Be Prepared to Fail! - Chocolate Chip Nut Bar / Oatmeal Crisps

This recipe was the Chocolate Chip Nut Bar. I followed it closely, mixed it well. Don't know what happened here, but it appears that the brown sugar separated from the rest of the dough. I left the nuts out because it was for a family. Sometimes people don't like nuts. Maybe that would have helped the recipe, but now I'm glad I didn't waste the nuts. Maybe someone else will have better luck!
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup shortening
1 cup sifted flour
1/2 tsp. soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 chocolate chips
1 cup nuts
Cream sugar, shortening & egg. Beat until fluffy. Add chips & nuts. Mix with dry ingredients. Press into a greased & floured pan. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 min.

Since I was taking cookies to this family today, I needed to come up with a Plan B. It was the Oatmeal Crisps. They were acceptable - but the dough tasted better than the cookies!
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Cream shortening & sugar. Add beaten egg and vanilla. Sift and add dry ingredients. Stir in rolled oats and chocolate chips. Bake 10 min. at 350°F.