Well, last night didn't happen with this post ...crazy computer problems. I swear, it's a love hate relationship with these computers!
So, oatmeal cookies. I've used so many different recipes for these cookies, and I always go back to this dear recipe. It brings back so many memories for me. When I was young, Grandma and Grandpa used to come over to the house and help us do things around our small farm. Grandpa usually headed for the garden to see how things were growing, and Grandma went to the kitchen to help mom. Each week they would make 5-6 dozen cookies for our family to snack on, school lunches, and desserts. One of my favorite desserts was homemade peach ice cream with these oatmeal cookies, oh yum! The best "smell memory" (am I the only one who has these?) I have is coming home from school, and walking into the house and smelling either cookies or homemade bread baking, so comforting, so "home".
This recipe is one of many cookie recipes I remember really loving a lot. I think what makes them so special is the coconut and pecans. That combination is so good! When I make them now, unfortunately there is a person in this household who doesn't like pecans OR coconut (we won't mention who, ahem... Mister) Any way, I replaced those ingredients with 2 1/2 cups of bittersweet chocolate chips, and they are so very good. Then again, I also LOVE them when I keep in the pecans and coconut and add the chocolate chips. Now, goodness, that is heavenly! Anyway you decide to try them, this recipe is a definite keeper.
Oatmeal Cookies
1 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
2 eggs
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 c. oatmeal
1 c. coconut
1 c. pecans - chopped
* 2 1/2 c. chocolate chips (optional)
Cream butter, sugar and eggs in mixer. Measure flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a sifter. Sift all ingredients at once into the creamed mixture.
Stir in the oatmeal, coconut, and pecans into the dough. *Or 2 1/2 c. chocolate chips. Chill for about a 1/2 hour. Form into balls (about walnut size) and place onto ungreased cookie sheet. Press down to flatten a little.
** (at this point you can freeze these for about 2 hours, and store in airtight, freezer-proof container for later eating. Just take out how many you need and put on a cookie sheet, bake 350 degrees for about 15 minutes)
Bake 350 degrees until lightly browned. From 10-20 minutes. I usually start with 15 minutes, and sometimes I need a minute more. It depends on how hot your oven is.
At the bottom of the recipe my mom wrote, "Very old recipe from Mrs. Runge - when I was a little girl - Grandma and I would visit her down the road."
Enjoy!
