Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS

•  2 1/2 cups oatmeal, blended
•  2 cups flour
•  1/2 teaspoon salt
•  1 teaspoon baking powder
•  1 teaspoon baking soda
•  1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
•  1 cup granulated sugar
•  1 cup brown sugar
•  2 eggs
•  1 teaspoon vanilla
•  12 oz. chocolate chips (2 cups)
• 1 (4 oz.) Hershey bar, grated (optional)
•  1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 375 F.
• Blend oatmeal: Measure and process in a blender to a coarse powder.
• In a medium bowl, mix together flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars, on medium-high speed, until well light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until well blended, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed.
• Add flour mixture; mix just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips, grated chocolate, and nuts, if using. (Optional: cover dough and chill 30 minutes - add a minute or two to the cook time if using chilled dough.)
• Roll into balls and place two inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. (Take the cookies out of the oven 1 or 2 minutes before the cookies are cooked, as they will continue to cook on the baking pans.).
• Let cookies cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet before transferring cookies to racks to cool completely.