Breakfast Cookies

When my kids aren't looking I've been known to make cookies breakfast for myself (or my favorite breakfast, brownies).  However, with this recipe, everyone can have cookies for breakfast!  This is perfect for those rushed mornings on the go. 


Ingredients:
Shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup dried mixed fruit bits, dried cranberries, or cherries; rasins; or snipped dried apricots (I used a dried fruit mix plus some raisins)
1/2 cup dried banana chips, broken up
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, peanuts, pecans or almonds (I forgot to pick up nuts so I left these out)

Directions:
1.  Preheat the oven to 350.  Grease a cookie sheet with shortening.  Cut up the butter.

2.  Put butter in a large mixing bowl.  Beat with the electric mixer on medium speed about 30 seconds or until butter is creamy.  Stop mixer and add brown sugar.  Beat on medium speed until combined, occasionally scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula.



3.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Beat on medium speed until combined.  Put the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the small bowl.  Stir with the wooden spoon.  Stir flour mixture into egg mixture.  Stir in oats, mixed fruit, banana chips and nuts.



4.  Scoop the dough with a 1/4 cup measuring cup.  Drop the dough in mounds 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheet.  Slightly flatten dough on cookie sheet.




5.  Put the cookie sheet in the oven.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until cookie edges begin to brown.  Let cookies remain on cookie sheet for 1 minute.  Move cookies to cooling rack to let finish cooling.