Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

 Do you know how I do food storage? I buy what I like, when it's on sale. Which is why I have about 250 bags of chocolate chips in my pantry. Because although we may not have enough pinto beans to survive a year, we will definitely not starve. We will be trading our chocolate with all the practical people who stored real food.
Sometimes on Sunday afternoons I hear my chocolate chips beckoning to me. I have a favorite Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, but once in a while I like to mix it up. Last week I made Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, but they weren't really very good.
Today I tried these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies from http://www.itwasamazing.blogspot.com/. They are fabulous! Most pumpkin cookies are really dense, but these are so light and fluffy-- almost like a mini cake. The girls loved helping out, especially licking the spoon. You should try it with your kids!

Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup shortening

2 cups white sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 pinch ground nutmeg

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I probably did 1 1/2 cups)

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the vanilla and pumpkin until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg; stir into the pumpkin mixture. Mix in the chocolate chips. Stir in the walnuts if desired. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until edges begin to brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets before removing to wire racks to cool completely.