Choc-Oat-Chip Cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) margarine or butter, softened
1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tbsp milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups all purpose or unbleached flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt (optional but we used it)
2 1/2 cups quick or 3 cups old fashioned oats (Quaker or other brand), uncooked
1 (12 ounce) package of semi-sweet chocolate pieces (we used Ghiradelli)
1 cup chopped nuts (optional--we did not use it in the portion for Jonathan to take home, but for the cookies that Dave and I were keeping I added walnuts and chopped dried apricots. Jonathan didn't like the idea of nuts or apricots in his cookies.)
Pre-heat oven to 375°F
Beat together margarine or butter with sugars until creamy. Add eggs, milk and vanilla. Beat well. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl and mix together. Add combined flour mixture into wet ingredients and mix well. Stir in oats, chocolate and nuts or dried fruit and mix well. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 9-10 minutes for a chewy cookie or 12-13 for a crisp cookie. (Check at 9 minutes since ovens vary.) Cool for one minute on cookie sheet and then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Store tightly covered. Makes about 4 1/2 dozen.
Bar cookies--spread in an ungreased 13x9 inch pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely and cut into bars. Makes 32 bars.
