Baking

we finally commenced with the baking...I enjoy baking - it's a precise, results-oriented task...just what I do best, LOL...and every year depending on disposable income and mood we bake stuff for the holidays...so this year having a little of both on the positive side - we started planning our cookie menu about a month or so ago...we bought supplies, we chose recipes and finally after a week of putting it off - we baked the first batch of cookies tonite....J's choice

Chewy Chocolate Cookies I
Submitted by: Linda Whittaker

Photo by: THEKIDCOOK "These are GREAT chocolate chocolate chip cookies. Always a request at Christmas from friends and family!"
Original recipe yield: 4 dozen.
Prep Time:15 MinutesCook Time:10 MinutesReady In:55 MinutesServings:48 (change)

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INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 cups butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

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DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in the chocolate chips. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 8 to 9 minutes in the preheated oven. Cookies will be soft. Cool slightly on cookie sheet; remove from sheet onto wire rack to cool completely.

we actually used the swirl chips and added about a half cup of pecans....we also got about 7 dozen out of this batch...good filler cookies, but now we have the more difficult stuff...divinity and meringue...I miss not being able to do cut sugar cookies, but we just have so little kitchen space and those take up lots of room for prep...hmm, good thing I'm off Friday, we still have to figure out presentation...