DATE AND OATMEAL COOKIES

1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup raisins, chopped
1 cup oats, rolled (raw)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.

In a medium bowl, cream the shortening and sugar together with an electric mixer. Add the dates and raisins and continue mixing for another minute; set aside.

Place the oats in a large bowl and add the next 6 ingredients, sifted together. Mix until combined well.

Add the sugar and shortening mixture to the dry ingredients. Then add the pecans and milk and mix all the ingredients thoroughly by hand. The texture of the dough should be like a coarse meal that, when moist enough, stays together when formed into a ball. If the dough is too dry, add another tablespoon of milk. Be careful not to make the dough too moist.

Press the cookies together into 1/2-inch balls and place on the prepared cookie sheet.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

The cookies will be soft while they are hot, but when they are completely cool, they will be very hard and crunchy. Store in an airtight container.

Makes 2 dozen cookies
Source: Ciao Y'all by Damian Mandola, Johnny Carrabba, John Demers, and Chris T. Sullivan