This was the first recipe Laurie entered in the Topsfield Fair, and she won a blue ribbon. Recipe may be doubled. May be frozen.

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Toast pecans. Spread nuts on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 5 to 10 minutes until slightly toasted and fragrant. Watch carefully — as soon as they begin to smell fragrant, they are close to done. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely, then break pecans into quarters. Set aside.

3. Lightly spray 2 baking sheets with vegetable cooking spray or line with parchment paper.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

5. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to cream butter, shortening, and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix until combined, about 1 minute, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Stir in the reserved flour mixture to combine and mix well on low. Add oats and mix again until combined.

6. Add toffee, chocolate chips, and reserved pecan pieces and stir with a spoon till well distributed. Drop cookies by generous tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, 12 to a sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes: 10 for chewier cookies and 12 for crunchier. Allow to cool slightly on the pan and then move to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.

Source: fresh magazine July, August 2010