best laid plans

as if you couldn't already surmise from the luluandbug recipes i've posted to date, i have a massive sweet tooth. i enjoy wine too. so if i was ever given a lifetime choice between wine and chocolate, i might hesitate for a moment, but chocolate would inevitably win out for me.

on one recent cool fall night, my sweet tooth showed its sharp fangs. and i relented. i snuck a few chocolate chips from the pantry. but it didn't satisfy the craving. i needed something warm and soft. and i wasn't yet tired enough to walk away from the kitchen and attempt to sleep off the craving. so, armed with the trusty recipe from the back of the bag, i gave in and made chocolate chip cookies. i dutifully measured and mixed, i used my small scoop to make perfect rounds on the cookie sheet. may i present exhibit a...



i was thrilled by the prospect of being only ten minutes away from my cookie prize, the race nearly completed. unfortunately, it was apparently a little too late for my tiny brain by that time of night (around ten pm) because my efforts went a little haywire. i even set the timer for one minute prior to the suggested baking time to ensure that i would get that perfect gooey center i was after. so what did my cookies look like when i retrieved them from the hot oven?



hmm, not quite what i was after. they resembled flat, thin crepes of the crispy overcooked variety. what a disaster. aren't you glad i took a picture? proof that we all get it wrong sometimes. our best laid plans take a turn we're not expecting and the whole thing turns messy. bummer. my sweet tooth wasn't impressed.

when i re-read my recipe (for the seventh time), sure that i had gotten it right, it finally hit me. i had added only one cup of flour. not two. oops. good thing there was still time to save the rest of the batch, which was patiently waiting at the bottom of the kitchen aid mixing bowl for its turn on the cookie sheet. and so i added the missing flour and (thank heaven) the next sheet turned out perfectly.



they were everything i had been craving. perfection.

have i mentioned before that i have absolutely zero willpower? it's true. willpower and i very, very rarely occupy the same zip code... now that twelve perfect cookies were waiting on the cooling rack, i eyed the remaining batter suspiciously. should i bake the rest? would i be able to resist eating thirty six of them tonight? or perhaps i should tuck a spoon directly into the batter? no, no. not tonight. i instead (for once in my life) showed the tiniest bit of restraint. i wrapped the remaining cookie dough in plastic wrap, put it inside of a freezer bag, and placed it in the freezer for another cold night when the chocolate craving would invariably come calling.

i may not have gotten it right the first time, but perseverance does pay off. i fell asleep with a smile on my face that night. and the rest of the family enjoyed the treat the following day (no, i did not eat all twelve cookies by myself that evening). sometimes the simple pleasures in life - like a warm fresh baked cookie - really are the best.

toll house chocolate chip cookie recipe

what you'll need: measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, electric mixer, cookie sheet and the following ingredients

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chip morsels
1 cup chopped nuts, optional

1. preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl

3. beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large mixer bowl

4. add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition

5. gradually beat in flour mixture

6. stir in morsels and nuts

7. drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets

8. bake in oven for 9 to 11 minutes, or until golden brown

9. let stand for 2 minutes

10. move to wire racks to cool completely

what's your favorite sweet tooth fix?