This recipe was on the back of the round box of oatmeal when I was doing my early living. And my middle living. And even lately, I saw it until I didn’t. It’s my go-to recipe for oatmeal cookies. I mostly don’t add raisins, but I always add chopped walnuts.

3/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup margarine or butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon soda
1-2 cups regular all-purpose flour
1 cup raisins (optional)
1 cup lightly chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat together shortening, sugars, egg, water and vanilla until creamy. Add oatmeal. Add combined wheat flour, salt and soda; mix well. Add regular flour in 1/2-cup increments, until mixture is somewhat firm, but not dry.

At this point you can add lightly-chopped walnuts (bigger pieces) or 1 cup raisins. (I soak the raisins in hot water for 5 minutes before adding to plump them up.) Bake 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool one minute on cookie sheet, then remove to cooling rack.

This recipe is doubled.