Hey, long time no see. I know, I know, I’ve been gone a long time. Summer has been beautiful and really hot this year, just the way I like it. Why stay in facing a hot stove when you can be out in sandals on a patio drinking sangria? It’s a rather difficult choice, obviously.

I’ve been spending less on eating out lately – if you haven’t been living under a rock or in a cave somewhere, you’d know that the province will be implementing the HST shortly, meaning that eating out will be pricier. It all adds up. I’ve always handled my money very conservatively and nowadays I watch my numbers like a hawk most of the time. I was just at the bank this week to set up RRSP mutual funds. What can I say? I’m hoping to retire by, oh, I don’t know, 25.

When I retire I’ll probably end up cooking all the time, and maybe I’ll figure out a whole plethora of recipes that I consider tried and true. However, I only really only have a handful of those kinds of recipes right now, and I’ll share with you my favorite. This one is a no-brainer: these are the best chocolate chip cookies (to me). Everyone likes their own ccc differently; my favorite has a soft chew, an appropriate amount of chocolate, and sometimes a smattering of mysterious nuts. This is how it’s done.

First of all, you need to have the recipe with you written on the most ridiculous (and adorable) paper you can find. Mine is Japanese-style anthropomorphic cheese. I think one of them is attempting yoga. Alan Greenspan in the background is optional.

Then you gotta get your shiz together. Recipe is posted in full below. Set your oven to preheat at 350F.

Take out your ancient hand mixer. I have a few kitchen appliances that are reaching their veteran years, and luckily still work great. This is one of them.

Follow instructions: measure 1/2 cup of white sugar and 1/2 packed brown sugar.

Cream together with 1/2 cup of butter. Using butter sticks is the best because 1 stick = 1/2 cup. Baking becomes magical when you don’t have to spend ages measuring stuff out! Butter should be softened beforehand, but I always end up starting with it cold straight from the fridge. Don’t be concerned with it if you’re using a hand mixer. Be concerned if you’re trying to mix by hand.

Because, you see, hand mixers go VRRRRRRRR

And the next thing you know, you got it done mixed.

Crack in an egg. Just one! Not two, not three. We don’t want to get overzealous here.

Measure 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Don’t be a daydreamy dolt like me and measure out 1 tbsp and then realizing whoa hey, that’s a lot of vanilla, am I holding onto a… tbsp. crud!

Take 1/2 tsp of baking soda. Again, don’t be a dolt like me. I couldn’t find my 1/2 tsp so I eyeballed half of this tsp. If you’re a baking newbie, don’t try to eyeball anything the first time. Chances are you’ll suck at it.

This next step, I believe, is a crucial step of science. Take 1 tsp of hot water, and dissolve the baking soda in it. This is probably how the cookies come out so nice and chewy. Take my word for it and try it.

Mix it all up, adding in 1/4 tsp of salt. Then it’s time to add the flour! You need 1 and 1/2 cup of all purpose flour (I use cake flour which I find makes the cookies nice and soft, but all purpose works out the same). My favorite way to approach this is, however, to put in the flour in 3 times using the 1/2 cup.

Throw in each 1/2 cup of flour slowly, working it into the mixture so it firms up little by little.

First 1/2 cup. Don’t worry about the rogue flour above the batter, we’ll get to it.

Second 1/2 cup.

Final 1/2 cup.

Add chocolate chips! The recipe calls for 1 cup, but I normally put in just shy of 1 cup, because it ends up being slightly too much (crazy, I know).

Put those delicious suckers in. Do it. Do it now.

Optional: if you don’t have some life threatening nut allergy and you kind of like to eat them, add some. I had some pecans handy, so I crushed some and tossed ‘em in. Also good: walnuts.

Mix it all up, and then drop it onto a greased baking sheet. Normally if I want really nice looking cookies I’ll roll them up into balls with my hands, but since I didn’t want to get too messy I double spooned it. I use two small spoons to measure out a good amount of dough, shape it into a ball-like lump, then scrape it off each other onto the sheet.

With some modicum of practice you’ll be able to figure out how big you want to make them. This recipe originally makes a dozen, but because of the size I make them it makes 21.

I pop them into the oven and it takes approximately 10 – 15 minutes to have them come out nice and golden. Make sure you keep your eyes on them at the 10 minute mark to see how done you want them. However, in the meantime, I made myself breakfast, even though it’s dinner time. I’m crazy like that.

I had siamese eggs, one of which was over easy and one which was over hard. Added in some pan fried Bavarian smokies.

After you’re done pigging out, check on those cookies! They’re done!

Maybe they look unimpressive. But looks are nothing – you just need to put one in your mouth and you’ll know it’s good stuff. Try it sometime, and see if it comes close to being your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe like it is mine.

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Probably stolen from allrecipes.com – if you search for that title it’s probably the same recipe. I don’t remember, really.)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 & 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp hot water
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• Optional: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325F – 350F. I recommend 350F, but mileage may vary according to your oven.
2. Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth.
3. Beat in egg. Stir in vanilla.
4. Dissolve baking soda in hot water, and add to batter along with salt.
5. Stir in flour slowly until it reaches thick, sticky batter consistency.
6. Add in chocolate chips (and nuts). Thoroughly mix, and drop large spoonfuls onto greasepaper or a baking sheet.
7. Bake for approximately 10 – 15 minutes or until golden brown all over.