All this cold weather makes one wish for soup or hot chocolate and cookies by the fire. I ran across this oatmeal coconut cookie recipe this past week. I have had it for 30 years, but had lost it. (It really helps to get recipes organized. Glad I wrote the cookbook.)

About coconut-- The coconut is the fruit of the coconut palm tree, which grows in the world’s tropical areas and reaches a height of over 100 feet. It these places, the people use the coconut for much more than tasty food. They use the wood from the palm tree to make furniture, cabinets, and cupboards. They use the palm leaves to create baskets, rope, brushes, carpet, and fabric. The coconut shell, itself, is used for containers and sometimes, musical instruments. Finally, the milk and the pulp of the coconut are used in cooking. Store your dried coconut in a cool, dry place.

Oatmeal-coconut cookies

1 cup plus 2 T. flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup brown sugar (it calls for packed, but I think that makes it too sweet.)
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup quick or old fashioned rolled oats
1 ¼ cups flaked coconut (or 1- 3 ½ oz can)

Combine flour, baking powder, and soda; set aside. Cream butter, brown sugar, vanilla, salt and egg until fluffy. Stir in oats, coconut and flour mixture until well blended. Chill dough several hours or until firm enough to handle. (It is sticky.)
Shape into 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheets. Dip tines of a fork into flour and press crisscross pattern on balls, flattening them out to about 1 ½ inch round cookies. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven until golden brown, about 10-11 minutes. Remove to rack to cool. Store in airtight container in a cool, dry place. I make good sized cookies so I got 32.