Chocolate Chip Cookies

Not much in life can compare to a warm, gooey, fresh from the oven chocolate chip cookie.  Perfect for any occasion really, or no occasion at all.   

Little people LOVE to get in on the action of cookie-makin'!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 lb. butter (2 cups) -NO substitutions here!
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
4 eggs
1 T vanilla
2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
5 cups flour (do a tester cookie to make sure, if they're too flat, add a bit more.  Trust me, it's ALWAYS worth the time to do a tester cookie.  See note below)
2 bags chocolate chips (Guittard are the best - use either milk or semi-sweet, or a combo of the two!)

Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. (like 3-4 minutes on high)  Add eggs and vanilla.  Mix together dry ingredients and add to butter mixture.  Add chocolate chips. Eat a nice, big wad of it.  (yes that is part of the directions!) 

Bake at 350 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes.  We always bake on the second rack from the top and always on a light aluminum sheet cake pan.  If you use a bad pan, your cookies will likely burn on the bottom.

Remove to cool on paper towels, after they've set up for about a minute. 

* About the flour, we always make one tester cookie first to check the flour level.  You don't want a flat, sheer cookie (it will brown on the bottom too much) and you don't want a too firm ball (will be dry and yucky).  So many things play a factor in the flour content, moisture in the butter, size of eggs, altitude.  So before you wreck a whole batch, always test one first and add more flour if needed. I live at 6,500 elevation almost always have to add more.

Back to school has many traditions, but this one is my favorite and one that I will most definitely be passing on to my kids.  Nothing beats walking in the door after a nerve-wracking first day back, to warm chocolate chip cookies.  We would pull up a seat the the bar, pour an ice cold glass of milk, and tell our mom all about our first day.  Here's my sweetie after his first day of Kindergarten.

Follow it up with a tall glass of milk and a board game!  Bliss.