These recipes were originally submitted by readers to COUNTRY Magazine; they are each quite different from the usual Oatmeal Cookie. Mississippi Oatmeal Cookie 2 dozen large cookies 350º oven Dough has a chill requirement 1 egg 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup half butter/ half shortning 1/2 cup milk 1/4 teasp. ginger 1/4 teasp. allspice 1/4 teasp. cloves 2 1/2 cups flour 1 1/2 teasp. baking soda 1 1/2 teasp. salt 2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal 1 cup raisens 1 egg white - unbeaten for top granulated sugar to sprinkle on top * Cream egg, sugar, butter/shortninng, spices, and milk. * Mix together flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture; mix well. * Mix in oatmeal and raisens. * Chill dough overnight - or at least for several hours until hard. * Form into golf-ball-size balls. Place balls on un-greased cookie sheet. (I use parchment on cookie sheet.) Flatten with a floured fork. Brush with egg white. Sprinkle with sugar. * Bake at 350º F for 15 minutes. * Remove from oven when light brown; carefully slide parchment with cookies onto a cooling rack; Sprinkle with powered sugar; Let rest until firm. MotherÂs Old-fashioned Oatmeal Cookies 6 Dozen large 350º oven 1 cup butter, softened 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs 2 teasp. vanilla 1 1/4 cups flour 1 teasp. salt 1 teasp. baking soda 1 teasp. ground cinnemon 1/2 teasp. ground Cloves 1/2 teasp. ground Allspice 3 cups Old-fashioned Oatmeal 3/4 cup pecans Powdered Sugar * Cream butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla. * Mix together flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. Add to creamed mixture and mix well. * Make into balls; put on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper; flatten with floured fork; Bake at 350º F for 15 minutes. * Remove from oven when light brown; carefully slide parchment with cookies onto a cooling rack; Sprinkle with powered sugar; Let rest until firm.

Bbstx, no, I don't raise ducks. But I have a very good friend that does, And she very generously shares the eggs with me, She knows how much I love them. I can't answer your question about baking with them, These cookies were the first time I've tried it. I am very selfish with them, And mostly just eat them soft boiled. They have much larger yolks than hen eggs, And the yolk is my favorite part. And being organic and free range, Both color and flavor are wonderful! As for lightly beating one And measuring out part of it, I'm sure that could be done. But that would leave some duck egg to go to waste, (I'd probably put it in the frig & forget it). And to my way of thinking, They are far too good to waste even a drop. And I really don't think the extra egg hurt a thing in the cookies. Wouldn't using zest in the powdered sugar for coating Cause it to kind of 'clump'? I didn't think that would look as nice. The Koolade powder makes a nice smooth coating, And a very good lemon flavor. Lots of 'pucker power' :>) Rusty

Here's another Quaker Oatmeal recipe that I found in "Everyday FOOD" January/February 2007 (from the kitchens of Martha Stewart Living). I just made these today and you could put any type of dried fruit in place of the dried cherries - or leave the fruit out entirely and you'd still have a great cookie. These are nice and soft with a nice undertone of spice. -Grainlady Chewy Cherry-Oatmeal Cookies 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened OR 1 c. apple butter (for a healthier alternative) 1 c. packed light-brown sugar 1/4 c. honey 2 large eggs 1-1/2 t. vanilla extract 1-1/4 c. all-purpose flour 1-1/2 t. cinnamon 1 t. baking soda 1/4 t. freshly grated nutmeg 1/2 t. salt 3 c. Quaker old-fashioned rolled oats 1 c. dried cherries 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper. 2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt; set aside. Place the butter, sugar, and honey in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat to combine. With the mixer on low, gradually add reserved flour mixture and beat until incorporated. Stir in oats and cherries. 3. Drop 1 tablespoon of dough at a time about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake until lightly golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Makes about 4 dozen. (Note of experience: allow mixture to sit, refrigerated, for 20 minutes before baking. You could easily add 1 c. chopped walnuts, if you'd like.) My high-fiber, no-sugar changes... (changes have a *) 1 c. butter *1 c. agave nectar (natural, low-glycemic sweetener) 2 large eggs 1-1/2 t. vanilla 3/4 c. all-purpose flour *3/4 c. freshly-milled soft white wheat flour *3 T. flaxmeal 1-1/2 t. ground cinnamon (I used Penzey's Chinese Cassia) 1 t. soda 1/4 t. freshly grated nutmeg 1/2 t. salt 3 c. Quaker old-fashioned rolled oats 1 c. dried cherries *1 c. chopped walnuts

Well, a little late but here is an outstanding oatmeal cookie recipe. In fact, my son says I should quit my design job and sell these on the street if I really want to be a success. And when dh took some to work with him one of his colleagues who tried them immediately proposed marriage to me. When dh pointed out that I was already married to HIM, his colleague said, "Yeah, but you gotta die sometime!" Oatmeal Cookies 1/2 cup vegetable shortening 1/2 cup butter (don't use all butter or the cookies will be too soft and spread all over) 1 cup packed brown sugar 1 cup white granulated sugar 2 eggs, beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (NOT artificial) 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (this is the secret!) 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans Beat the shortening, sugar, and brown sugar in a mixer bowl until creamy, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat well. Combine the flour, soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt in another bowl and mix well. Add to the creamed mixture gradually, mixing well after each addition. Fold in the oats and pecans. Drop by tablespoonfuls (I use a mini ice cream type scoop so they will be uniform) onto a baking stone (Pampered Chef or similar) or a nonstick cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or til light brown. The time will depend on your particular oven. The trick is to get the cookies barely done but not so well done that they are no longer chewy. When cookies come from the oven they should be light brown and look a little bit shiny and wet in places. It should be almost impossible to remove them from the baking sheet immediately from the oven so cool the cookies on the stone or cookie sheet for 2 minutes. During that time they continue to cook a little and become firm enough to remove but they will still be very soft. Remove cookies to wire racks to cool completely. When the cookies cool they will be delicately crispy on the outside but chewy on the inside. Makes about 3 dozen....and your reputation!