My mother always insisted that the three of us kids loved Grandma Agar's Hermits. I don't know about Jan and Wes, but I really hated them. However, in the interests of family heirloom recipes getting passed down, I'm including it here so you can judge for yourself. This is in my Grandma Agar's handwriting and the ink is pretty faded.
Hermits
From kitchen of Corabel EARP Agar
Preheat oven to 375
2 Cups oatmeal
3/4 to 1 Cup shortening or butter
1 1/3 Cups Brown sugar, packed
3/4 to 1 Cup raisins in enough water to cover
2 beaten eggs
2 Cups flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Put oatmeal, shortening, and brown sugar in large bowl. Bring raisins in water to a boil. Drain raisins, reserving 7 Tablespoons of the water. Add the 7 Tablespoons of raisin water and eggs to oatmeal mix.
Sift rest of dry ingredients together, add to mix and stir well. Add the raisins. Can also add 1/2 to 3/4 Cup of chopped nuts and/or vanilla if you wish.
Drop on cookie sheet and bake 12 minutes or until as light or dark as you wish. (Hey, I'm just copying the recipe.)
This is followed by the statement "If you don't use raisins--just use plain water.
Can add 2 teaspoons cocoa + more water."
Makes 38-40 cookies
Since I don't like Hermits I had never really looked at this recipe, but on the back on the bottom, still in Corabel's handwriting is the following recipe, which I may try.
Mother's Cookies [I'm assuming she means her mother, Matilda Jane Earp]
2 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Cream
1 teaspoon Baking soda (if cream is sour)
1 teaspoon Baking powder (if cream is sweet)
2 eggs
1 Cup shortening
Mix with flour until dough is soft. (no amount given) [that is Grandma's notation]
Roll out
