Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

I realize it's been a while since my last post. Want an excuse? Im sure you would love to hear it....I am still getting the house in order. I am hoping to get some before and after photo's posted after the holidays. Things are coming together nicely. So, I wanted to log in really quick and share one of my favorite peanut butter cookie recipes for the holidays. I just whipped up a double batch of these for a cookie swap I am going to next week. I will put them in plastic storage bags and freeze them until the day of the swap.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

Yields: Approx 4 Dozen Small Cookies

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Shortening
• ½ cup butter (1 stick)
• ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup creamy peanut butter
• ½ cup crunchy peanut butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ cups flour 
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup old fashioned oatmeal (pulse gently in a food processor or magic bullet for 10 to 20 seconds to grind up the oatmeal a little)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and butter. Add in sugar and brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Mix in peanut butter and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time until well blended.

3. In a medium sized bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, salt, and oatmeal. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture. Mix until combined well. Drop by teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes, or until light brown.

*HOW TO FREEZE DOUGH FOR LATER USE: Drop dough onto cookie sheet and set in the freezer; once frozen, place cookie dough into a plastic storage bag or container and freeze. When you are in the mood for cookies, remove a few cookie dough balls and bake.

*This recipe doubles well.