NOT HALF BAKED, NOT HALF BAD

I’ve not done much baking blogging here in the last little bit, I’ve been obsessed with other, newer and sexier ideas and things, but today I wanted to share the Iknead family’s favorite cookie recipe.  I hope you love it as much as we do.

BEST EVER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES – REALLY

2 1/4 cups unsifted flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli bittersweet chips and dump in the whole bag)

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Stir flour, salt and baking soda together and put aside.  Beat butter and sugars at medium speed until blended and creamy.  Add vanilla and eggs, beating well after adding each egg on low speed until blended.  Gradually add flour mixture, stir in chocolate chips and nuts.  Drop by tbsp onto parchment covered cookie sheet (this just makes for easy clean up, parchment is not essential) and bake 9 to 11 minutes until golden brown.  Cool on rack and enjoy!

I baked a batch of these yesterday morning at Mr. Iknead’s request and decided to photograph them and share the recipe.  Josie Pug is EXTREMELY interested in anything that goes on in the kitchen and was underfoot the entire time, as usual.  I know better than to put Josie within snatching distance of cookies, but I got distracted by something and she sneaked out the door behind me.  Before I realized it, this is what went down:

Cookies?  What cookies?  Just smelling the flowers is all.

Oh!  You mean these?

Well, maybe a little taste.*

*No pugs were harmed during this photoshoot.  Much to her disgust, I chased her down, took the cookie away, trashed it and banished her from the yard. I kept pushing her away but she got away from me on the last photo.

**Chocolate is extremely poisonous to dogs, the smaller the dog, the less it takes to sicken them.  Please keep chocolate, any chocolate, out of their reach.

Make the most of yourself for that is all there is of you.  Ralph Emerson

B