the classic chocolate chip cookie

and so it's come to pass, another memorial day weekend. aside from being a day to honour our war-dead, isn't it also the unofficial (or official, i don't know) start of the summer. is it time to break out my white shoes and handbag? i am blissfully ignorant of the rules of fashion as can be easily evidenced by my year-round sporting of a pair of really tacky, 100% acrylic, red christmas socks, complete with gold trim. hmm, or maybe it's just bad taste.

but back to talk of memorial day, sort of. in all the years i've lived here in san francisco i've never once had a deck/patio/backyard/doorstoop big enough to set up a grill...not even one of those george foreman electric plug in types (not strictly true... i did once live in a place with a tiny concrete back yard but there was a shed back there in which dwelled a crazy lady, so it was kinda off limits). so every memorial day weekend i wait until the twelfth hour and get on the phone in a deseperate rush to all my friends either lucky or rich enough to have an outdoor space suitable for grilling. and a grill. and i bring along my sad little plastic wrapped frozen veggie burger and watch a freakin' noah's ark of animals board the good ship BBQ. and i always bring along a batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies. these guys.

the original source of the recipe (my wicked stepmother) claims that these are "mrs. fields" cookies but i kinda doubt it's the same recipe. i think these are better. they are a classic and everybody always likes them. that is everyone except me 'cause my stankin' feet, acrylic sock shod, tacky arse just isn't crazy about chocolate chip cookies - now give me anything with peanut butter and we can talk.....

chocolate chip cookies
2 cups butter
2 cups white sugar
2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons + vanilla
4 cups flour
5 cups oatmeal ground into flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 24 oz. Bag of chocolate chips
3 cups chopped nuts

this makes a lot of cookies. i usually cut the recipe in half, or if i bake the whole batch i usually freeze the extra baked cookies for later. cream together first three ingredients until light and fluffy. add eggs and vanilla. sift together the flours (oat and unbleached white), salt, baking powder and baking soda. add to creamed mixture. stir in chocolate chips and nuts. drop large tablespoons of dough into a non-stick cookie sheet, flattening slightly. bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes, or until done.