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by Dennis Weaver

During World War II, the citizenry of Australia came up with a cookie -- biscuits, they called them -- to supply the troops with something that would travel well, keep well, and provide lots of energy. Folks packaged them in tins by the thousands and sent them to the troops. Called ANZAC Biscuits, they became a national institution for Australia and New Zealand. (ANZAC is an acronym for Australia and New Zealand Army Corps.)

Every road warrior should have a supply of ANZAC Biscuits. They are really quite good, and the little critters are almost indestructible. Whether you're going on a camping trip or packing a Boy Scout off to camp, you had better make some ANZAC Biscuits.

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
¾ cup sweetened coconut, pressed in the measuring cup
½ cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons honey
½ tablespoon baking soda
2 tablespoons water

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

1. Mix the flour, rolled oats, and coconut together in a large bowl.

2. In a saucepan at medium heat, melt the butter. Add the sugar and honey and continue cooking until the mixture has simmered for two minutes.

3. In a cup, mix the baking soda and water together. Remove the sugar mixture from the heat and stir the soda mixture into the sugar. When the soda hits the more acidic sugar and honey mixture it will bubble. Continue stirring until the bubbles subside.

4. Pour the sugar mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until combined.

5. Line baking sheets with aluminum foil or parchment paper. If you are using aluminum foil, grease the foil.

6. Form 1- to 1¼-inch balls of the dough and place them on the baking sheets leaving room for expansion. Bake for twelve minutes or until the cookies have spread and turned a golden color. Remove the sheets from the oven and slide the foil or paper from the sheets to wire racks. Let the cookies cool, and then peel them from the foil or paper.

Dennis Weaver -- having burnt food from Miami, Florida to Point Barrow, Alaska -- is RTA's road food expert. He has logged thousands of hours on the roads, trails, and waterways of America including many of Alaska's wilderness rivers and has consistently been elected the trips' "chief cook and bottle washer." Dennis is currently general manager at The Prepared Pantry, a company in Rigby, Idaho, that produces ready-to-eat meals and baking mixes packaged in Mylar. Weatherproof, bug-proof, and critter resistant, they're ideal for both roadtrips and back woods camping. Dennis may be reached at dweaver@preparedpantry.com.