Caution: May Contain Nuts

People always ask me if we can make stuff like cookies in Africa. The answer is: Praise God, YES. But… I do have to make a few adjustments, and the ingredients are about 30% more expensive… so we don’t have them often. I thought it would be fun to share one of our favorite recipes with you. I wrote it out first the way I make it with African ingredients, then the way YOU can make it at home! Yummy with coffee. : )



By popular demand:

Fudge Espresso Crinkles
1/3 cup salted butter (the unsalted goes bad here)
1 cup raw sugar (it’s all we can get)
3/4 Tbsp molasses or dark syrup (creates “brown sugar”)
1/2 cup cocoa powder (imported- thanks, Mom!)
3/4 Tbsp instant coffee powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp cinnamon (we can buy the real Indian stuff here for about $2 a cup)
2 egg whites
1/3 cup plain yogurt (what we buy is fake, but it does the job)
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 1/2 cups flour (sifted to take out the worms, please)
powdered sugar (ours is made from beets)

Ok, here’s your list:
1/3 cup butter (if unsalted, add 1/4 tsp salt)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
3/4 Tbsp instant espresso or coffee powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp cinnamon
2 egg whites
1/3 cup vanilla yogurt
1 1/2 cups flour
powdered sugar

Instructions:
Beat butter until fluffy. Add sugar, cocoa, coffee powder, badking soda, and cinnamon. Beat until well combined. Add egg whites and yogurt. Beat until combined. Slowly add flour. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Preheat oven to 360 and grease a cookie sheet. Roll dough into balls, flatten just a little, roll in sugar, place on cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Warning: keep out of reach of children… that is if you want any yourself. ; )

Monica Tested and Approved

Oh, African chicken,
so skinny and so free
It was so very kind of you
to become a meal for me.

You woke me up this morning
With your loud and raucous crow.
You’ll wake me up again tonight,
For another reason, though.

I wish that they had killed you
closer to meal time.
Your fizzy, funny texture
defies what I can rhyme.

Back home I thought of chicken
As succulent and sweet.
Out here I must content myself
With slimy-greenish meat.

I’m so glad they fried you,
At least it kills the germs
Although I’d feel much better
If it also killed the worms.

Oh, African chicken,
You will always be
The best, most special meal,
They always make for me.