The Cookie for Remembrance

My favorite recipe from the cookbook Herbcraft (see Monday's posting) is an unusual bar cookie made with rosemary—the herb symbolic of friendship and remembrance. These lumpy, bumpy bar cookies will fill your kitchen with the delicious scent of rosemary while they’re baking. Plus, they’re super easy to make. You can adjust the amount of rosemary to your taste—and of course, using fresh Rosemary is the best. I’m not a big fan of the taste of Rosemary myself, because it can be very overpowering—but for some reason I like the "evergreen" taste it adds to these chewy bar cookies.

Rosemary Squares- adapted from Herbcraft
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ dried powered rosemary (I used 2 teaspoons of finely minced fresh rosemary)
2/3 cup pecans or sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds (I lightly toast them in a cast iron skillet and let them cool first)
1 cup raisins or currents or candied fruit

Beat eggs vigorously (I used an electric mixer to get them really fluffy). Add sugar gradually, then vanilla and the flour that has been sifted with salt and baking powder and into which you have stirred the rosemary (if you use fresh rosemary add it to the egg and sugar mixture). Fold in nuts and raisins. Bake in 8 x 8 inch pan which has been buttered and dusted with flour. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes and test with a toothpick (I bake them a few minutes longer, because I like the edges a little crispy). Remove from pan while warm (otherwise these cookies will want to stick to the pan), cool and cut into bars (squares or rectangles). It makes about 16 bar cookies.

Make a batch of Rosemary Squares this weekend for yourself or for a friend! These cookies are yummy with a big tall glass of milk or hot cup of Cambric Tea. Herbcraft has other unique recipes and a compendium of myths and information on herbs, and of course the charming illustrations by Win Ng. You can buy a copy of the book Herbcraft here for only a penny (yes, it's only 1 cent, plus shipping). Happy weekend!