Oatmeal Rasin Cookies

1 cup raisins
1 cup water
Simmer raisins and water for 15 minutes (until raisins are plump). Drain & save 1/2 cup of the liquid (add water if necessary).

Cream together:
3/4 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar

Add:
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup "raisin liquid" (from above)

In a separate bowl combine:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well. Then add:
raisins (the ones you cooked)
2 cups oatmeal

Drop by the tablespoonful on cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. -Do not over bake. They are an extremely soft cookie! You need to let them cool before you take them off the cookie sheet (It is easier to bake them on parchment so you can slide the parchment off the cookie sheet with the cookies on it and let it cool on the counter while you reload the cookie sheet) For storage you need to put wax paper or parchment between the layers of cookies in an airtight container.