Mistakes are sometimes OK!
My friend, Shirley Kurt, was coming for lunch. She had moved to Jefferson City a couple of years ago, and even though she continued to work in Fulton, we keep in touch by phone.
It had been a good while since we had taken the time to be together and visit. This visit was long overdue. Her hour for lunch went by far too quickly. Grandmothers need more than an hour to share the latest pictures and cute stories about their grandchildren and children.
We both were sort of watching our weight, so I fixed a tuna salad, which I piled high on a lettuce leaf surrounded by tomatoes and cucumbers. For bread, I served homemade bread sticks. This made for a nourishing meal, as well as an attractive lunch.
In my opinion, every meal needs a bit of sweet to finish it off, and since we both were conscious of calories, I needed a simple dessert. I also happened to be in the mood for making cookies that morning.
So I got busy with putting together the ingredients needed for the cookies. The aroma of something freshly baked would be welcoming to Shirley as she entered the house.
The first batch came out of the oven. They smelled heavenly, yet they they did not look right. For some reason, the cookies had not spread out as much as they usually do. I love a warm cookie fresh from the oven, so I helped myself to one. It tasted OK, but not as I had anticipated.
I immediately referred back to the recipe book. The recipe called for a cup of brown sugar, which I had put into the bowl. It also called for a cup of white sugar, and to my astonishment, I realized my error. I had left out the cup of white sugar. Too late then, so I finished baking the rest of the the cookie dough.
Shirley and I would never allow something this minor to prevent our digesting several of the baked cookies as a finish to our meal. After she left, I thought to myself, perhaps I had come up with a cookie for those who need to have less sugar in their diet or being serious about losing weight.
The following is the recipe I goofed on - I had left out the white sugar, yet it was not a failure for it tasted OK, just not as sweet.
Oatmeal Sugar Cookies
1 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
11/2 cups flour
1 cup chopped nut meats (I prefer black walnuts)
1 cup brown sugar
2 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups quick oats
1 teaspoon salt
Cream together shortening and sugar, then eggs and vanilla. Beat well. Add flour, baking soda, salt and oats. Mix well. Drop on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees.