Neiman-Marcus Cookies

I received the following story from a friend who had received it from a friend, who had received it from a friend...etc. I doubt that this urban legand is true since it has been passed along in chain mail so frequently, but the story is amusing and the cookies taste really good. Hope you enjoy it.

The Cookie Story

My daughter and her dad just finished a salad at N-M Cafe in Dallas and decided to have a small dessert. Because our family are such cookie lovers, we decided to try the "N-M Cookie". It was so excellent that I asked if they would give me the recipe and they said with a small frown: "I'm afraid not." Well, I said, would you let me buy the recipe? With a cute 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 statement from N-M and it was $294.00. I looked again and I remembered I had only spent $9.95 for two salads and about $20.00 for a scarf. As I glanced at the bottom of the statement, it said, "Cookie Recipe - $250.00". Boy, I was upset!!! I called N-M's accounting department and told them the waitress said it was "two fifty", and I did not realize that this meant $250.00 for a cookie recipe. I asked them to take back the recipe and reduce my bill and they said they were sorry, but because all the recipes were this expensive, so not just everyone could duplicate any of our bakery recipes ... the bill would stand. I waited, thinking of how I could get even or even try and get any of my money back.

I just said, "Okay, you folks got my $250.00 and now I'm going to have $250.00 worth of fun". I told her that I was going to see to it that every cookie lover will have a $250.00 cookie recipe from N-M for nothing. She replied, "I wish you wouldn't do this". I said, "I'm sorry, but this is the only way I feel I could get even", and I will.

So here it is, and please pass it on to someone else or run a few copies ... I paid for it; now you can have it for free!!!

(Recipe may be halved)

2 cups butter	4 cups flour
2 tsp. soda	2 cups sugar
5 cups blended Oatmeal	24 oz. chocolate chips
2 cups brown sugar	1 tsp salt
1 8oz. Hershey Bar (grated)	4 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder	3 cups chopped nuts (your choice)
2 tsp. vanilla

Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla; mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and soda. Add chocolate chips, Hershey bar and nuts.

Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes at 375 degrees.

Makes 112 cookies.

** Measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder.

*** For more consistent cookie size and easier handling, refrigerate the dough before rolling.