So you may have received an e-mail many years ago, back when e-mail began, about the infamous Neiman-Marcus Cookie recipe.

The story goes that a woman went into Neiman Marcus and loved the cookies so much that she asked for recipe, costing her only two fifty. Later, when looking at her visa statement, she realises she's been charged $250, rather than the $2.50 she assumed (perhaps check the amount before you sign or enter your pin, lady?), and after not getting any love or refund from Neiman Marcus Customer Services, she proceeded to distribute the recipe globally via e-mail to get back at them.

Urban myth? Perhaps. Who cares?

Tonight, after receiving the e-mail for the upteenth time (you know, from your friends who start forwarding all the chain e-mails you saw years ago, and think it's current), I finally decided to try the recipe out.

And well, they are terrific! We only made half recipe, and it was enough for about 50 cookies, depending on how big you make them of course.

Don't use a roasting dish, cause they don't harden up propely - cookie tray all the way. Hey, that rhymes.

Also, pregnant women love them!

NEIMAN-MARCUS COOKIES

The below quantities make approx 112 cookies.

Recipe may be halved.

INGREDIENTS

butter	2 cups	500 ml
chocolate chips	680 g	24 oz
flour	4 cups	1000 ml
brown sugar	2 cups	500 ml
bicarbonate soda	2 tsp	10 ml
salt	1 tsp	5 ml
sugar	2 cups	500 ml
cadbury chocolate, grated	500g	18 oz
blended oatmeal	5 cups	1250 ml
eggs, beaten	4
baking powder	2 tsp	10 ml
vanilla essence	2 tsp	10 ml
nuts, chopped ( optional )	3 cups	375 ml

METHOD

• Measure oatmeal, blend in a blender to a fine powder
• Cream the butter and both sugars
• Add eggs and vanilla, mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and bicarbonate soda
• Pre-heat oven to 180°c
• Add chocolate chips, grated chocolate, and nuts
• Roll into balls, and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet
• Bake for 10 minutes