I've always wondered what kind of a person decides to become a weather reporter.

Do they go to journalism school and then think "Gee, I love being on TV but that whole news thing is so BORING.   You know what I could talk about for hours, though?  Clouds.  Clouds and wind.   Yep, totally love that cloud/wind stuff."

Then they spend the next twenty years or so trying valiantly to make the weather sound new, fresh, and exciting. 

Which is why snowstorms, like the one we got slapped with last night, seems to make them positively giddy.   

"SNOWMAGEDDON!" they chortle, rubbing their hands together in glee.  "SNOWPOCALYPSE!"  "SNOWAPALOOZA!"   

Suddenly filled with power at all eyes on them, they bounce around on camera and point with big, sweeping motions at the blobs moving around on the green screen behind them, their bodies trembling with excitement like over-caffeinated chihuahuas in an effort to get us to acknowledge the magnitude of the event.   Snowstorms in Minnesota are their times to shine, and this winter up north has been a very shiny one for them indeed.

Last night and yesterday it snowed...again... dumping some 6-12 inches down on the metro area and wrecking yet more havoc with the transportation systems and people's plans.   Thick and heavy, it mounded itself on top of the already-precariously-high snowbanks until even I (who hates snow but subscribes to the "you live in MN, suck it up" mentality) found myself emailing job openings in Florida to Reuben, explaining why the position of Cart Attendant II at a grocery store down south is vastly superior to a management position up here.  

Reason #1:  No Snow. 
I win.

I also found myself leafing through my recipe binder to distract myself from the depressing sight of yet more white stuff falling outside.   While my instinct was to make something that involved five different kinds of chocolate, I ended up picking out a non-chocolate one since Valentine's Day was last week and I figured people could use a break after sampling "chocolate-covered - <insert item>" and "red-velvet - <insert food>".   Besides, when the world outside is cold and wet and snowy, there's nothing like the warm scent of cinnamon and sugar to make everything seem a little less crazy and a little more cozy.

These snickerdoodle blondies are quick to whip up, and the cinnamon and sugar coating on the top AND bottom crisp up in the oven to a nice crackle finish that melts in your mouth with each bite.  And the texture?  Like soft, chewy snickerdoodle cookies in half the time it would normally take you to make a batch.    Though the recipe was originally created for high altitudes, I've adapted it slightly for lower (a.k.a. Midwest) baking by reducing it by an egg and adding more sour cream for moisture.   I'd also recommend erring on the side of slightly underbaking them, otherwise the texture becomes more like a "cake" and less like a "cookie".  For me, 25 minutes was perfect.  

And as an added bonus, you can totally trade them to your neighbors to bribe them into shoveling for you.   Not that I would do that, of course.   *hides empty pan* 

So what about you?  What's YOUR favorite way to spend a snow day?

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Chewy Snickerdoodle Blondies
Adapted from Frugal Antics

1. Cream shortening and sugar.
2. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl between eggs.
3. Mix in sour cream.
4. Combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, baking powder and salt.
5. Mix into shortening/sugar mixture.
6. In a separate, small bowl, combine ⅓ cup sugar and cinnamon.
7. Sprinkle half the cinnamon sugar mix into a 9X13 pan.
8. Spread batter on top.
9. Top with remaining sugar mixture.
10. Bake 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
11. You don’t want this too much like cake, so opt for less time if you need to.

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