Joanne Fluke's Lake Eden Cookbook Part 45

2 beaten eggs (just whip them up in a gla.s.s with a fork)

1 can (net weight 10 and ounces) condensed tomato soup

(the regular plain kind, not "Cream of Tomato" or

"Tomato with Basil" or anything else fancy I use

Campbells)

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons nutmeg

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups raisins (either golden or regular)

2 cups chopped walnuts (measure after you chop them)

4 and cups flour (not sifted pack it down when you

measure it)

Microwave the b.u.t.ter in a microwave-safe mixing bowl to melt it. Stir in the sugar and let it cool to almost room temperature.

When the mixture is not so hot it'll cook the eggs, mix them in.

Open the can of condensed tomato soup, add that to your bowl, and then mix it in thoroughly. Then add in the cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Mix thoroughly.

Add the raisins and the walnuts, and stir them in.

Add the flour in one-cup increments, mixing after each addition.

Let the dough sit for ten minutes or so to rest. Drop the dough by teaspoons onto a cookie sheet you've greased or sprayed with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray. Place 12 cookies on a standard-sized cookie sheet. (If the dough is too sticky to scoop, you can chill it for a few minutes, or dip your teaspoon into a gla.s.s of cold water.) Bake at 350 degrees F. for 10 to 12 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and let them cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes (no longer or they'll stick), and then transfer them to a wire rack to complete cooling.

A batch of Mystery Cookies yields about 10 dozen. (I know that's a lot, but they'll be gone before you know it.) They're soft and chewy and a real favorite. (And if you don't tell the kids that they're getting a helping of tomatoes with their cookies, I guarantee they'll never guess.) *NORWEGIAN CHOCOLATE PIZZA.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

Hannah's 1st Note: Ellie always brings these to Mother's cookie exchange in pizza boxes from her restaurant, Bertanelli's Pizza.

4 cups quick oatmeal (I used Quaker Quick-1 Minute)

1 cup (2 sticks, 8 ounces, pound) salted b.u.t.ter, softened

cup brown sugar (pack it down in the cup when you

measure it)

6-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips (that's one

cup of chips)

cup creamy peanut b.u.t.ter49

shredded coconut

red candied cherries, chopped50

chopped nuts of your choice

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix the oatmeal, softened b.u.t.ter, and brown sugar together.

Round the mixture up in a large ball with your impeccably clean hands and place it in the center of the parchment-lined cookie sheet.

Pat the mixture into a circle about the size of a small pizza.

Push the outside edges up a bit so that they form what looks like a crust.

Bake the "pizza" at 350 degrees F. for approximately 15 minutes, or until it turns brown and bubbles a bit.

Take your "pizza" out of the oven and let it cool slightly while you make your toppings.

If you have a double boiler, use it to make the topping. If you don't, use a heavy saucepan and stir it to keep the contents from scorching.

Combine the chocolate chips and the peanut b.u.t.ter over LOW heat. Stir it until everything melts and blends together.

Remove the topping from the heat and pour it over your "pizza" crust.

Decorate the top of your pizza with the coconut to simulate shredded cheese, the chopped cherries to simulate chopped tomatoes, and the chopped nuts to simulate sausage pieces.

Hannah's 2nd Note: Be creative with your "pizza" toppings. See if you can find something to simulate pepperoni, or green pepper, or any other real pizza topping you can think of. Remember, the toppings don't go in the oven so you can use any sweet treat you can find at the grocery store.

Refrigerate your pizza until it has hardened. To serve, you can either cut it in slices with a pizza cutter just like a real pizza, or break it into pieces like toffee or peanut brittle.

Yield: One small-size pizza that everyone will love.

OATMEAL RAISIN CRISPS.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

1 cup melted b.u.t.ter (2 sticks, 8 ounces, pound)

2 cups white sugar