Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are the very reason I am here today- “here” meaning being married to W and living where we live.
I met W in college. One night my roommates and I crashed the Elder’s Quorum activity: a basketball game. W was undercut as he went up for a lay-up and suffered a gash over his left eye. His girlfriend rushed to his side. His not-so-secret and terribly awkward crusher (that’s me) was whisked away by a couple of wise roommates back to our apartment. We made chocolate chip cookies and delivered them that evening.
W may remember the details of our relationship a little different (hopefully with me being less awkward), but the truth is- the girl with the plate of cookies eventually got the guy.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
½ cup buttered flavored Crisco
½ cup soft butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 2/3 – 2 ¾ cups flour (2 7/8 cups for high elevation)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 scant tsp. salt
2 ½- 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream Crisco, butter and sugars by hand, or on the lowest Kitchenaid setting. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Add flour, soda and salt all at once, stirring until well mixed. Stir in the chocolate chips. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-12 minutes. For a richer flavor and smoother texture, I form cookie dough balls and refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake.

I have made this recipe countless times over the years. It’s used to celebrate, console, and cheer on. It’s one of the very first things I learned to bake. A special thanks to two fabulous college roommates- Laura and Andrea for introducing me to world of baking cookies!
Today, we celebrate the first snowfall of the season and the hours of great sledding that are sure to follow.