Oatmeal

In Canada, a woman came home to find a bear in her kitchen, eating a bowl of oatmeal. She called the West Vancouver police, but they couldn't persuade the bear to leave. The oatmeal was neither too warm nor too cold. So they shrugged and let it finish eating, and then it ambled away. At least it didn't go upstairs to take a nap. On this side of the border, similar encounters always seem to escalate in the most unfortunate ways. In West Milford, N.J., a bear wandered into a yard and was very sorry it did. It was treed - by a cat named Jack.

Kathleen Dibiase from Cranbury, N.J., was looking for a recipe for a soft chocolate chip and oatmeal cookie. Mary Ann McKoon of Mount Airy sent in a recipe that was given to her by a friend. She says that her daughters love these cookies. In her recipe, either chocolate or butterscotch chips can be used. I tested the recipe using chocolate chips, since that was what the reader was looking for. I used unsalted butter for the shortening. I'm a big believer in butter, particularly in baking.

Sky Lounge Tango Tapas Situated in a charming alley off Federal Hill's Cross Street strip, this lounge features Spanish-inspired tapas, homemade sangria and creative cocktails in its plush downstairs seating area. If the urge to let loose hits you a few drinks later, head upstairs to do your thing on a clear, springy Plexiglas dance floor. Where --1041 Marshall St. Call --410-625-1615 Notable --The drink list includes a host of imaginative favorites, including the watermelon-tini and the oatmeal cookie.

What are they -- A new line of breakfast cereals from the makers of Bear Naked granola and snack foods. Breakfast products include all-natural oatmeal, low-sugar cereal and organic hot cereal. What we like about them --The lightly sweetened cereals are a welcome relief after the holiday excesses and one way to keep those New Year's resolutions to eat more healthfully. The all-natural oatmeal features freeze-dried fruits and nuts. The low-sugar cereal comes in Triple Berry Crunch and Vanilla Almond Crunch.

Ellen Costigan from Florence, N.J., was searching for a recipe for Congo Bars that she had made many years ago as a schoolgirl. She remembered that they had chocolate chips, nuts and coconut. Many readers responded with their recipes for Congo Bars, but only a few of the recipes submitted had coconut in them. Leslie Riden of Bel Air researched her recipe and cookbook collection and sent in multiple recipes for the bars, one of which contained coconut. The recipe from 110 Cookie Recipes by Betty Crocker sounds the most like what our reader was looking for. The addition of the coconut and oats in this recipe makes this a less-traditional-tasting Congo Bar but one that is delicious nonetheless.

It's hard to imagine enjoying the winter holidays without cookies. Yet with so much to do, it's sometimes hard to squeeze in time to bake as well. So for our annual cookie exchange at The Sun this year, we decided to make every cookie count. We went looking for two kinds of cookies to meet the most pressing demands of the season: cookies that can be made fast and those fancy enough to give to friends or put on the party table. We received more than 100 recipes and many of them were so tasty or clever it was hard to choose just a dozen.

Marla A. Colton of Titusville, N.J., wrote to say she was seeking a recipe for "No-Bake Cookies. They are made with chocolate, peanut butter and oatmeal. "I enjoyed them as a child when they were served in the public school cafeteria." Nancy Lindsay of Salem, Ore., responded. "This is the recipe requested by Marla A. Colton for my favorite `candy' cookies. They are called Three-Minute Cookies," Lindsay said. No-Bake Cookies Makes 3 dozen cookies 2 cups sugar 1/4 cup cocoa 1/2 cup milk 1 stick ( 1/4 pound)

Gertrude Lyles of La Plata said she wanted a recipe "for a dessert served in the employees' cafeteria at the Greater Southeast Community Hospital. It had apples, and cranberries with oatmeal, I think. It is similar to a brown Betty dessert." Gail Ellis of Westminster responded with this version. "This recipe was given to me over 25 years ago by Carolyn Roeth, a friend and Catonsville neighbor. It is simple to make and great as a side dish or as a dessert with Cool Whip or ice cream." Cranberry-Apple Bake Serves 4 3 cups chopped apples, unpeeled 2 cups raw, whole cranberries 1 cup uncooked quick oatmeal 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup chopped nuts 1 stick margarine, melted Mix apples and cranberries and put in the bottom of a 2-quart greased casserole.

Maybe you thought you'd come a long way, baby, back in 1968 when you first got your own cigarette, Virginia Slims, allowing women to smoke while feeling both feminine and liberated. Maybe you started feeling truly empowered with the advent of "television for women," starting in 1984 with Lifetime, though it aired mostly made-for-TV movies about women smitten, battered or bothered by men. The truth is, baby, it wasn't until 2000 that, no matter how far you thought you had come, you finally arrived.

Last call for groceries Today is the last day to send us your suggestions for the best ethnic groceries in the Baltimore area. Fax or e-mail us the store names, addresses, phone numbers and the kind of products they sell. We will be compiling a list for a story later this winter. Getting your oats January is the month Americans buy the most oatmeal, but Quaker Oats says oatmeal isn't just for a hot breakfast and oatmeal cookies. Oatmeal can be substituted for up to one-third of the flour called for in recipes for quick breads and even added to meatloaf.