My daughter and I have just finished a salad at the Nieman Marcus Tea Room and I decided to have a small dessert. Because our family members are such cookie monsters, we decided to try the NIEMAN MARCUS COOKIE. It was so excellent that I asked if I could have the recipe. The waitress said with a small frown, "I'm afraid not." "Well, " I said, "would you let me buy the recipe?" With a smile, she said yes. I asked how much, and she responded two-fifty. I said with approval, "Just add it to my tab."

Thirty days later I received my Visa bill -- it was $285.00!!! I looked again, and remembered I had only spend $9.95 for 2 salads and about $20.00 for a scarf. What in the world was so much? I cooked again at the bottom of the ticket and it said 'Cookie recipe -- $250.00.' Was I upset!!! I called them and told the accounting department the waitress said it was two-fifty, and I did not realize she meant $250.00 for a cookie recipe. I asked if they would take the recipe back and reduce my bill. She said "Sorry, " that all the recipes are expensive so not just everyone could duplicate their bakery recipes. The bill would stand. I waited, thinking of what I could say. Finally, I said, "Okay, you folks got my $250.00, and now I am going to see to it that every cookie lover will have a $250.00 cookie recipe from Nieman Marcus for nothing." She replied, "I wish you wouldn't do this."... So here it is, and please pass it along to someone else... I paid for it, now you can have it for free...

2 c. butter
2 c.sugar
2 c. brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
4 c. flour
5 c. oatmeal, blended to a fine powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
4 oz. chocolate chips
8 oz. Hershey bar, grated
3 c. chopped nuts

Cream butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Mix together flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and soda. Add to form dough. Add chips, grated chocolate and nuts. Roll into balls and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 6 minutes. Makes 112 cookies.