Great Reading and Rainforest Cookies to nibble on

The rainforest’s secret is known to a very few. But each is perfectly placed to profit from it. The secret is lithium— sometimes described as the oil of the 21st century—and the knowledge of it has spawned a crime cabal led by Vietnamese gangster-turned-investor Johnny Ho and including a diverse cast of fellow crooks. Their plan is to own the priceless resource in the middle of the island of New Guinea, cut down the rainforest, and leverage themselves into financial control of most of Southeast Asia. To protect them they have a weapon only a nuclear strike can combat. Or so they think.

The first female president of a United States, self sufficient in oil but totally without the precious lithium, has her own plans. Andrei Kuznetsov, chess aficionado, avid reader and unlikely secret agent, is sent to make them a reality. The Australians, meanwhile, are also aware of the deposit and have their own intentions—with an SAS team on call to support them.

As the story unfolds through murder, jealousy, corruption and a Category A hurricane, Kuznetsov comes to realize the players have reckoned without one factor—the nation that holds the deposit and the beautiful young woman who will emerge to lead it.

The presence of a national heroine (and the people who call the forest home) forces them all to think again.

Rainforest Cookies

Ingredients:

Servings:

36

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup soft butter
• 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice, well drained
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 (3 1/4 ounce) jar macadamia nuts, chopped
• 3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F
2. Combine sugar and Soft Baking Butter with Canola Oil in large bowl.
3. Beat at medium speed until creamy.
4. Add pineapple and vanilla; continue beating until well mixed.
5. Reduce speed to low; add flour and baking powder.
6. Beat until well mixed.
7. Stir in nuts and 1/4 cup coconut by hand.
8. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; dip top of each cookie into remaining coconut.
9. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
10. Bake in oven 12-15 minutes or until set.