4 to 5 dozen walnut halves (or pecan halves)

Melt the b.u.t.ter and mix in the sugars. Set the mixture aside on the counter to cool to room temperature.

When the mixture is not so hot it"ll cook the eggs, add them and mix them in thoroughly. Then mix in the baking soda, salt, vanilla extract, and water (or coffee if you used it.) Add the flour in one-cup increments, mixing after each addition. Give a final stir, cover the dough with plastic wrap, and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour (overnight is fine, too).

When you"re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

Scoop out a Tablespoon of dough (use a Tablespoon from your silver drawer, not a measuring spoon) and form the dough around a piece of Bridge Mix or a piece of cut-up candy bar.

Place the cookies on a greased cookie sheet, 12 cookies to a standard-sized sheet. (You can also spray your cookie sheets with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray or line them with parchment paper.) Press a walnut half (or pecan half) on top of each cookie.

Bake your Surprise Cookies at 375 degrees F. for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they"re golden brown.

Remove the cookies from the oven. Cool them on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes, and then use a metal spatula to transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: 8 to 10 dozen delicious cookies, depending on cookie size.

Hannah"s Note: When I use Hershey"s miniatures, Mother always tries to guess which cookies have the Krackel bars inside. If she gets one with a piece of Mr. Goodbar, she pa.s.ses it to me.

SWEDISH OATMEAL COOKIES.

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

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

cup white (granulated) sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup flour (don"t sift pack it down in the cup when you

measure it)

2 cups oatmeal (I used Quaker Oats Quick-1 Minute)

1 egg yolk (use a large fresh egg)

Melt the b.u.t.ter in a microwave safe bowl on HIGH for approximately 1 and minutes. Let it cool to room temperature. Mix in the white sugar.

Add the baking soda, flour, and oatmeal. Stir thoroughly.

Beat the egg yolk with a fork until it"s thoroughly mixed and a lighter yellow in color. Add it to the bowl and stir until it"s thoroughly incorporated.

Prepare to bake by greasing (or spraying with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray) a standard-sized cookie sheet. You can also use parchment paper if you wish.

Make small b.a.l.l.s of dough with your fingers and place them on the cookie sheet, 12 to a standard-sized cookie sheet. Press them down with a fork in a crisscross pattern the way you"d do for peanut b.u.t.ter cookies.

Bake your Swedish Oatmeal Cookies at 350 degrees F. for 10 to 12 minutes or until they"re just starting to brown around the edges. (Mine took 10 minutes.) Remove the cookies from the oven, let them cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet, and then transfer them to a wire rack to complete cooling.

Yield: Approximately 5 dozen, depending on cookie size.

Hannah"s Note: This recipe is from a lady I met in the park, Karen Lood. She told me it was important to use high-quality ingredients in these cookies, because their taste depends on the best in b.u.t.ter, flour, and oatmeal.

TWIN CHOCOLATE DELIGHTS.

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

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

2 and cups white (granulated) sugar

cup cocoa (unsweetened, for baking)

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

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

3 cups flour (no need to sift)

1 cup chopped nuts (optional your choice of nut)

2 cups chocolate chips (a 12-ounce package)

Melt the b.u.t.ter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Add the sugar and mix it in thoroughly. Then add the cocoa, baking soda, salt, and vanilla extract. Stir until the resulting mixture is smooth and well incorporated.

If the mixture is not so hot it"ll cook the eggs, add them now. (Otherwise, wait a few more minutes.) Mix thoroughly so that the eggs are well incorporated.

Add the flour in one-cup increments, mixing after each cup. Then mix in the chopped nuts (if you used them).

Stir in the chocolate chips and mix thoroughly.

Place rounded teaspoonfuls of dough on a greased cookie sheet, 12 cookies to a standard-sized sheet. (You can also spray your cookie sheet with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray or line it with parchment paper.) You don"t have to flatten the mounds of dough. They"ll spread out all by themselves as they bake.

Bake your Twin Chocolate Delights at 350 degrees F. for 10 minutes. Cool them on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes, and then remove them to a wire rack to complete cooling.

Hannah"s 1st Note: Mother loves these cookies. If I bake them when she"s mad at me, she sweetens right up.

Hannah"s 2nd Note: Twin Chocolate Delights should freeze well, but I can"t swear to that - they never last long enough to try it.

Yield: Approximately 5 dozen chocolatey cookies.

VIKING COOKIES.

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

2 cups b.u.t.ter (4 sticks, 16 ounces, 1 pound)

2 cups brown sugar (pack it down when you measure it)

2 cups white (granulated) sugar

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