I Go Coconut...Let's Just Leave It At That

Each of us has a food memory that brings us home.  One of mine is this cookie my mother used to make.  It is a Coconut crisp cookie with oatmeal.  This has got to be one of my favorites, heck it might even edge out my standard cookie love - the basic Toll House Chocolate Chip cookie.

It should be understood that I don't bake often - it is far too much like real science.  I think my fear stems from a recipe gone horribly wrong in a high school cooking class. Damn those potato pancakes!  Little buggers were like glue. I had every kitchen appliance sticking to my hands like I was magnetized.  Now some would say potato pancakes are not "baking".  You may be right, but convince my subconscious of it and we'll both be better for it.

Anyway, back to the all important cookie.  This one has also earned a great reputation for dunking.  Coffee, milk or tea really makes no difference to this little fella as it holds up very nicely to them all.  I must admit that my mother had a knack with cookies.  The Toll House could get almost wafer thin with I loved and cannot seem to duplicate; these coconut cookies were amazingly crunchy when she made them and mine seem to be more cake like.  Before you wonder - yes we use the very same recipe.  Speaking of which, here it is - Tada!

Ingredients:

2 C. Flour
2 t. Baking Powder
1 t. Baking Soda
2 C. Coconut
3 1/3 C. Sugar
5 C. Oatmeal
1 1/2 C. Butter or Margarine
4 Eggs
3 t. Vanilla Extract
2 t. Salt ( suggest 1 1/2 teaspoons, but try it out first)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cream the sugar and butter until light. Beat in one egg at a time, then mix in the vanilla and the remaining dry ingredients.

Drop by teaspoon on an un-greased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. Bake for about 15 minutes.  Let cool on a rack.  Enjoy!