Oatmeal Cookies

Gran has been making these on a weekly basis, and they keep disappearing in just a few days. This despite the fact that it is rhubarb season and we are going through pound upon pound of that too.

In any case, here are Canadian Living's classic oatmeal cookies (with raisins). We think they're fantastic.

In large bowl: beat 2/3 c. butter with 1 c. brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in 1 egg and 1 tbsp vanilla.

In smaller bowl: mix 1 1/2 c. large-flake rolled oats, 1 c. flour, 1/2 tsp each baking powder and soda, and 1/4 tsp salt.

Stir dry into wet ingredients along with 1 c. raisins until blended.

Drop, 2" apart, onto greased baking sheets and bake in 375 degree oven for 10 minutes.

This should yield 2-3 dozen cookies.

Tomato and Bread Soup

Long overdue, but here is an old staple of ours posted at last. Perfect in summer and in winter (if you can find good enough tomatoes), any time the ends of a loaf of bread need eating.

The recipe is adapted from James Beard's Cooking for Two, which we received as a wedding gift and have used much since.

Heat a good 1/4 cup of excellent olive oil in a pan and add one small onion and two cloves of garlic, all minced. Cook until translucent, then add 3-4 ripe tomatoes that smell like summer (otherwise don't bother) and a teaspoon of salt; cook about 20 mins. until the tomatoes are soft. Turn off the heat, stir in 3/4 cup of bread crumbs, and allow to sit for a few minutes. Top with freshly grated parmesan and basil leaves.

This is a meal in itself, but a glass of red wine certainly won't go amiss.

Nanny's Raisin Loaf

Officially "Wanda's Fruit Loaf," this is a specialty Gran brought with her in May, and we've been enjoying it for tea every day, with a generous slather of butter. Imagine a cake with no shortening! This is simple and moist and a tasty snack for a certain tiny someone.

Combine 1 1/2 c flour, 1 c sugar, ½ tsp salt, 3 tsp baking powder, 1 c raisins.
Beat 1 egg in 1 c milk and stir into above mix.
Bake at 350 about 45 min.