Weekly Recipe--Chocolate Chip Cookies

OK, so you say you can buy them in the store. Or being the little Martha Homemaker that you are, you use the recipe on the back of the Chip package. Oh, please, are you really happy with the results? Do people rave and ask you for the recipe? Do you drool attractively just thinking about them?

I didn't think so. After many, many years of product development and research, I have finally found and perfected the ultimate recipe. One that you will never forsake. These cookies are so soft and chewy and jammed with chocolate. One of my dirty little secrets is to add a crumbled "Cookies and Cream" candy bar to the dough. Can't hurt, I'm saying.

So, follows is the deal. (I do confess that I found it on AllRecipes.com, but I take credit for finding it--that counts!)

BEST BIG, FAT, CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE

2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margerine, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups chocolate chips
Optional: nuts, candy bar crumbled or whatever

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.*

Mix the flour, soda and salt.

Cream together the butter and sugars. Beat in the egg and egg yolk and vanilla. Add the goodies and stir in.

Drop by 1/4 cupfuls onto the baking sheet and bake no longer than 15 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet.

*Tips: The parchment paper helps keep the cookies from browning too much on the bottom.

Don't cheat with the eggs. You gotta separate that one.

If you want them chewy, DON'T BAKE THEM TOO LONG! It will look like they're still wet and runny, but 15 minutes is enough. They'll fall after taking them out of the oven and that, kiddies, is what makes them moist and yummy.

Not removing them to a cooling rack also helps with the chewiness.

I use a quarter cup measuring cup, spray it with Pam and scoop the dough out with it. The cookies will be big (I'm talking BIG) and only 6 will fit on the cookie sheet but that's OK.

If you don't love, love, love these, I'll happily refund your money. Baking these will make you rich and famous and a handsome prince will marry you and you'll live happily in splendor forever. NOT.

Bon Appetit, guys.