Cowboy Cookies
A very old recipe, handed down through the generations, resembles chocolate-chip cookies but with more dimensions in flavor.

Recipe by Marie Mayville

My sister and I used to beg my mother to make these cookies, and when she did about half of them usually disappeared before they cooled. There are a couple of things you can experiment with to change the flavor and texture of the cookies. You can substitute some or all of the shortening with butter and the cookies will become crisper. You can also add different kinds of nuts, or use caramel instead of chocolate.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 medium eggs
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 (6 oz.) package semisweet chocolate pieces

Directions

Sift together flour, soda, salt, and baking powder and set aside. Beat eggs in a medium bowl until light & fluffy; mix in shortening, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Add flour mixture, rolled oats, and chocolate pieces and mix well. Drop by the heaping tablespoon onto cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Yields 35-40 cookies