Skidaddle Cookies                     
Source: Laura Secord Canadian Cookbook

3 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar, brown lightly packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 cup fruit cocktail, well drained
1/2 cup walnuts

Skidaddle Ridge, New Brunswick, came by its name because it was a hideout for draft dodgers. The Skidaddlers were Democrats who, not in sympathy with the Republican Party during the Civil War; skidaddled" out of the country. Most of them returned home after the war, but many stayed to settle in New Brunswick and Southern Ontario. These cookies are frequently packed in the lunch boxes carried by hunters in this region."

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Cream together the butter, brown sugar and vanilla. Beat in the egg and fruit cocktail. Stir in the dry ingredients and add the walnuts. Drop batter from a teaspoon about 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake in 350 oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown.

MAKES: about 6 dozen