I have to get to the bottom of the phenomenon of bickies. They are nothing special but they are addictive, moreish and they don't let you leave if there is even the smallest crumb left on the plate. If you want to prepare almond-cinnamon cookies for Christmas, don't make the same mistake I did, and wait a few days. Unless you have stronger determination than me. My cookies are almost gone. I have to make them again, and again and again ... and maybe some of them will make it to the Christmas table.

I made almond-cinnamon cookies in a trice, just like I ate them. They were delicate, crunchy and had a beautiful Christmas smell. Make them in any shape or without any shape, sprinkle them with sugar or do what I did: decorate them with chocolate and almond flakes. However, you make them, the cookies will be excellent. Unfortunately...

Ingredients (45 cookies)
100g of ground almonds
200g of flour
100g of caster sugar
175g of butter
1 tablespoon of cinnamon
a pinch of salt
decoration
100g of dark chocolate
100g of white chocolate
almond flakes

Tomatoes and sauerkraut? This combination, which I saw on Karol Okrasa's TV programme, seemed very eccentric to me. I don't remember what the MasterChef added to it, but I promised to try it someday.

In my soup, together with sauerkraut and tomatoes, I had smoked bacon, onion, chili pepper and bulgur. The soup was perfect for winter days: strong, warming and satisfying. It could be excellent as a rich one-course dinner.

Ingredients (for 2 people)
1 small onion
150g of smoked bacon
1 clove of garlic
150g of sauerkraut
300ml of vegetable stock
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tin of tomatoes (cubed)
half a chili pepper
3 tablespoons of minced chives
100g of bulgur

Every year I confirm my conviction that I don't like winter. I try to consider the children, skiing, winter holidays and "white Christmas", but none of these things convinces me. Transport problems, slippery pavements, drifts, slush and "salty" shoes. Winter isn't for me. Snow destroys my mood and in general annoys me. Unfortunately, we have this kind of climate, and I have to put up with it for a few months of the year.

Therefore, I have to save myself. Because Christmas is coming, I would like to share with you the recipe for hot chocolate prepared in a Christmas gingerbread-cranberry style. It has an excellent warming effect and lifts the mood. In an especially difficult case of the winter blues I recommend adding a bit of rum or brandy and a little fluffy whipped cream.

Ingredients (for 3 people)
hot chocolate
125ml of 30% sweet cream
125ml of almond milk
200g of dark chocolate
half a teaspoon of gingerbread seasoning
whipped cream
75ml of 30% sweet cream
1 teaspoon of caster sugar
preserve
100g of cranberries
3 tablespoons of brown sugar

Adapting myself to the winter vibe outside, today I prepared some winter crepes. My son said they looked like they had been sprinkled with snow. They also taste great in the run up to Christmas. Cinnamon, ginger and cranberries are typical December ingredients. They warm you up, bring comfort, have a beautiful aroma, and make us want to immediately decorate the Christmas tree.

The fact that my son loves crepes is extra motivation to make them. I honestly can't blame him.

Ingredients
crepes
300ml of milk
300ml of sparkling water
6 tablespoons of flour
6 tablespoons of wholemeal flour
100ml of oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
2 teaspoons of caster sugar
a pinch of salt
filling
350g of cottage cheese
3 teaspoons of caster sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar
150ml of natural yoghurt
300g of cranberries
3 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of grated ginger
50ml of orange juice

Jerusalem artichoke, also called sunchoke or earth apple, has been known in Poland since the first half of the XVIII century. It is a vegetable especially recommended for diabetics because it reduces the amount of blood glucose. Those who would like to lose weight should also reach for it. Jerusalem artichoke contains a lot of potassium so it reduces blood pressure, and inulin which reduces high cholesterol.

I have looked suspiciously at the packaging of Jerusalem artichoke a few times. Only the soup I ate in a Warsaw restaurant convinced me to buy it. I prepared my own version of cream of Jerusalem artichoke. I found the recipe at www.zakochanewzupach.pl. However, I used my own spices. I served this soup with mushroom crisps and parsley olive oil. It was really excellent.

Ingredients (for 4 people):
500g of Jerusalem artichoke
200g of potatoes
1 big onion
2 tablespoons of oil
500ml of vegetable stock
400ml of coconut milk
2 mushrooms
fistful of parsley
2 tablespoons of olive oil
salt and white pepper