk along the beach when work was mostly done.

Test driving a car that I currently can not even dream of affording...that they even made a butter sculpture out of...yes that is a Mercedes G-Class made out of butter.

Or even the simple joys of getting back home...

...even when it is cold and rainy. 

And even just making these cookies, while watching my Monday night shows.   

Laying it all out on the coffee table.  I seriously sat on the couch and made these...well until they needed to go into the pan and then into the oven.  These cookies are that great combination of salty and sweet, with the great unusual flavor of butterscotch.  They are simple and delicious, crunchy on the edges for those who love the edge, and soft and in the middle.   When you need a bit of a twist in life, give them a try for a slightly different take on the classic chocolate chip cookie.

Almost ready for the oven, just a little folding action and this dough is ready to go.

Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookie Bars: (recipe adapted from More from Magnolia)

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup (1 1/3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed, light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup broken salted pretzels
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup butterscotch chips

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a 13 x 9 inch cake pan with parchment paper, coming slightly up two of the sides.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, using the back of a fork, cream together the butter and sugars.

3.  In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

4.  Whisk the vanilla and egg into the butter sugar mixture until well combined.

5.  In two additions, whisk the dry ingredients into the wet.  It will start to be tougher at the end; if needed try folding the remaining flour in using a spatula.  

6.  Next, fold in the pretzels, butterscotch and chocolate chips.  Then spread the cookie dough out on to parchment paper and bake for 15-20 minutes.  It took me 18 minutes exactly.  Cut, serve and enjoy!