Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

For the first time in my life my cabinets are almost bare. It's shocking. My mother was the type to not have one box of spaghetti but six. Not one can of corn but twelve. She always had so much food in the house! Her argument was that you never knew when we would want to have friends over and she always wanted to have enough food for dinner. I don't think I ever had enough friends for six boxes of spaghetti, but that's ok, it comforted her.

I have become my mother. And stocking the pantry is just the beginning of the ways I am my mother. I am trying really hard to stop this because I just don't need to have a lot of extra food laying around. I have been cooking my way through what we have and I am finally at a normal level. One thing that I still have a lot of is oatmeal. I decided to make some cookies and found these. I am glad I did because they are excellent. Mine came out very thin and crispy, not your typical cookie. I think my butter was too soft so they spread a little bit too much. However I don't know if I would want them the regular way- they were just so good like this! I brought them to school and my students ate these up like crazy. Nobody threw it in the garbage which is the highest level of compliment a first grade teacher can ask for! My coworkers who had them also really enjoyed them- a huge winner!

Source: Adapted from Betty Crocker

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 1/2 cups all-purpose or unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, stir brown sugar, sugar, and butter until blended. Stir in vanilla and egg until light and fluffy. Stir in oats, flour, baking soda and salt; stir in chocolate chips.
2. Onto ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart.
3. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.