Recycled Cookies

I have a confession to make. Yesterday, I rediscovered the cookie jar in the back of the pantry. I don't know how it got there. My heart breaks thinking of the lonely days (weeks?) it might have spent back there feeling unappreciated, neglected, and alone.

And yes, there were cookies within. Oatmeal cookies with pumpkin kisses. The kisses still look wonderful, but the cookie part is horribly stale. The kisses can be snapped off and are "as good as new," but what about the oatmeal cookie that was left behind?

I can't and won't throw them away; my frugal heart just won't allow that. 

Well, years ago I was lucky enough to get a recipe from my local bakery—Recycled Cookies. (This was long before recycling was in vogue). This recipe is the perfect answer for those times when you have cookies, cake, or (at New Year's?) fruitcake that seems past its prime.

Recycled Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. soda
• 3 cups rolled oats (not instant oatmeal)
• 2 - 2 1/2 cups crumbled cookies, cake, or fruitcake

Instructions

1. Cream together shortening and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, salt, soda, and cookie/cake/fruitcake crumbs. 
2. At this point, you will need to add some liquid to moisten. If you have used chocolate cookie crumbs/cake add milk or coffee. Otherwise, use orange or apple juice. You want to add just enough to moisten but not end up with a sticky/gluey mass. 
3. Form the dough into a roll 2 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze until firm. Slice 1/4 inch thick and bake on a lightly greased baking sheet at 375 degrees F for about 8 minutes.