I get asked, “Kathey Raskin, what’s your favorite holiday?” It’s always so difficult to answer, but I usually pick the most recent, but I do have an affinity for Easter. Since its origins, Easter has been a time of celebration and feasting and many traditional Easter games and customs developed, such as egg rolling, tapping, cascarones or confetti eggs, and decorating. Today Easter is commercially important, seeing wide sales of greeting cards and confectionery such as chocolate Easter eggs as well as other Easter foods. Even many non-Christians celebrate these aspects of the holiday while eschewing the religious aspects. Here in Kathey Jo’s Kitchen, we can help you get prepared for all the best of this holiday.
Peeps
Yes, I had to start with the sugary sweet marshmallow treats. I love them, and I know I’m one of the odd ducks in this, but I just can’t help it. I’ve even taken the liberty of digging up a recipe to transform the Peep into something the whole family will love.
Ingredients
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup crushed graham crackers
12 Peeps® brand Vanilla Crème Flavored Marshmallow Chicks
3 bars milk chocolate, broken into fourths
Instructions
Pre-heat the oven to 375°F. Line cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper.
Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
Beat butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on a medium-high speed until pale and fluffy.
Beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low.
Add flour mixture and chips and beat until combined.
Shape into 24 balls, roll in crushed graham crackers and place two inches apart on cookie sheets.
Bake 11-13 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack.
Cool 15 mins.
To assemble, place twelve cookies, bottom-side up, on parchment-lined cookie sheet.
Top each with one chick.
Bake 2-3 minutes or until chick is lightly warm and softened.
Top with one-fourth of a chocolate bar and another cookie.
Let stand 30 seconds to warm chocolate, and serve.
This is Kathleen Raskin, posting from Kathey Jo’s Kitchen straight to yours. Bon apétit!
