with Jack Maguire

During the World War Ii years, American enthusiasm for peanut butter as an economical and delicious foodstuff ran high. It inspired home-front bakers to create a uniquely patriotic, easy-to-prepare, and deliciously reassuring treat: the peanut butter cookie. This book would not be complete without its own bigger and better peanut butter cookie recipe.

Old-fashioned Nutty Peanut Butter Cookies have extra peanut chunks and one fourth more peanut butter than most other recipes allow. They may be old-fashioned in appeal, but they're crisply, brand-new in taste.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a baking sheets with vegetable oil cooking spray, and set aside.

2. In medium bowls combine first 3 ingredients.

3. In large bowl of electric mixer, cream butter at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add sugar. Beat 3-5 minutes. Add peanut butter and egg, beating until blended, scraping down sides of bowl.

4. At low speed, add flour mixture gradually. Fold in nuts.

5. Roll mixture into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Press down on each cookie with tines of fork, making a criss-cross.

6. Bake about 10 minutes, or until lightly brown around edges. Turn onto rack to cool. Store in airtight container.