Stuck in the house on a raw, cloudy February Sunday, I had a hankering for some homemade cookies. I came up with this recipe on the spur of the moment.

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 stick of butter (not margarine), softened

1/2 cup corn oil

In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a larger bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and corn oil, using an electric mixer at low speed. Gradually increase the mixer speed and slowly add the flour mixture. You will get a sticky dough.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Drop a rounded tablespoon of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet, leaving a few inches between each doughball. Bake until the edges of the cookies begin to turn brown (about 6 to 10 minutes, depending upon the finish of your cookie sheet and the characteristics of your oven). Allow to cool and enjoy!

These cookies will have a soft, almost cakelike texture and a very vanilla taste.

Substitute a teaspoon of almond extract and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract for some really irresistible cookies.

Before baking, sprinkle the doughballs with colored sugar.