Oatmeal and Chocolate Chip Cookies

It's hard to believe that my mom has been gone almost six months already. Yesterday, for some reason, I was having trouble managing the grief. I read an article recently on HuffPost.com that said there are many psychological benefits to baking for others - one of them is "stress management." If you are interested in reading the article, here is the link:  https://www.huffpost.com/entry/culinary-arts-therapy_n_58ee79c1e4b0bb9638e0e02b . My mom and I spent tons of time in the kitchen and we definitely had a lot of fun!

 

This particular recipe card was written in my mom's handwriting, and on the back side of the card, was written "doubled from Thomas Pullen Home Economics (Patti). " Thomas Pullen was the Junior High my sister attended. "Patti" is my sister.

She lives down in Georgia and I sent her a message asking if she remembered these cookies. She said, "I still use that recipe, it's really good!" I don't remember eating these cookies, so I was really curious about how they would taste and more importantly, if Dominic would eat one. Only in the past few months has he begun to eat cookies with chocolate chips in them (I think he realized what he was missing)!!! I told him the recipe was written in "Grandma Martha's" handwriting. Well, I whipped some up yesterday afternoon and they WERE really good!! Dominic and my husband LOVED them. I made a few small changes to the recipe here and there, but nothing major was added or deleted.  I know I'll be making these again real soon!!  

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/3 cup white flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 cups old-fashioned oats

12-ounce bag milk chocolate chips (2 cups)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar, light brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract with a mixer or large spoon until well combined. Add the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and mix well. Stir in the oats and milk chocolate chips until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Roll into balls slightly smaller than a golf ball on the cookie sheet (12 cookies at a time). Bake for 14-16 minutes or until slightly brown. Remove from oven and let them sit on the cookie sheet for five minutes and then move to rack to continue to cool. Makes 3 1/2  dozen. Store covered at room temperature.