Martha's Peanut Butter Cookies

I am not sure where this recipe originated, but it is an old one. It pretty much follows along the same lines as the old time peanut butter cookies.

My mother made the best cookies. She took careful time to roll each one the same size, and of course, I was almost 30 and still bringing her cookies to work with me, like a big kid! When she fixed them for me to take someplace, she put them in a box - I mean a box like you get from Dillard's, with the tissue paper and everything. She layered them in just right. Folded lots of tissue paper on top and then off to work I went. I remember one of the men could not figure out what bakery I got them from and he was so surprised when I told him my mother made them. And they do taste just like a bakery cookies. I make a lot of these at the holidays of course, and the last couple of years my mom was alive, she got fancy and dipped them half way in chocolate - talk about rich! She baked them for her Senior Adult class, and everyone got a dipped cookie. When I run into some of the ladies, they still talk about how wonderful the cookies were. I hope they become a part of your family traditions!

1 cup Crisco Shortening
1-cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1-cup peanut butter
2 eggs
2 ½ cups flour
2 teaspoons soda
2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Cream shortening. Add sugars and cream. Add peanut butter and eggs, mixing well. Sift flour, soda and vanilla, then mixing to cream mixture just until combined. Roll into balls (I use a little over a tablespoon) and place on cookie sheet, 12 to a sheet. Using a fork, flatten crosswise. (I dip my fork in sugar so it does not stick and the extra sugar on the cookie doesn't hurt.)

Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly brown. Watch them close, they will burn easily. Cool on racks, and enjoy!

You can take these cookies, when cooled, and dip half the cookie in dipping chocolate (you can get chocolate bark for this.) They are so good, but actually, I prefer them plain.