1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Beat together margarine and sugars until creamy. Add eggs, milk, and vanilla. Add combined flour, baking soda, and salt; mix well. Stir in oats, chocolate chips, and nuts; mix well.

3. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets.

4. bake 9-10 minutes for a chewy cookie or 12-13 minutes for a crisp cookie

5. cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered

Touchdown cookies: Drop dough by 1/4 measuring cupfuls about 4 inches apart onto cookie sheets. Spread into football shapes. Bake at 350 degrees F for 13-15 minutes or until light brown. Frost cooled cookies with chocolate frosting. Make laces with white decorating icing. (2 dozen)

Candy bars: Prepare cookie dough as directed, substituting 1 c. M&M's for 1 c of chocolate chips. Spread dough onto bottom of ungreased 13x9 in. Baking pan. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely; cut into bars (36 bars)

Smile Cookies: bake and cool cookies as directed. Draw smiling faces with decorating icing.

Double chocolate sandwich minis: drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets. Bake 7-8 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool. Spread chocolate frosting on bottom side of one cookie; top with second cookie to make a sandwich.

P.B. & Chocolate Chippers: Prepare cookies as directed, substituting peanut butter baking pieces for half of the chocolate pieces (about 5 dozen)

Double dippers: Bake and cool cookies as directed. Melt 2 cups (12 oz) chocolate chips according to package directions. Dip half of each cookie into melted chocolate; gently shake to remove excess. Place on waxed paper until set. (about 5 dozen)

Caramel -Apple cookie sundaes: Prepare cookies as directed, substituting 1 cup chopped dried apples and 1/2 cup chopped peanuts for chocolate chips. Crumble one cookie in dessert dish; top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a spoonful of caramel ice cream topping, and a second crumbled cookie.

Snowflake cookies: Prepare cookie dough as directed, substituting vanilla-flavored white baking pieces for the chocolate pieces. Drop bu rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheets. Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.

Two-tone oat chippers: Prepare cookies as directed, substituting vanilla-flavored baking pieces for half of the chocolate pieces.

"Hats off" bars: Spread cookie dough into bottom of an ungreased 13x9x2 pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool; cut into squares. Decorate with round candy pieces and purchased decorating icing to look like mortarboards.

Papa bear's cookie sundaes: Drop cookie dough by 1/4 measuring cupfuls about 4 inches apart onto cookie sheet; spread to 3-1/2 inch diameter. Bake at 350 for 13-15 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Top each cooled cookie with a scoop of ice cream, topping and sprinkles.

Rainbow cookies: Drop dough onto cookie sheet; decorate with multicolored candy sprinkles. Bake as directed.

Cookie bouquets: Drop cookie dough by 1/4 measuring cupfuls about 4 inches apart onto cookie

continued in part 2