1� cups all-purpose flour
� teaspoon baking soda
� teaspoon cream of tartar
� teaspoon salt
� cup butter
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) vegetable shortening
1 1/3 cups brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon milk (I used skim, but feel free to use low-fat or whole milk)
1� cups oats
1� cups chocolate chips
1 cup (4 ounces) walnuts (or nuts of choice), toasted and coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350�F. Set aside 2 cookie sheets.

Sift together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter and shortening until creamy, about 2 minutes in this blasted Manila heat. Add sugars, and beat for 1 minute or until fully incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add vanilla. Mix. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in milk.

On low speed, add flour and mix only until you don�t see any more white specks of flour. Detach bowl from mixer. Add oats, chocolate chips, and walnuts to the batter and mix gently but thoroughly with a wooden spoon or a large spatula. Don�t use the mixer because you�ll mash the chips and crush the nuts. Ouch.

Use a large size ice cream scooper or a � cup measuring cup (again, your choice depending on how large you want your cookies). Place mounds of the dough about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet, making sure not to crowd them. These cookies won�t spread much.

Bake the cookies for about 12-15 minutes, or until they�re brown and set around the edges. The tops will still be puffy and soft.

Let cool on cookie sheets for ten minutes and then transfer the cookies to a wire rack or plate. Do not stack the cookies on top of each other while warm or they will become soggy.