I love, love, love making cookies. For me, they are the easiest sweet treat to make. While trying to fins some inspiration for holiday baking within my cupboards, I cam across some Quaker oats and a bag of dried cranberries. I figured if raisins can go in oatmeal cookies, so can dried cranberries. The hint of orange and clove add a little something special.

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
3 cups quick-cooking OR old fashioned oats
1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground cloves and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla and orange zest. Stir in flour mixture. Add in oats and cranberries; mix well.

Drop cookies by the spoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on a wire rack.

Yields about 4 dozen cookies.

1 cup water
3/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons maple syrup, more if desired
2 tablespoons brown sugar, more if desired

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring water, milk, cinnamon and nutmeg to a boil. Stir in oats. Cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in pumpkin puree, vanilla, maple syrup and brown sugar.

Yields 1-2 servings.