Old El Paso all-natural key lime margarita mix is available at some Williams-Sonoma stores and through the Web site www.elpasochile.com (click on "drinks and snacks").

Mention the word margarita and many baby boomers can come up with at least one college story about the infamous perils of drinking tequila.

Margaritas have always been so bad - too sweet, too sour, too bland, too icy, too stupid to drink unless you have something to prove and unpleasant enough that you're certain to prove it if you throw back a few.

Great margarita's can be made. A bracing lime juice-lime zest concoction with good tequila that's not too sweet can be delicious.

But homemade margaritas are a lot of trouble.

The easier way is to buy a mix. After tasting scores of mixes that come bottled, powdered, frozen and concentrated, I've discovered one that's worth drinking.

The El Paso Chile Company margarita mix makes a fabulous, labor-saving margarita. The lime taste refreshes and there's not too much sugar. Add a squeeze of lime wedge and it tastes homemade.

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
1 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease 1 or more cookie sheets. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, shortening, and sugar in a bowl until fluffy. Add eggs and beat until mixture is light in color. Add buttermilk. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice; stir into creamed mixture. Fold in oatmeal, raisins, walnuts, and vanilla, blending well. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Drizzle with Brown Butter Icing.

Brown Butter Icing:

1/2 cup butter
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 4 tablespoons water

In a small saucepan heat the butter over medium heat until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in 3 cups sifted powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in enough water (3 to 4 tablespoons) to make an icing of drizzling consistency. Drizzle on warm cookies.

Yield: enough to ice 5 dozen cookies