The other dessert

I realized after my last post that I've been talking about ice cream entirely too much. It's time to switch to chocolate chip cookies. I'm getting ready for a little bake-fest. Since we'll be heading back to Connecticut this weekend, I thought it would be nice to take some cookies over to the nursing home as a way of saying "thank you" to the wonderful caregivers who look after my dad.

I've been making these cookies for so long, I know the recipe by heart. I took a batch along each September when Tech Guy and Big City Girl moved into their college dorms and later, their apartments. I figured they'd help them meet new friends. Sometimes I'd take some when we'd go visit them during the school year, even though what they appreciated even more was toilet paper. College kids living in apartments just don't seem to want to put money out for that.

I had planned to put the cookies on a big foil plate with a nice paper doily, but when I stopped at the big cooking store that has everything, they didn't have those. They had some nice pink bakery-type boxes instead. Mr. Gadget has told me he doesn't think I'll have enough cookies to fill this box, which is 12 x 12 x 5. The 10 x 10 box probably would have been a more reasonable size, but then the cookies would have been stacked up to the point of breakage--and we can't have that! Broken cookies just don't say "thank you" very well.

The recipe is super easy and no sifting required. Cream 1/2 c of softened butter and 1/2 c of Crisco. Then add 1-1/4 c of flour, 1 c brown sugar, 1/2 c white sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp. baking soda and 2 eggs. Mix well. Add another 1-1/4 c of flour and blend in. Then add a 11.5 oz. package of Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips. Drop on a cookie sheet and bake for about 10 mins. at 375 degrees. I find the milk chocolate is tastier than the semi-sweet, but this is a matter of personal taste. I always take the cookies out of the oven when they've just begun to brown slightly on top. We're a family that likes soft better than crunchy. Better set the timer though.....just to be on the safe side.

These cookies have been gifted to the mailman, the piano teacher and even the guy who sells us our winter kerosene. They might even soften up a few of the local curmudgeons......like maybe the one who was acting as the self-appointed door monitor today when we walked up for a swim in the pool.....