OATMEAL COOKIES
(as done by Drew)

-Ingredients (for about 3-4 dozen cookies)

- 1 cup softened butter (2 sticks)
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1-1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 cups of oats
- 1-1/2 cups of nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds -mixed together or just one kind)

(the following ingredients can be added, combined and adjusted for different tastes)

- 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons of vanilla
- 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of ground cloves

-Directions

1)  Heat oven to 350 F
2)  Mix together both sugars, then add butter and beat until creamy
3)  Add eggs and vanilla to dough, beat well
4)  In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves, then add to dough, mix together well
5)  Stir in oats
6)  In Ziploc Bag, mix nuts together and crush, then stir into dough
7)  Drop round tablespoons on ungreased cookie sheet
8)  Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly brown on edges, but still gooey in the middle
9)  Cool about 5 minutes

Bar Cookies-  Press dough into bottom of ungreased 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Bake about 25-30 minutes.

* Can substitute 1/2 cup applesauce or apple butter for 1/2 cup butter,  and 3 egg whites for 2 eggs (halves the fat, but affects the taste and texture)
*Can substitute 1/2 cup butter for 1/2 of Crisco
* Can add 1 cup of raisins, or 1 cup of chocolate chips (or half of each together) after adding oats, but it takes away from the taste of the dough
* Can add 1 cup of coconut shavings after adding oats for a lighter cookie
* Can add 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of garam masala with the other spices for extra kick
* Can substitute dark brown sugar for light (another taste change)
* Can substitute Mexican vanilla for regular vanilla (another taste change)
* Can chill the dough over night, and in between batches, for extra chunky cookies