The Case of Doing Good
Submitted by Economy CSI on December 16, 2006 - 4:52am.
Economy CSI
The Case of Doing Good
By the Economy Team
Yowza! That super secret assignment went way longer than I’d expected. Everybody’s been trying to weasel out of me where I’ve been-- but my smackers are sealed tight. I’m sworn to secrecy. All I can tell anyone, including my mother, is that I’ve been pretty much everywhere... “doing research”. Heh. For the really curious who just can’t let it alone, I tell them to read David Cay Johnston’s book, “Perfectly Legal”. Then I give them this list - and tell them to stick a map on the wall and start throwing darts.
I’m just now getting over the jet lag. Wearing an overcoat, shoveling snow, scraping ice—it’s all been a total shock after months of cooking in the tropics. But all assignments come to an end... Still, who knew how bad a sunburn could sting in this winter wind? But it is a good time to take a break. So much has happened while I was gone.
The Democrats won majorities in both the House and Senate. Who’da thunk?
“Truthiness” is the new word of the year. Dig it.
The Department of Agriculture has determined there isn’t any hunger in America. There are only people with “low food security”... That’s pretty nuts.
The dollar is falling like a Phillie thermometer in December - a good time to be home for the holidays. A good time to cool it. To watch Monday night football. To think about the year that’s just been. I’m not ready to think about the year that’s coming just yet.
The other night I watched an old flick-- when the jet lag was keeping me up. It was Tennessee William’s, “A Streetcar Named Desire”.
It’s not your typical holiday flick like “It’s A Wonderful Life” or “White Christmas”, but it gave me some holiday spirit all the same. See, Brando plays this hip cat, “Stanley”, who’s going ape over this little stacked dolly named “Stella”. So many classic lines... like Stanley shouting, “Stella!!” But my all time favorite line comes at the end, when Blanche DuBois says to the doctor leading her away, “Whoever you are, I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.”
She could be speaking for any of us. Whether we like it or not, we all depend on the kindness of strangers at one time or another. It’s like the flipside of what Wes Clark said in the 2004 campaign for president, “When you can do good... you should.”
On the one hand, someone does good.
And on the other hand, someone depends on the kindness of a stranger willing to lend a hand. Willing to do good. We all need to be doing good – flat out. Who knows when we’ll be relying on the kindness of strangers to help us out of the next jam.
So, I don’t know if we have hunger in America, or just “low food security” as defined by the Department of Agriculture. I leave it to each person to decide for themselves if they’re hungry or in need... don’t imagine they would need to consult with the fat cats up at the Agriculture Department in DC to get a handle on that...
People all over the world are in need.
Somewhere, some stranger is relying on your kindness.
This is the time of year when the bell ringers stand out in the bitter cold with their red kettles waiting for our donations. It’s the time of year the warmth drives are in full gear to help the needy with their utility bills, blankets and warm coats. There’s always something good each of us can do. Because we should.
You can send a donation to a reliable organization like Second Harvest to help people who are hungry. Want to help people around the world to earn a living so that they might be able to feed themselves? Then donate to OXFAM America.
There are always food banks that need volunteers and food kitchens to give your time to if you don’t have the cash to spare at this time of year. If each of us can give a little of ourselves and what we have, then we’re doing good.
Wes Clark gave us a link to all the places people can give money to help soldiers and their families. http://www.americasupportsyou.mil/americasupportsyou/help.html
For my holiday gift to you-- I offer you my Aunt Dot’s Favorite Chili Recipe. It’s pretty top secret outside of the family, but Dotty said she would trust the Clarkies with it. It goes with Monday night football. Guaranteed to put a zing of heat on your insides. (Won’t help the sunburn though).
Got a recipe of your own to share? Just leave it in the comments section below.
And here’s hoping the Holidays find you and yours floating on Cloud 9, baby. 
Aunt Dot’s Favorite Chili
1. Crumble and brown 2 lbs. ground beef in a large skillet with William’s original chili seasoning and chopped onion to taste. Drain fat if desired.
2. Stir in 1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce and 1 can (14.5 oz) dried tomatoes. Oh yeah – don’t forget one can of red beans too.
3. Simmer 10 minutes or longer.
4. Eat heartily, surrounded by loved ones.
Just reading that one set my pancreas into overproduction!
Sugar shock!! : )
Thanks to the detective guy for his insightful message on giving and doing good. This time of year is like a tug on us all to go that extra mile and give that extra bit... in the spirit.
But I'm really wanting to know where he was - what he was up to- and what it has to do with offshore banking???
I got "State of Denial" for my Republican office manager! Tee Hee... but he's very open minded and has even been persuaded to seriously look at Wes Clark (gee, who did that?) He's the one whose neice works at the UN and has been telling him forever to read COEHM. Ha!
I am so many books behind right now, LJM, and not a speed reader like Wes, so I doubt I'll get to those ^. I'll read the Cliff Notes!
Wow, I just read that Wa Po article with the Dept of Agriculture info. AMAZING! Staggering statistics.
This is from the article (the article writer seems to have sensed the absurdity of it all, the renaming of crises in an attempt to cover up the smell...)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mark Nord, the lead author of the [Department of Agriculture] report, said "hungry" is "not a scientifically accurate term for the specific phenomenon being measured in the food security survey." Nord, a USDA sociologist, said, "We don't have a measure of that condition."
The USDA said that 12 percent of Americans -- 35 million people -- could not put food on the table at least part of last year. Eleven million of them reported going hungry at times. Beginning this year, the USDA has determined "very low food security" to be a more scientifically palatable description for that group.
Sorry -- but I have to repeat this one, it is so stunning.
The government D of A bureaucrat says:
"'HUNGER' IS NOT A SCIENTIFICALLY ACCURATE TERM FOR THE SPECIFIC PHENOMENON BEING MEASURED IN THE FOOD SECURITY SURVEY"
That is truly flabbergasting.
I'm still reeling. Floored I tell you.
Is that what you say to the 35 million who couldn't put food on their tables? (or "on their families" as bush says)
Tell them it's 'not a scientifically accurate term for the specific phenomenon' they are feeling when there bellies ache from NO FOOD?? When their babies are crying from hunger...er, "low food security"?
Geez O Geez O LJM... It's gotten crazy out there.
Same one the SCOTUS uses. If a person says they are hungry and a reasonable person believes them, they are hungry. Clearly the wonks are not reasonable persons. I don't think they've ever set food in an inner city school or one in rural America for that matter. Kids go without food, which makes learning very difficult. Try telling a kid they aren't hungry, but have low food security. It may be a term of art, but it doesn't translate when speaking to plain spoken folks.
Ingredients: Bigelow English Teatime Teabags; One authentic Italian Panettone, any brand; water; butter or margarine.
Take out one tea bag of the Bigelow English Teatime tea, then cut one generous slice of Panettone.
Fill cup with water; place in microwave oven on high setting for 70 to 80 seconds.
Lavisly butter slice of Panettone; eat it.
Cut another slice.
Remove nearly boiling water from micro; place tea bag in it for @ 3 minutes. Move it up and down in the water several (at least 7) times. This actually allows more antioxidants to enter the steaming liquid.(Or let steep longer for stronger tea.)
Lavishly butter and eat second slice of Panettone. (Have to do something while the tea is steeping.)
Cut another slice of Panettone.
Remove tea bag from cup of water and sweeten to taste. Stir.
Lavishly butter and eat third slice of Panettone. Drink tea.
Take a nap.
Wes 08
told me the USDA started giving food aid in the 40's because a large percentage of men joining the military to fight in the 2nd world war were under nourished. It made me angry that this country didn't do anything about hunger until it really was a security and/or military issue.
I want to study this when I have more time. Thanks! :)
Seems kinda sad since I sang "oh bring me the figgy pudding" holiday song all those years. :( LOL!
Thanks! :)
Hope you can figure this one out from my mother's instructions:
1 cup of finely cut dates mixed with 3/4 cup chopped nuts (we use pecans can use walnuts), 3/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder and a pinch of salt, and 2 rounded tablespoons of flour. Stir an egg in a cup and fill with milk. Add a teaspoon of vanilla (real stuff) and add to the dry ingredients. Stir till mixed and turn into a buttered baking dish (like pyrex casserole) and bake in a slow oven for 45 minutes (325 degrees). Serve with whipped cream while still warm. You spoon it out like pudding...it doesn't cut like cake.
It's awesome...can't imagine figgy pudding could be better than this stuff.
And it's pretty to serve. :)
Poached Anjou Pears with Chantilly Cream
Poached Anjou Pears
1 quart water
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoons honey
l/4 cup white wine
1 cinnamon stick
l/6 teaspoon coriander
1 lemon, zested (yellow part of skin grated off)
8 dried figs
1 pint rasberries
1 pint strawberries
Chantilly Cream (recipe follows)
In a medium saucepan place the water, vanilla, honey, wine, cinnamon stick, coriander and zest of lemon.
Heat up the mixture and add the pears. Poach them for about 5 minutes, or until they are tender. Remove the pears and let them cool.
Add the figs to the mixture and poach them until they are plump and tender (like fresh figs). Remove the figs and let them cool.
Place 2 of the pear halves in an individual serving bowl. Place 1 figs on each side of the pear halves, and add some of the raspberries and strawberries. Place the Chantilly Cream over the top. Repeat this for each serving.
Chantilly Cream
1 pint whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon Grand Marnier
1/4 cup powdered sugar
In a bowl place the cream and whip it until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla, Grand Marnier, and powdered sugar. Whip until the soft peaks become stiff.
I love Anjou Pears. Mackenzie said they were so huge in Aix, and she has a pic of one, ... just amazing. And of course they tasted better there, she said. LOL!
Biscochitos (Anise Seed Cookies) Yield: 5 dozen Baking Time: 10-12 minutes Temperature: 350°F Freeze Well 1 pound lard 3 teaspoons baking powder 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons anise seed 1/2 cup brandy* 2 eggs, beaten 1/4 cup sugar 6 cups flour 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1. Cream lard, sugar, and anise seed in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs and beat well. 2. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. 3. Alternately add flour and brandy to creamed mixture until stiff dough has been formed. 4. Knead dough slightly and pat or roll to a 1/4 inch to a 1/2 inch thickness. Cut dough into desired shapes. 5. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl. Dust the top of each cookie with a small amount of mixture. 6. Bake in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned. * Varied amounts may be used. Bourbon or sherry may be substituted. NOTE: The fleur-de-lis shape is traditional for these cookies. 
The cookies will not be soft and flaky or have the same original flavor. Just go with the lard. I know. It's not good for you. Eat fewer cookies. (If you can. heh!)
I vote for bourbon. That would be yummy. Probably could sell $30 million worth of these at the bake sale:)
I love them. Maybe we could auction off a dinner at msbe's house as a fundraiser for Wes on e-bay for $30 million?
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons Amaretto (OR 2 tbl. rum with 1 tsp. almond extract)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon anise extract (optional)
1 cup whole almonds, toasted and chopped a few times, not too fine
Preheat oven to 300 degreees.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
Combine dry ingredients and set aside.
Whisk the eggs, amaretto (if using, or the almond extract and rum), vanilla and anise extracts until well blended.
Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
Dough should be thick and sticky at this point- do not worry, and DO NOT add more flour!
Scrape the dough out onto a parchment lined sheet pan.
Flour your hands and shape into a long flat loaf about 10 inches long and 5 inches wide.
This will be kind of messy, so don't worry about how neat it is, just try to get it in that general shape.
Bake until firm and dry, about 50 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool 10 min.
Use a long serrated knife and slice into 1/2" wide slices.
Lay the slices cut side down on the baking sheet and bake another 20 minutes.
Turn the slices over and bake 20 minutes more, or until the cookies are a light golden brown.
Cool the biscotti on a rack; cool completely before storing.
(You can melt chocolate chips in a double boiler and paint one side of the biscotti if you like chocolate ones.)
Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right. - Hunter/Garcia
just grease the pan. ;D
Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right. - Hunter/Garcia
and have a big old baking day! :D
Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right. - Hunter/Garcia
CHILI for clark! Hahaha!! I'm making chili for dinner. It's blustery here today and it sounds perfect. Wanna come? ;)
Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right. - Hunter/Garcia
music blaring in the background, too! Ya' can't have The Big Chill without the soundtrack, afterall. ;)
We may need to bake $30 million dollars worth of Amaretto biscotti and anise cookies.
That's a lot of Brown Betty!!
Ok.... here's an old NM recipe I have:
Milagro Bread Pudding with Warm Whiskey Sauce
Milagro Bread Pudding
1 12" French baguette, torn into 2" chunks
3 cups milk
2 eggs
4 ounces raisins
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Warm Whiskey Sauce (recipe follows)
In a medium bowl place the French bread pieces. Add the milk and soak them for 1 hour, or until all of the chunks are completely saturated, if necessary, add more milk.
In a small bowl place the eggs, raisins, vanilla, sugar, and butter. Lightly beat everything together. Pour this mixture over the soaked break chunks.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Pour the mixture into a greased 8" by 8" casserole dish. Bake for 1 hour, or until it is golden brown.
Serve with the Warm Whiskey Sauce poured over the top.
Warm Whiskey Sauce
1/2 pound butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg, beaten
4 tablespoons whiskey (that was 4 TABLESPOONS, ms in la, not cups)lol
1 tablespoon apricot brandy
In a double boiler place the butter and melt it on medium until it is hot. Add the powdered sugar and stir until the mixture is very smooth.
Remove the pan from the heat. Add the egg and whip it in. Cool it for 15 minutes.
Whip in the whiskey and apricot brandy. 1 tablespoon at a time.
You are posting all my favorite foods! Really!
We must have similar taste bud configuration.
Bread pudding, hot and with a warm whiskey sauce...OMG.
That's me at the front door.
Edit! And FORGOT TO SAY THIS SERVES 4!!!
We do? Really? Well, good. WE are tastebud compatible for any future gatherings. LOL!
Can't compete with you guys, but here are somethings to dream about:
GOLDEN APPLE BROWN BETTY <!----><!--GOLDEN APPLE BROWN BETTY-->8 med. Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored & thinly sliced
3/4 c. apple juice concentrate, undiluted
1/2 c. raisins
2/3 c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. quick oats
1/4 c. toasted sunflower seeds
3 tbsp. brown sugar
3 tbsp. butterHeat oven to 350 degrees. Combine apples, juice concentrate, raisins, 3 tablespoons flour and cinnamon in large bowl. Spoon into 11" x 7" x 1 1/2" baking dish. Combine oats, remaining flour, sunflower seeds and brown sugar. Stir in melted butter and mix until crumbly. Sprinkle over apple mixture, bake until apples are tender and top is golden, 1 hour.
with dried cranberries - and - or - lemon lime juice instead of apple concentrate - and maple syrup in and on top
I LOVE Brown Betty!! I've been making apple crisp as it's the only way I can get dad to eat fruit! LOL!! This sounds better! Thanks early-bird!
Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right. - Hunter/Garcia
Clarkies have a penchant for the sweet tooth!
Clark 2008-- The Sweet Ticket
Baked Breast of Turkey
4 6-ounce turkey breasts, boned
1 cup of flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup Tawny Port
Raspberry Port Sauce (recipe follows)
Lightly dredge the turkey breasts in the flour. In a large, heavy skillet place the oil and heat it on medium until it is hot. Saute the breasts, meat side down, until they are lightly browned.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place the turkey breasts in a roasting pan with the meat side up. Bake them for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the turkey breasts. Add the port to the roasting pan and place it over a high heat to deglaze the pan.
Slice the turkey into thin pieces. Layer it in a fan shaped pattern on individual serving plates. Pour the Raspberry Port Sauce over the top.
serves 4 ....
Raspberry Port Sauce
1/4 cup raspberry preserves
2 tablespoons port wine
1 teaspoon lemon juice
6 ounces fresh raspberries (or frozen)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
1 dash salt
1 dash white pepper
In a small saucepan place the raspberry preserves, port, lemon juice, and raspberries. Simmer them until the mixture is well heated. Place the mixture in a blender and puree it. Run the mixture through a fine sieve and pour it back into the saucepan. Return the mixture to a medium heat.
In a small bowl mix the cornstarch and water and add it to the raspberry mixture. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens.
Oh...has anybody heard of Aunt Bill's Fudge?
Stan Davis
Lakewood, CO
BE THE CHANGE you wish to see in the world.
If not us, WHO? If not now, WHEN?
It's a fudge chock-full of brown sugar and nuts. Absolutely delicious, but now I'm not sure there's enough insulin in the Denver Metro Area for me to eat it. When my Mom made it, I two-fisted the stuff.
Stan Davis
Lakewood, CO
BE THE CHANGE you wish to see in the world.
If not us, WHO? If not now, WHEN?
I've never cooked duck. Only ever have it in Chinese restaurants for special occasions.
but I won't cook duck, so I use turkey. I had duck scratched out and edited it to be turkey and see I missed one "duck" on my card, but either works. :)
Everybody loves apple crisp or anything else at my house.
Dang, misbe, you're making me hungry or wait I mean food insecure.
Did you make the biscotti in the picture? I really hope Katusha shows up and gets all these recipes in our blog cookbook.
Homemade Irish Cream
Into a blender add:
1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
(Use the can as a measure)
1 can 1/2 and 1/2
1 can Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey (or other Irish Whiskey if you can' find Tully. Give every man his Dew!)
1 heaping tablespoon Cafe Vienna instant coffee mix
1 tablespoon chocolate syrup
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
1 teaspoon vanilla
Blend until smooth
Taste
Taste again
If there is any left, refrigerate
-------------------------------------------
"Am I getting smarter or is the propaganda getting dumber?"
- Paul (not me), Vietnam veteran
By katusha
Posted to katusha's weblog on Tue Nov 11th, 2003 at 01:02:24 PM PDT
BUSH'S COOKED GOOSE
I think GW has had no trouble cooking his own goose by gambling with american soldiers lives in Iraq, but if you would like to help him out here is a wonderful Christmas time recipe for goose. go ahead and help cook Bush's goose.
10 to 12 pound young goose, prepared for cooking
1 pound tart apples, peeled, cored and quartered
1 pound prunes, plumped in water, pitted and halved
1 pound dried apricots, plumped in water
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup hot waterWash the goose inside and out with hot water. Dry carefully. Rub the cavity with salt. Toss together the apples, prunes, and apricots. Stuff the goose. Truss, tying the legs loosely to the tail.
Place the goose breast up on rack in roasting pan. Roast in 425°F. oven for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven. Turn heat down to 350°F. Drain any accumulated fat from pan. Sprinkle the outside of the goose with a little flour and return the goose to oven.
Combine butter and hot water. As the flour on the goose begins to brown, baste every 15 minutes or so with water-butter mixture. Sprinkle a little more flour on the goose with each basting to absorb some of the fat.
Roast for about 16-20 minutes per pound. If the goose is very fat, you may need to drain off the accumulated fat several times during roasting. For the first hour of roasting, have the goose with it's breast up. Thereafter, turn the goose every half hour being sure the goose is roasting once again on its back for the last 15 minutes.
Test for doneness by moving legs up and down; they should move easily. Place the goose on heated platter.
Be sure to save the drained fat for a tasty gravy!
(blast from the past...I have more of chef-katusha's "Election-2004 specials" but let's wait and see if he shows...)
watch and listen...
...wait 'til you see this recipe
Crockpot Chicken & Kerry's Jubilee Recipe - katusha
FOR A DEMOCRATIC PARTY DISH; FLAME CHICKEN & KERRY AT THE TABLE
(i will leave it up to the reader as to what the crackpot chicken represents) <snip
I'll leave this one for katusha in hopes that he shows.
watch and listen...
Ingredients: Two pop tarts
Instructions:
1) Remove pop tarts from foil wrapper
2) Place pop tarts in toaster
3) Push down toaster button (Be very careful at this step to not injure your thumb)
4) Wait.. eventually the toaster will "Pop" the tarts back out.. some toasters will make a "Bing" noise.. I recommend those toasters.. they are more Christmassy
5) Remove pop tarts from toaster
6) Throw away pop tarts and open a Guinness
7) Enjoy :D
Remove the foil wrapper??? You could have told me that about 6 toasters ago!
Barry
Are you safer today than you were five years ago?©
I've had extensive culinary training. Pop tarts aren't for beginners. Look for my new show on food TV.. It's called "Thirty minute pop tarts" (I'm trying to peel away from Rachel Ray's audience ;)
Bammmmmm!!! Oh yeah babe!!! Let's kick it up a notch!!!
Pop tart S'mores!!! Woah!! Let's keep this between us so that the big corps don't jump on it and steal our bazillion dollar idea!
I already had cut a deal with LJM to slice up the profits 70 30! It's the least I could do since it was her idea and she'd be the one doing all the work in the kitchen making the pop tart S'mores! :D
I don't really cook you know. I heat. Do pop tarts come in raspberry? Do you think we should toast the pop tarts before we melt the chocolate and marshmallows between them? Next we could make pop tart ice cream sandwiches:)
I probably would die. Then you'd have to find another gumshoe. Of course you could just turn ms in la on autopilot:)
Yes, I'll hold....
Hi, listen I just came up with a really novel new product for y'all--- what about S'mores Ice Cream Sandwiches?!!
Yep-- all by myself! What? Sure, I'll hold.
........
Hello? Yes, that's right. My idea.
Okay, sounds good Ben! We can meet tomorrow! Great. What? Oh yeah, well Nabisco isn't doing the same thing really-- there's no ice cream in that deal.
4-6 Servings
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cups whole peeled tomatoes, sliced
2 cups drained canned cannellini beans
1 pound uncooked pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Heat 2 Tbs. olive oil until hot in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, parsley, basil, oregano and red pepper. Saute until onions become tender.
Stir in the tomatoes plus 1/2 cup of their can juices.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and stir frequently for 10 minutes. Stir in the cannellini beans, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Cook pasta in 4 quarts of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and toss pasta with 2 tablespoons olive oil and Parmesan cheese. Add pasta to cannellini bean mixture and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
Option: Add cooked, chopped/crumbled turkey bacon.
Now, THAT'S Italian!
Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right. - Hunter/Garcia
;)
Did you know I am 100% Italiano? Uh huh. Don't speak a word of Italian though. Parents/aunts/uncles thought it was pretty cool to be able to talk with the kids around and not have us understand. Grandparents spoke mainly Italian -- very broken English; their kids spoke both fluently. By my generation, no Italian. Isn't that sad? They so wanted us to be "Americans" they decided English was the only language we should speak.
Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right. - Hunter/Garcia
Seriously Amazing Cherry Coconut Cookies
1 cup shortening (I use butter flavored Crisco)
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
2-1/2 cups ll-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
a teaspoon salt
2-1/2 cups flaked coconut
3/4 cup chopped almonds or pecans, optional
1 jar (16 oz) maraschino cherries, drained and halved
In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extract. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in coconut and nuts.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2" apart onto lightly greased baking sheets. Place cherry half in the center of each.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: about 7 dozen cookies.