Writing from Walsh Mountain

McKay has to hurriedly prepare a meal on her first night at the Milne Monstrosity on Sycamore Street in the UK.  Fortunately, she is used to helping Gran prepare large meals for the ranch hands on their Wyoming Ranch.  

For dessert, she finds enough ingredients in the Beatrice Milne´s pantry to make ¨Cowboy Cookies.¨

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• ¾ cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 whole egg plus 1 egg yolk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• Optional: add 2/3 cup of coconut and/or 2/3 cup of chopped pecans
• Sometimes I add ½ tsp of almond extract 

Mix ingredients in that order, heaping tablespoons on a greased tray, and then bake on 375 for 8 or 9 minutes.