Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Simple chocolate and oatmeal make these disappear in our house quickly. The recipe has been in my file on a piece of paper for many years, so not sure where it came from, but probably one of my mom's old cookbooks. *For a fudgy, softer cookie, use 1 stick margarine in place of shortening.

• Ready In: 34 mins
• Yields: 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups rolled oats
• 1  cup flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1⁄2 cup shortening
• 1  cup brown sugar, packed
• 1  egg
• 2  unsweetened chocolate squares, melted
• 1  teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. Sift flour, baking soda and baking powder; set aside.
2. Cream shortening, sugar, egg, vanilla and melted chocolate.
3. Add flour mixture, blending well.
4. Add rolled oats.
5. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheet and press down with fork lightly.
6. Bake at 325° for 12 minutes.
7. Cool slightly and remove from baking sheet.