Cookie has been there from the beginning.  She comforts us at the end of a bad day and knows exactly how to lift our spirits when we are down.  She makes everything better and can be a source of encouragement when most needed.  As we get older, other, more glamourous desserts will come along, but there is something about a good cookie.  She is our first love.

Over the years, various circumstances will try and keep us apart.  We will be told how she is not good for us as people constantly try and replace her.  She will be made over in various incarnations, but her basic ingredients will always be the same.  Her sugars are granulated and brown with a natural disposition which is sweet with a bit of salt.  She will not be overlooked, marginalized, or left to sit on a shelf and dry out.  Cookie has been there through good and bad times.  She is our “ride or die” chick.

Cookie understands our struggle, motivation, and our pain.  She can be warm or cold, soft or crisp, but she always delivers in flavor, texture, and appearance.  Cookie is irreplaceable, she stays in your heart, no matter how many years you try and lock her away.  She is a part of the family.  The kids love her and so do you, even when she is hot, just let her cool on the rack and everything will be okay.  This is why we still love Cookie.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

¾ cup butter (softened)

¾ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/3 cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

12 oz semisweet chocolate morsels

1 cup pecans

Beat butter, sugars, and eggs in a mixer at medium speed.  Add eggs and extract, beating until blended.  Slowly combine flour, soda, and salt to mixture which will become thick.  Reduce mixer speed and add morsels and pecans.  Let the dough sit in the refrigerator for five minutes.  I then get a spoonful and roll into balls that I spread apart evenly on a cookie sheet.  Heat oven to 350 degrees and once your stove is hot, bake cookies for 12-14 minutes.