From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Lest you lose more sleep, I'm here tonight to answer one of life's most vexing questions. What exactly are maraschino cherries? I know you're anxious, so we'll get right to the point. They are light colored sweet cherries that are bleached in a solution of calcium chloride and sulfur dioxide. When they turn yellow they are transferred from the bleach solution to vats of high fructose syrup and Red Dye #4, where they get sloshed and gradually become the vibrant red stemmed beauties you find in drinks and atop ice cream sundaes. I rarely have them in the house, but I had a visitor this week who had a request that demanded I use them. After our busy afternoon, I still had some remaining, and because I am frugal, I stuck the jar in the fridge with the intention of finding someway to use them. I found this recipe on the blog Yummy Addiction and decided these cookies would be a perfect way to finish the remaining cherries. Those of you who like sweet things will be thrilled with these. As I see it, the oatmeal cancels out the butter, sugar and dye in the cherries and produces a health food that has yet to be recognized. My feelings about the cherries aside, this is a really nice cookie that I know those of you who try will enjoy. Here is how they are made.
