HUGE Faux Pas

Kaffrin's here today, so we're making cookies.  Last week, it was ginger snaps.  The week before, it was sugar cookies.  Today, I decided we'd do just plain ol' chocolate chips cookies.  I'm always in search of the best chocolate chip cookie recipe, but to date, nothing matches my mom's.

So, I pulled out my handy dandy all inclusive (or so I thought) cookbook--Madhouse Masterpieces of Mastication.  I searched and found two different chocolate chip cookie recipes, but my mom's WASN'T there.  NOOOOO!!!!

So, for your cookie making pleasure, here it is for you:

Ruth Hamm's Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 C. shortening
1 C. sugar
1 C. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. water (I left this out today)
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/4 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 pkg. chocolate chips

Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.  Beat the first five ingredients until creamy.  Add the eggs and the dry ingredients and mix well.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Bake at 375^ for 10-12 minutes.  (I like mine soft, so I go with 8 minutes).

My mom's recipes says to sift the dry ingredients.  Truth be known, I rebel against sifting (and ironing--just thankful it didn't ask me to iron anything; the guilt of not sifting is enough).  I figure I've got better things to do with my time (and my wrist).  The cookies today turned out a little bit flatter than I remember them, but that might just be a consequence of my rebellion.

The chefs

One other thing I'm trying today for the first time is something a friend shared with me YEARS ago.  I've now baked three dozen cookies.  That's really all we need for today.  I have an empty juice can that I've washed out.  I'm stuffing a bunch of the dough--as much as'll fit--into the can.  I'm going to cover it with foil, tape it down and put it in the freezer.  Oh yah, and if you do this, don't forget to mark what it is in the can, or you might get quite a surprise the next time you're thinking of making apple juice; although, the foil might just give it away that something's amiss.  I'm also jotting down the baking instructions so I don't have to look them up when the time comes.

Next time we want cookies, we pull the can out, use a can opener to open the other end and push the dough out as we cut the cookies onto a cookie sheet.

The leftover dough will take at least two cans, and I only have one, so I may take the rest, put them on some wax paper in little balls and then wrap them in foil, and put them in the freezer to wait until next time.

There you have it.  Enjoy!!!