Oatmeal-Chocolate Harmony Cookies

Growing up with my father prepared me for being asked today to keep the chips out of half of my batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies! Apparently there are some people who willingly deny themselves chocolate. The following is adapted from Sara Musil Townsend's "Best Chocolate Chip Cookies" recipe from the Lippert Family Cookbook:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• up to ½ cup water
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1½ cup whole oats

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in completely the two beaten eggs, then stir in the vanilla. Combine baking soda, salt, and flour; add to creamed mixture. Add as water as needed for firm, but not crumbly dough. Split dough in half. Add half of the oatmeal into each bowl and the chocolate chips into just one. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 15 minutes or until just done.