From the cookbook of author Charlotte Hubbard

 WINTER OF WISHES

"Seasons of the Heart" series

10/13: AN AMISH COUNTRY CHRISTMAS anthology

11/13: AMANDA WEDS A GOOD MAN

"Home at Cedar Creek"

www.CharlotteHubbard.com

www.NaomiKingAuthor.com

RHODA’S OATMEAL COOKIES

Because I feature a recipe section in each of my Seasons of the Heart books, lots of people ask me questions about Amish cooking and recipes. I’m going to let you in on a little secret! I love to cook! And while I have perused many Amish cookbooks to feature “authentic” recipes in my stories, you know what? Amish recipes aren’t any different from the dishes I’ve been cooking for most of my life! Amish cooks don’t always use as many seasonings as I prefer, but otherwise—right down to using convenience foods like cake mixes and Cool Whip—I’ve noticed little difference between traditional Amish fare and mine.

WINTER OF WISHES features a lot of stick-to-your-ribs comfort food recipes for the colder weather, and one of them—guaranteed to make your whole house smell fabulous—is this recipe for chewy, cinnamon-scented oatmeal cookies. I call them Rhoda’s cookies because she makes them for the children in this story—just as I often tweak the name of a recipe when I include it in my books.

I prefer to use the old fashioned “rolled” oats in everything I bake, but the quick-cooking version will work fine, too. This recipe is a lifelong favorite of my nieces and nephews, always moist and chewy, with lots of raisins, nuts, and cinnamon. So now I’d like to share it with you! For even more yumminess, go to my website at www.CharlotteHubbard.com to see the recipes included in all of my Seasons of the Heart books.

Rhoda’s Oatmeal Cookies

1 C. sugar

1 C. brown sugar, packed

1 C. butter or margarine, softened

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 C. flour

1 tsp. each of salt and baking soda

1 T. cinnamon

3 C. old fashioned rolled oats

1 C. chopped nuts

1 C. raisins

Preheat oven to 350º. Cream the sugars and butter/margarine, then mix in the eggs and vanilla. Add in the flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon and mix well. Add in the oats, nuts, and raisins—your dough will be moist but stiff. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheets covered with parchment paper. Bake for 10-13 minutes, or until just starting to brown. Makes about 5 dozen. These freeze well.

Kitchen Hint: As you spoon the dough onto the cookie sheets, leave it in rounded mounds so the cookies stay moister. Don’t overbake! You can also substitute dried cranberries or other dried fruit chunks for the raisins.