OATS are rich in fiber and are said to help lower one?s cholesterol level. Here?s a recipe for oatmeal cookies which I recently made for a friend. Aside from oats, it contains honey, another ingredient said to have curative powers.

Honey Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1/3 c honey
1 ? c sugar
? c solid shortening, such as Crisco
? c butter
2 eggs
1 ? c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 c quick-cooking or regular oats
1 c coarsely chopped cashew nuts
1 c raisins

For the topping (optional)

1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 ?F. Mix honey, sugar, shortening, butter and eggs in mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, oats, nuts and raisins.

Add flour mixture into honey mixture and stir just until combined.

Drop by tablespoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheets, two inches apart.

If desired, combine sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle on top of cookies. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes or until browned.

Transfer cookies immediately to cooling rack. When cooled, keep in an airtight container. Makes about 54 cookies.

Tips

Before measuring the honey, spray the measuring cup with nonstick cooking spray so the honey won?t stick to the cup and can be poured more easily into the mixing bowl.

Once you have combined the honey and flour mixtures, the batter will be very dense, therefore a bit difficult to stir. Just persist, or get a strong-muscled person to stir the batter for you.

However, don?t over stir the batter or the cookies will be tough. Stir just until the ingredients are combined (there should be no white flour visible).

When you remove the cookies from the oven, they should feel soft and pliable. Do not bake them until they?re hard.

Use a wide, preferably nonstick spatula to transfer the cookies quickly to a cooling rack, being careful not to ruin their shape. The cookies will firm up on the rack. If you don?t transfer the cookies at once, they?ll harden and stick on the cookie sheet and will be difficult to remove.