Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

LOVE these! They are a cake-ish cookie. **

1 c. shortening
2 c. white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
4 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking power
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375*. 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 12-15 minutes in the preheated oven (where else?), until edges begin to brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

**Be warned, this recipe makes a ton of cookies. If you make them the size the recipe says, it makes 7 dozen!! I make them bigger, so much less. But they're so good you can distribute them throughout the neighborhood ... or send some with your hubby to work to share, like I do. :) Okay, or you can always 1/2 it.