Bill Clinton's Oatmeal Cookies

I don't know where Bill got his cookie recipe from, but they look vaguely familiar. These are straightforward good cookies. They have a slight twist in that the oats and the nuts are toasted before they are made into cookies. The flavor is very good.

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Yields: 3 1/2 dozen

Ingredients

• 2 1⁄2 cups quick-cooking oats (or old-fashioned works)
• 1  cup walnuts, chopped
• 1  cup all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄2 cups brown sugar, packed
• 1  cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1  egg

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. Spread oats and walnuts in ungreased 15-1/2 x 10-1/2 x 1-inch baking pan. Bake 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until toasted and light brown; cool.
3. In small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Beat together brown sugar, butter or margarine, vanilla and egg in large bowl. Stir in oat mixture and then flour mixture.
4. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.
5. Bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on pans for 3 minutes; remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.