Ingredients:

• 1 pound seedless raisins
• 1½ cups water
• 4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 4 teaspoons cinnamon
• 4 cups oatmeal (quick cooking or old-fashioned rolled oats)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (10 ounce) package of chocolate chips
• ½ cup chopped nuts

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350-375°F.
• Cook raisins in the water for 5 minutes (to soften them). Reserve 1 cup of the water in which to dissolve the baking soda.
• Beat the shortening along with both sugars until well mixed.
• Add the dry ingredients (salt, flour, oatmeal & cinnamon) alternately with the water/soda mixture.
• Lastly, add the vanilla, chocolate chips, nuts and cooked raisins.
• Drop teaspoons full of dough onto a greased cookie sheet.
• Bake for 5-8 minutes.