Homemade Goodness

One of our favorite cookies around here are from a recipe of my Mom's,

"Dad's Cookies." 

Soft, chewy and easy to make!

Dad's Cookies
1 c. butter or margarine
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1 c. coconut
2 c. flour
2 c. rolled oats
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
 ***for Thanksgiving, I threw in a couple handfuls of dried cranberries for a holiday touch. The recipe doesn't call for them but you can throw pretty much anything in...pecans are yummy in this recipe.

Cream butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs together. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. The easiest way I find to mix  is to just roll up your sleeves and use your hands to mix. Roll into balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with a fork dipped in milk. Bake in a preheated oven, 375 degrees for 10 to 12 min. until set and just lightly browned. Do not over bake or they will be hard and not soft and chewy. Cool for 5 min. before removing from cookie sheet.

 Double Pumpkin Bars

...another recipe that I tend to make quite often, 

a little healthier than the Dad's Cookies 

but we find them just as tasty!

These are a nice moist bar.

Double Pumpkin Bars

1/2 c. whole wheat flour

1 c. rolled oats

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. allspice

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 egg

1/4 c. veg. oil

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. chopped dates

1/4 c. pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 pan. In a bowl combine the first seven ingredients. Whisk together the wet ingredients and then stir into the dry ingredients. Mix in the dates and pumpkin seeds. Spread in pan and bake 20 min. until top is firm and tooth pick comes out clean. Cool on rack, cut into bars and store in refrigerator for up to a week.