chocolate chip cookies

I love it when it’s Friday the 13th. My Mom and her Mom (my Nana) were both born on Friday the 13th’s. Had I been born a week earlier I would have been (instead I was born on Friday the 20th). My Nana’s Mom was also born on the 13th of the month (though not a Friday). Anyway, it’s happy day for me so I thought I would share a happy family recipe. My Mom’s chocolate chip cookies.

When I was in elementary school my best friends would get so excited when my Mom would send me her homemade chocolate chip cookies in my lunch. I was usually nice and give them a bite. This recipe is one that has been made hundreds of times over the years (and often made in double batches).

I do have one note about this recipe. It’s funny to me how even slightly changing one ingredient can drastically change the outcome of a recipe sometimes. In the case of this recipe, I notice the most change if I mess with the shortening. Butter flavored Crisco gives me the best results. I’ve tried other kinds and it’s the one I always come back to.

Recipe
1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

Cream together the shortening and sugar. Then add the vanilla and eggs. Mix well.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (add more if the dough seems too soft)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
6 oz. chocolate chips

Add the flour, baking soda and salt to the creamy shortening/sugar mixture. Once it is all mixed together, add the chocolate chips.

Place rounded spoonfuls on an un-greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. You need to check them after about 8 minutes. They’re best if you take them out when they just start turning brown on top.

And I prefer mine with a glass of milk