James Beard's Oatmeal Carrot Cookies

Ryan found this one, too, after he had located the meatloaf recipe.  He told me that his father likes cookies, everyone likes oatmeal cookies, and making them would be good amusement for a Friday night.  I made a couple of minor changes, and here they are!

JAMES BEARD'S OATMEAL CARROT COOKIES

3/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup grated carrot
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup oats (quick, steel cut or rolled)
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Cream the butter until fluffy; add the sugar and blend well.  Beat in the vanilla and egg, then add the carrot.  Sift together the flour, powder and salt and beat into the creamed mixture, then stir in the oats and walnuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets and bake at 375F for 10 to 12 minutes.

The cookbook says this makes 2 dozen.  I think it made about 5 dozen, and here's why:  While I was making them, friends of Ryan started arriving at the house, around 10PM, for an all night Risk (board game) marathon.  The first two arrived about a minute after the first 2 sheets came out of the oven, and so I offered them cookies: they're teenaged boys, and that species likes cookies, right?  And then another boy arrived and had cookies, and I think the last 2 boys had cookies after they'd all consumed the pizza the last 2 boys had brought.  And there were still cookies for my dearly beloved.  So 2 dozen is just not the right count.

These cookies stayed soft and moist, and were well received by adult men and teenaged boys.  It's proof positive that the incomparable Mr. Beard knew what he was doing!

Happy Weekending, everyone!