preheat oven to 350°; rack in middle position.

1 cup butter (2 sticks, 1/2 lb)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup flour (no need to sift)
2 cups quick oats
1 egg yolk

melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl on HIGH for approximately 1 1/2 minutes. let it cool to room temperature. mix in the sugar. add the baking soda, flour and oatmeal. stir thoroughly. beat the egg yolk with a fork until it’s thoroughly mixed. add it to the bowl and stir until its incorporated. grease (or spray with pam) a standard-sized cookie sheet. make small balls of dough and place them on the cookie sheet, 12 to a sheet. press them down with a fork in a crisscross pattern the way you do for peanut butter cookies. bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until they’re just starting to brown around the edges. let the cookies cool for a minute or two on the sheets and then transfer them to a wire rack to complete cooling.

makes approximately 5 dozen

preheat oven to 350°, rack in the middle position.

2 cups butter (4 sticks, 1 lb), melted
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pineapple extract*
4 cups flour
2 1/2 cups chopped sweetened dried pineapple (measure AFTER chopping)
1/2 cup chopped coconut flakes (measure AFTER chopping)
3 cups rolled oats

melt the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl (about 3 minutes on HIGH). add the sugars and let it cool a bit. then add the beaten eggs, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pineapple extract. mix in the flour. then add the chopped pineapple, chopped coconut, and rolled oats, mixing them in thoroughly. the dough will be quite stiff. drop by teaspoonful onto a greased cookie sheet. (i roll mine in a ball so the cookies turn out nice and round.) bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes. cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes and then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

1 cup melted butter (2 sticks, 1/2 lb)
3 cups brown sugar (packed)
4 eggs, beaten (in a glass)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups finely chopped walnuts (measure AFTER chopping)
1 cup chopped dates (you can buy them already chopped)
4 cups flour (pack, do not sift)

melt the butter on HIGH in a microwave-safe container for 90 seconds, or in a saucepan on the stove over low heat. transfer the melted butter to a large mixing bowl and add the brown sugar. mix it well and let it cool to slightly above room temperature, just enough so that it won’t cook the eggs when you add them. mix in the beaten eggs. stir until they are thoroughly incorporated. add the salt, baking soda, and vanilla. mix it all up together. mix in the walnuts and let the dough rest while you chop the dates. you can chop the dates by hand with a knife, but it’s a lot easier in a food processor or blender. just pit them first, cut each one into two or three pieces with a knife, put them into the bowl of your food processor or blender, and sprinkle with a little flour (approx 1/4 cup). the flour will keep them from gumming up. when you process them, measure one cup of chopped dates and add them to your mixing bowl. stir them in thoroughly. add the flour in one-cup increments, mixing after each addition. the dough will be fairly stiff. form the dough into balls with your fingers. (make them the size of a walnut shell.) place them on a greased cookie sheet, 12 to a standard sheet. (they will flatten and spread when they bake.) bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or.until lightly browned. let them cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes and then remove them to a wire rack to complete cooling.

1/2 cup butter OR margarine, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

in a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars; beat in peanut butter, egg and vanilla. combine flour, oats, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. stir in chocolate chips. drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets. bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. cool 1 minute before removing to a wire rack.

makes 2 dozen cookies

3/4 cup shortening

1 cup shortening

1/4 cup brer rabbit molasses

1 egg

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups flor

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

melt shortening in a 3-4 qt saucepan over low heat. allow to cool. then add sugar, molasses and egg. beat well. sift together flour, baking soda, cloves, ginger, cinnamon and salt. add these to first mixture. mix well and chill thoroughly. form into 1″ balls. roll in granulated sugar and place on greased cookie sheets 2″ apart. bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1egg
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanillan
1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring
colored crystal sugar

preheat oven to 350° and spray cookie sheets with pam.

mix shortening, sugar and egg in a large bowl until well blended; add the flour and mix well.

add the baking soda, cream of tartar, vanilla and almond extract; mix well.

roll cookie dough in colored sugar and form into a ball.

put the balls on a cookie sheet and flatten out just a little bit.

bake at 350° for 8 minutes.

let cookies sit for 1 minute on cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack.

12-14 cookies

24-30 shortbread cookies
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups toasted coconut
1 cup chocolate chips

place shortbread cookie in a cup of a greased muffin tin.

in a 2 quart saucepan over medium-low heat, combine butter, sugar and corn syrup.

heat to a full boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.

boil 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

slowly pour in sweetened condensed milk, stirring constantly.

continue cooking over low heat until candy thermometer reaches 220°-228°.

remove them heat.

stir in vanilla.

beat until creamy.

immediately stir in toasted coconut and mix well.

spoon mixture by teaspoonfuls over shortbread cookies.

cool completely.

remove cooled cookies from muffin tins onto waxed paper.

melt chocolate chips and drizzle thinly in stripes over cookies and let chocolate harden at room tempetature.

store in airtight container.

makes 24-30 cookies (depending on size of cookies)

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup crisco OR margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups quick OR old-fashioned oats, uncooked
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

preheat oven to 350°.

cream together brown sugar, shortening and sugar. add water and vanilla. beat well.

add combined oats, flour, salt and baking soda. mix well.

drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

bake 11-13 minutes until edges are golden brown.

remove to wire rack; cool completely.

store tightly covered.

5 dozem

1/2 cup butter OR margarine, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
2 squares (1 oz ea) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cool
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

MOCHA GLAZE:

1 cup (6 oz) semi sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon shortening
1 cup powdered sugar
4-5 tablespoons hot coffee
2 squares (1 oz ea) white baking chocolate, melted

in a mixing bowl cream butter and sugar. add egg, chocolate and vanilla; mix well. combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. cover and chill for 1 hour or until firm. divide dough into fourths. form each portion into a 6″ log. divide each log into 12 pieces. roll each piece into a 9″ rope. place ropes on greased baking sheets; form into pretzel shapes and space 2″ apart. bake at 400° for 5-7 minutes or until firm. cool 1 minute before removing to wire racks.

for glaze: heat the chocolate chips, corn syrup and shortening in a small saucepan over low heat until melted. stir in sugar and enough coffee to make a smooth glaze. dip pretzels; place on waxed paper or wire racks to harden. drizzle with melted white chocolate; let stsnd until chocolate is completely set. store in an airtight container.

4 dozen