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need not be empty calories. Oatmeal, peanut butter and raisins add vitamins and fiber and make wholesome snacks. They are also important as gifts and holiday fare. For storing and shipping there are some rules that need occasional review.

Cookie sheets are essential. High sided pans prevent proper browning. It is best to bake one sheet at a time, on the shelf below the center of the oven in order to have even heat.

Unless the cookies are very rich, the sheets should be lightly greased with oil or shortening. Butter scorches easily and too much grease will allow cookies to spread. Cookies rich in fat and sugar do not need a greased pan, but should be removed from sheet immediately. If they stick, put the sheet back and reheat slightly.

Storing

Cookies should be cool before they are stored.

Soft or chewy cookies should be stored in airtight containers. A tin candy box or screwtop jar is better than a cookie jar. If they get dry, add half of an apple to the container, but watch to see that it does not get moldy.

Crisp cookies should be stored in a loosely covered container in a dry place. Meringues in particular need to be kept crisp, and they may be covered with wax paper, not tightly wrapped.

Most cookies freeze well, but must be protected from breakage. Wrap cookies in moisture-proof bag and then in a rigid plastic containers, or coffee cans. They thaw quickly and do not require reheating.

Frosted cookies are best frozen on cookie sheets and then packaged to prevent icing from sticking. Arrange the cookies on a platter while still frozen.

The basic sugar cookie, grandmother of all cookies is now easily made in the food processor. It is a snap to prepare and can be adapted to all occasions.

Sugar Cookie

1/4 pound sweet butter or 3 ounces sweet butter 5 ounces margarine - cut into 6 or 8 pieces 1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 Tablespoon light cream 1 tablespoon yogurt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Place butter mixture and sugar in food processor and combine. Add egg, cream and vanilla and process until blended. Gradually add salt, flour and baking powder until blended.

When you remove the batter from the processor you may add walnuts, chocolate chips, lemon rind, raisins, cocoonut or glazed fruit. Drop tablespoonfuls of cookie mixture onto a greased baking sheet and bake in a preheated 375ºF oven for 10-l5 minutes. For Christmas cookies, just sprinkle colored sugar while cookies are still hot.

Mothers worried about feeding their children sweets have asked for sugar substitutes. Honey is not the answer if caries is the major concern but some children have behavioral problems with too much sugar. When honey is used as a substitute, some adjustment of the liquid content is required. It is better to start with a honey recipe. Bars are easy to prepare, they do not have to be rolled, nor are they dropped spoonful by spoonful.

Honey Bars

1 cup chopped dates or figs
1 cup chopped nuts
2 eggs
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup finely crushed graham cracker crumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

Combine dates and nuts. Beat eggs and gradually add honey, continue to beat. Fold in flour sifted with baking powder and salt. Add cracker crumbs. then dates and nuts. Bake in greased 8-inch square pan at 350ºF about 35 minutes. Cut into squares while hot. Makes 25 luscious squares. You will note that there is no shortening in this recipe, but this is not low-calorie food, the nuts and dates are loaded!

Here is a low-calorie cookie, full of good nutrition.

Applesauce Oatmeal Drops

1/4 cup butter, margarine, or combination (1-1/3 Tablespoons butter to 2-2/3 tablespoons margarine)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup rolled oats- quick cooking
1/2 cup seedless raisins

Cream butter and sugars, add applesauce. Sift together dry ingredients and stir in, add oats and raisins. Drop by spoonful onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375ºF for 10-15 minutes. If you want to substitute honey for sugars, reduce applesauce to l/4 cup.

Breakfast escapees will plead for this treat. There's lots of good nourishment in this candy-like cookie. Just make sure that children wash their teeth. Otherwise it is a good nutrition choice.

Chocolate Stove-Top Cookie

2 cups sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1 stick margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
a dash of salt (optional)
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
3 cups quick-cooking oats

Combine first 4 ingredients in saucepan and cook until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and cool 1 minute before adding remaining ingredients. Stir well and drop by teaspoon onto waxed paper or a non-stick surface.

Sesame Seed Crunchies

1/2 cup margarine
2 cups brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

Cream margarine and sugar. Add beaten egg. Sift together flour, baking powder and cardomom and add to the creamed mixture. Add vanilla and sesame seeds. Stir just to blend thoroughly. Drop by teaspoonful onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 7 or 8 minutes in a preheated 325ºF oven.

The taste of this brownie is indefinable. Experts argue about the ingredients but agree " it's delicious." The mystery is disclosed here. This five star brownie is made with mincemeat- made from little green tomatoes (see recipe in index).

Mincemeat Brownies

2 cubes of bitter chocolate (6 ounces)
1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup green tomato mincemeat
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup flour sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

In a double boiler melt chocolate with butter. Let cool completely. (important because warm chocolate becomes stringy and hard combined with eggs.)

Save washing-up by using top of the cooled double boiler as a mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly and pour into a greased 9-inch brownie pan. Skip the nuts and save calories, the brownies still have excellent texture and flavor. Bake in 350ºF oven for 40 minutes. Can make up to 30 squares.

Marguerites

2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup pecan nutmeats cut into small bits

Beat eggs slightly and add remaining ingredients. Fill small buttered muffin tins 2/3 full and placa whole pecan on each. Bake in 350ºF oven for 15 minutes. Let rest for one minute before removing carefully from tin.

If marguerites stick, warm again and release sides with a knife.

This is a very old recipe that is well-received when I introduce it to new generation of cookie-eaters.

Lime Cookies

Cream butter and gradually add sugar. Separate one egg and reserve egg white. Beat whole egg and egg yolk, lime jice and lime peel into butter-sugar mixture. Combine flour, baking powder and salt, add to butter mixture and beat well. Divide the dough into two rolls and wrap the dough in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least four hours.

Place roll of dough on lightly floured surface and cut into thin slices or roll out the dough while still chilledand cut into any size cookie desired. Brush with reserved egg white and sprinkle with lime sugar over each cookie. Bake at 350ºF preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. this dough maybe put into refrigerator and thawed.

Lime sugar

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