Have a cookie and thoughts on shortening

While I was in Utah we had the privilege of staying in a home with a packed pantry and freezer. One night while I was alone I went hunting for a cookie recipe and the right ingredients. I found everything pretty quickly including vegetable shortening which I had never recalled using while cooking. Never. Can't remember my parents ever using it either for anything.

A few days later while reading The Help (my new favorite book) I came across the following passage. Minny is attempting to help Celia become a better cook.

I’ve never told a white woman what to do and I don’t really know how to start. I pull up my stockings, think about it. Finally, I point to the can on the counter.

“I reckon if there’s anything you ought to know about cooking, it’s this.”
“That’s just lard ain’t it.”
“No, it ain’t just lard,” I say. “it’s the most important invention in the kitchen since jarred mayonnaise.”
“What’s so special about”- she wrinkles her nose at it- “pig fat?”
“Ain’t pig, it’s vegetable.” Who in this world doesn’t know what Crisco is? “You don’t have a clue of all the things you can do with this here can.”
She shrugs, “Fry?”
“Ain’t just for frying. You ever get a sticky something stuck in your hair, like gum?” I jackhammer my finger on the criso can. “That’s right, Crisco. Spread this on a baby’s bottom, you won’t even know what diaper rash is.” I plop three scoops in the black skillet. “Shoot, I seen ladies rub it under they eyes and on they husbands scaly feet.”
“Look how pretty it is.” she says ”Like white cake frosting.”
“Clean the goo from a price tag, take the squeak out of a door hinge. Lights get cut off, stick a wick in it and burn it like a candle.”
I turn on the flame and we watch it melt down in the pan. “And after all that, it’ll still fry your chicken.”

The book is so freaking amazing. So, after some experimentation with butter v. shortening, I tried both. It was amazing!

Sift 1/4 c flour

1 ts salt

1 ts baking soda
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 ts vanilla
1/2 tb water
2 eggs

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup reese's peanut butter morsels

1 cup nuts (I used chopped walnuts)

Combine dry ingredients. Add shortening, butter, vanilla and eggs. Mix. Fold in choc chips/pb and nuts. Then bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.