Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 lb (2 sticks) butter or margarine softened                 1 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 cups golden brown sugar, packed                          1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp vanilla extract                                                         1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 lg eggs                                                                          1/2 tsp salt

2 cups old fashioned oatmeal                                          1 cup chopped walnuts

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour                                            1 cup raisins

Place racks in upper third of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. In a large bowl with electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add eggs and mix well. Add oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

Mix on low speed until blended. Add nuts (optional) and raisins and mix on medium speed until blended. Drop batter by heaping tablespoons 1 1/2 inches apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake for 10-13 minutes or until golden brown. Cookies will feel soft but will firm up as they cool. Let stand on baking sheets 2 minutes before transferring to racks to cool.

Makes about 45 cookies