Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ahhh - childhood memories of coming home from school and seeing Mom bake a batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies. The smell of chocolate filling up the house as I walk through the front door and what better vision than seeing a plate on the counter with cookies piled high for my sister and I to eat!  "Save room for dinner," Mom would say. You know my motto - save room for dessert!  I love baking these cookies for my family and seeing the smiles of my husband and son as they come out of the oven. Ed will snatch one right off the baking sheet as I'm pulling it out of the oven. Then my son, seeing Daddy eat a cookie, wants one too but teaching a two year-old patience and that the cookies are "hot, hot, hot" is nearly impossible!

You can always use the good old Toll House recipe and the cookies will come out just as good, but I like using the one I posted below. If you like your cookies crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside - this recipe is perfection! If you like your cookies a little more cakey, just add 1 more cup of flour.  If you want them more crispier, subsitute the butter for Crisco. I use an entire bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips but you can use milk chocolate, M&M's, reese's pieces, toffee, etc - the list and combinations are endless!

This recipe is great and easy to make! Just think of how happy your spouse, kids, friends or roomie would be coming home to smell these delectable goodies! It makes 20-24 cookies.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 C. (8 3/4 oz) unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
14 Tbs. (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 C. (3 1/2 oz) granulated sugar
3/4 C. (5 1/4 oz) packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 bag of Semisweet choc. chips/chunks
3/4 C. Chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets w/parchment paper or silpat baking mat. Whisk flour and baking soda together in bowl. Heat 10 Tbsp. butter in a skillet over med/hi heat until melted. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and, transfer to heat proof bowl. Stir in remaining 4 tbsp. until completely melted. Add both sugars, salt, vanilla to bowl w/butter and wisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and wisk until mixture is smooth w/no sugar lumps remaining and until shiny.

Stir in flour mix until just combined. Stir in choc. chips and nuts (optional). Use a 2 Tbsp ice cream scoop and place them on the baking trays. Bake for 9-12 minutes until edges are brown but centers are still soft.