Righteous Conviction Raspberry-Nut Bars

On this day in 1965, President Johnson sent federal troops to Alabama to protect Martin Luther King, Jr. and 50,000 others who marched 54 miles from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama to protest the discrimination and intimidation used to prevent Selma's black population from registering to vote.  Later that year in August, the Voting Rights Act was passed.

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/lbj-sends-federal-troops-to-alabama 

It's also Spike Lee's birthday.  One of his many thought-provoking films was 1989's Do The Right Thing.

http://music.yahoo.com/public-enemy/videos/view/fight-the-power-with-do-the-right-thing-movie-clips--2167443 

Righteous Conviction Raspberry Nut Bars

24 bar cookies

Do the right thing... try these right away, or else you will be angry and annoyed when these bars are all gone and you didn’t get any!

1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup sugar, divided

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter, cut up

2 eggs, separated

1 cup seedless raspberry jam or preserves

1 cup toasted slivered almonds

Heat oven to 350°F.  Line 13x9-inch baking pan with foil; spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine 1/3 cup sugar, flour, butter and egg yolks in medium bowl. Press mixture into bottom of prepared pan. Bake 25 min. or until golden brown. Cool 15 minutes. Spread jam over crust; sprinkle with nuts.

Beat egg whites in small deep bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Spread meringue over nuts.

Bake 25 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

Tips:

Cut bars into diamond or triangle shapes for a pretty look on your serving platter.

To toast almonds, spread in single layer on baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly toasted (do this while you're making the dough for this recipe).

Let me tell you the story of Right Hand, Left Hand. It's a tale of good and evil. Hate: it was with this hand that Cane iced his brother. Love: these five fingers, they go straight to the soul of man. The right hand: the hand of love. The story of life is this: static. One hand is always fighting the other hand, and the left hand is kicking much ass. I mean, it looks like the right hand, Love, is finished. But hold on, stop the presses, the right hand is coming back. Yeah, he got the left hand on the ropes, now, that's right. Ooh, it's a devastating right and Hate is hurt, he's down. Left-Hand Hate KOed by Love.  
Radio Raheem, Do The Right Thing