Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Today I’m sharing with you a recipe that my mother’s cousin, Peggy Cerva, recently sent me.

Here’s Peggy, in the fall of 1955:

I believe this, too, is Peggy, even younger (I’ll have to ask Peggy to be 100% sure):

I can tell that Peggy and I are related, because we both seem to have trouble smiling while getting our picture taken!

Peggy says that Hazel sent her this recipe — it’s in Hazel’s own handwriting. She thought I might like to have it. Of course I would!!

It arrived in the mail earlier this week, and I tried it out right away. I didn’t change a thing, and they came out really good!

So now I’m sharing it with all of you. Here’s Hazel’s original recipe — Peggy says she’s had this piece of paper for “40 some years”, so it’s a little beat up, but oh, so precious!

And here’s the recipe, so you can try it for yourself:

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Mix together:

• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 cup shortening (I used butter)

Beat good. (Haha!)

Sift together:

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups flour

Add to the above mixture.

Then add:

• 2 tablespoons warm water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 package chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups quick oats

Bake on greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cookies will not appear to be done in this length of time, but remove from oven anyway.

Peggy says chocolate chips used to come in 6-ounce bags, whereas nowadays they’re usually 12 ounces. So just use what you want. Peggy says she uses more than 6 ounces, and hey! it’s chocolate, so I did, too!

Here’s the back side of the recipe:

She’s right — they are! Enjoy!