Lots going on in the world right now, and I am really feeling it. As long long time friends and followers will know, I get very emotionally invested in current events — in a very unhealthy manner, I must admit. I try to now channel pain and anger into learning — try to learn the language, learn about the people, the culture, the food. This could be anything, not just the current situation in the Ukraine, but conflicts in other parts of the world, or natural disasters, or extreme economic situations. But back to now: I tried to come up with a few recipes, this being the first of which, that form every day cuisine in the Ukraine. And I tried not to be too prototypical. Like, I don’t know if they would actually make Honey Plum Linzer cookies like these, but I do know that honey and plum preserves are common. So I made these. Quite lovely in fact.
Cookies
Chocolate-covered, Butterfinger-Sprinkled
Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Treats
This may be one of the most “American” things that I have ever made, and I am not exactly sure what prompted the “americanism” other than I actually ate a Butterfinger bar for the first time in my life the other day. I am not a huge fan of peanut butter on the whole — I like it as an ingredient in other things, but on it’s own, not so much. Nevertheless, these are delicious, if you like Rice Krispies treats (I do), chocolate and peanut butter (yes to both of those). AS an extra bonus, they are gluten free!
It’s a cookie in bar form! Not brownie but a blondie! In essence, you can use the exact same recipe to make cookies, but I was in the mood to make bars, so here we are. These are easy to make, flavorful and easily substitutable — in other words, don’t like dried cranberries or pistachios or white chocolate, swap out for raisins, walnuts and semi-sweet chips. Lots of options!
Florentine cookies are definitely up there in the favorites department. It’s all about the thin and crispy. And these have more of those Jammy Bits (this time raspberry) from King Arthur Baking that melt into the cookies like little blobs of melted gummibears. So delicious and really really easy to make.