BH&G may give you the recipe but *I* give you just a bit more

After yesterday's post I received a tweet...

@gigirambles umm if u really wanted to pay it forward you would post the recipe. LOL
— Jpm2375 (@needsatimeout) August 22, 2013

(Random note - I totally need to update all my social media avatars.  Somebody remind me to do that soon.)

And, I must admit - she has a point.  So without further ado, here is my super-secret, super-yummy recipe for awesome chocolate chip cookies (which, in all honesty, comes directly from the Better Homes & Garden cookbook that my mother misguidedly gave me after I got married some 22 years ago.  Apparently, even my own mother didn't realize just how disinterested I was in cooking.  Seriously, Mom?!  But, I will admit - the baking section has gotten a workout over the years - which explains the spattered pages that are falling out of the book; while the rest of the book remains pristine and untouched).

Gigi's Awesome Chocolate Chip Cookies:

(better known as, Better Homes & Garden chocolate chip cookies - but they won't tell you the things that I've learned through the years - so there!)

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt (eh, I use more of "pinch", if I use it all)
1/2 cup of butter or margarine (forget the margarine - if you are baking, it needs to be butter)
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar (use the dark brown sugar - not the light brown sugar, trust me.  And when they say "packed" they mean PACKED)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (forget that - use the whole bag - otherwise you will wind up with a 1/4 cup of chips left and what can you do with that?  Nothing!)
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (I totally skip this.  I'm a purist when it comes to chocolate chip cookies.  Besides, these days you have to worry about random nut allergies)

Stir together flour, soda and salt.  In a mixer bowl, beat butter and shortening on medium speed for about 30 seconds - or however long it takes you to gather the next ingredients.  Add the sugars and beat till fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla and beat well.  Add the dry ingredients (flour, soda, salt mixture - being sure to cover the mixer with a towel so it doesn't fly all over the kitchen - can you guess how many years it took me to figure this out?) and beat till well combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips (OK, AND the nuts, if you insist. But, I'm telling you, that just ruins them).  Drop from a teaspoon about two inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheets (the oldest, most beat up cookie sheets you own.  Trust me.  For some reason the new, fancy cookie sheets just don't make the best cookies - this is why I refuse to get new ones).  Immediately remember you forgot to preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Impatiently drum your fingers while you wait for the oven to *ding* when it's preheated and finally, toss the cookies in for about 8 to 10 minutes (depending on your oven).

I have found that the larger you make the cookies the softer they are.  I prefer crispy cookies, so I make mine relatively small (much to Hubby's chagrin - but then he isn't a purist either.  He'd be giddy if I threw walnuts in there - but that's not gonna happen).  If you go with the smaller cookies, this recipe should make about 72 or so cookies.

Now, go forth and bake!  Just be sure to share them.