Applebee's Blonde Brownies With Maple Sauce

1 cup sifted flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1 cup brown sugar - (packed)
1 egg beaten
1 tbl vanilla extract
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

MAPLE BUTTER SAUCE
3/8 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup butter
3/8 cup brown sugar
1 pkg.(8 oz) cream cheese - softened
1/4 tsp maple extract or flavoring - (to 1/2)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Measure 1 cup sifted flour. Add baking powder, baking soda and salt. Sift again. Add chopped nuts. Mix well and set aside.
Melt butter. Add brown sugar and mix well. Add egg and vanilla. Blend well. Add flour mixture, a little at a time, mixing well. Stir in white chocolate chips.
Spread in a 9- by 9- by 2-inch pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with slightly fudgy looking crumbs. Serve blondies warmed so they will be soft with ice cream and Maple Butter Sauce.

Maple Butter Sauce:
Combine syrup and butter, cook over low heat until butter is melted. Stir in brown sugar until dissolved. Remove from heat and beat in cream cheese and maple extract until smooth. Heat again either over low heat or in the microwave at short intervals to reach desired sauce consistency. Serve over blondies topped with vanilla ice cream. (Should be enough sauce to generously top a 9- by 13-inch pan recipe).