Just In Case Cookies (or Eternal Surprise)

By Pauline Broadbent

This is for when you have lots of hungry mouths to feed and lunch boxes to fill, and want to use “what you have.” I have made these hundreds of times, never had them turn out twice alike, always edible, and used anything from refried beans to leftover mush.

Begin with whatever is left from breakfast or last night, (oatmeal, pancake batter) Add in 1 cube margarine, 1 cup sugar (including any hardened sugar, dabs of honey, syrup, jam, etc.) Warm slightly just in case it needs it to blend. Add one or two eggs if you have any, if not, don’t worry about it.
At this point you may discov3r some cottage cheese, rice pudding, sweet potatoes, etc. Beat in, in case it needs it.
Sift 2 cups of flour (more or less), 1 tsp.  soda, just in case something needs soda. Add flavoring to match—consider cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, lemon, etc. But avoid chocolate—it is a bit much for this.Add raisins or nuts—or oatmeal just in case there are any lumps that need covering up. Drop by spoonfuls on a cookie sheet.
 Bake 8-10 minutes at 400°.

These cookies are good just in case someone comes home from school hungry.