Chocolate Chip Cookies

COOKIES!!!!!

I think one problem I have is that I get so many ideas that I get in over my head and overestimate my limits. That's not just cooking - it happens with a lot of things I do (which is why I used to mess up so much back when I worked in a biology lab...tissue culture just isn't going to forgive you for that). So it finally dawned on me that I had been undertaking so many ambitious baking projects recently that I hadn't even spent time on the basics.

Anyway, I have some leftover chocolate chips from a while ago, and they've been begging to be used ever since. And, of course, what else is more basic than chocolate chip cookies? Plus, Dad has been asking for cookies for a while...so I thought I may as well bake a few of them for him. They're incredibly easy to make - all you have to do, really, is dump everything into a big bowl, stir it all together, and toast it in the oven. Well, if you want pretty cookies, you need to take note of a few more details, but that's the general gist of it.

Chocolate Chip Cookies (adapted from Joy Of Baking)

Ingredients

-1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
-1/2 cup granulated white sugar
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-1 egg
-3/4 tsp vanilla extract
-1/2 tsp baking soda
-1/4 tsp salt
-3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
-1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped (I didn't add this)

1. Beat together the butter and sugars until smooth.
2. Beat in egg and vanilla extract and mix thoroughly.
3. In a separate container, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, then beat until incorporated.
5. Add the chocolate chips and nuts, and combine.
6. Using an ice cream scooper, scoop out equally sized portions (about 2 tbsp) of cookie dough onto 2 parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Make sure the portions are at least 2 inches apart from each other.
7. Bake at 375F for about 12-14 minutes, until the edges are golden brown.
8. Enjoy with a glass of milk!