Soft Oatmeal Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter, softened (or Maragrine)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups quick cooking oats
raisins or nuts (optional - 1-2 Cups)

DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium bowl, cream together white sugar, butter, and brown sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
2. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats. If you are using nuts or raisins, mix into dough, combining well. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls, and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.Makes approx. 36-60 cookies, depending on how large or small you make them.

NOTES
Words of warning--Larger balls of dough result in cookies that spread LARGE amounts. They have a tendency of spreading so much that they meet each other.

Oil the baking sheet once every 4th batch, unless you have a non-stick cookie sheet (don‘t know about that). Even an air-bake cookie sheet needs that extra oil. 1/14/09--We've made these cookies once again and tried something different. We used parchment paper on the cookie sheet instead of oiling. It worked like a charm. The cookies did not stick and we did not need to oil the baking pan.

Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 pound margarine
1 Cup brown sugar
1/2 Cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 and 1/2 Cups unsifted flour
1 teapspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 Cups oatmeal
1 Cup raisins (optional)

In a medium bowl combine floour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Cream together the margarine and the sugars until well blended.
Add eggs and vanilla, blend again.
Add the flour mixture; beat again.
Add the oatmeal and raisins.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until done.

Notes: Still the best oatmeal cookie recipe can be found on the back of the Quacker oatmeal box.

Peanut Butter Criss-Cross Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies From The Michael Family Kitchen:
This is the peanut butter cookie recipe we used as kids in my Mom's kitchen. We still use it because it is so good.

Ingredients
1 Cup shortening
1 Cup granulated sugar
1 Cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Cup peanut butter
3 Cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions
Thoroughly cream shortening, sugars, eggs, and vanilla.
Stir in peanut butter.
Sift dry ingredients into a separate bowl
Stir flour mixture into creamed mixture.
Drop by rounded teaspoons on un-greased cookie sheet.
Press with back of fork to make a crisscross.
Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees) about 10 minutes.
Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Notes: For richer cookies, use 2 cups flour.