My Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've had a few requests for my chocolate chip cookie recipe,
but I feel guilty because I can't really claim it as my own.
I basically stole the Nestle' Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe
and tweaked it to my liking!

Enjoy!

Olivia's Chocolate Chip Cookies
Give or take 4-dozen large cookies or
6-7 dozen small cookies

4 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. (2-sticks) un-salted butter, softened

1 c. (1-stick) Crisco Butter-flavored Shortening

1 1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 large eggs

6 c. Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Morsels (or more!)
2 1/2 c. coarsely chopped toasted walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Using a medium bowl & a whisk:

Combine the flour, baking soda, & salt and set aside.

Stop:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees

Using a mixer and the paddle attachment (medium speed):

Cream the butter and shortening.

Add the granulated sugar, combine

Add the brown sugar, combine.

Add the vanilla and eggs, combine.

Scrape the bowl as needed.

At low speed:

Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture until incorporated.

Finally add the morsels & nuts.

Scoop golf-ball size mounds of cookie dough onto a large un-greased cookie sheet. Place cookie mounds 2-inches apart (I usually bake six cookies to one large baking sheet).

Bake one cookie sheet at a time at 375 degrees for 7-8 minutes. Do not over bake! This is the secret for moist, chewy cookies. Remember, all ovens times vary, but look for cookies with only the slightest browning on top. They will not look done, but they are. Keep in mind that once out of the oven, they will continue to cook on the hot cookie sheet.

Let cookies rest for 3-minutes on the cookie sheet, allowing them to set. Then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack for 7-minutes. Handle the cookies gently, they will still be very soft.

Once firm, you can stack the cookies in an air-tight container and they will keep for 5-7 days-I think.

The reason I'm not sure is because they don't last that long at our house!

Notes:

If you're trying to keep things on the lighter side,
try my Chocolate Chip Cookies...Lightened Up!

You can cut this recipe in half, but I find that the cookies are not quite the same!

Also, if you prefer smaller cookies, just adjust the baking time to 5-6 minutes and keep a close eye on them.

Yeast: The Bane of my Existence...or is it?

I have always been intimidated by yeast. No matter what the recipe, if it involved yeast one of two things would happen: 1) I would try the recipe and it would go horribly wrong, or 2) I would opt to avoid trying it all together!

Unfortunately, or rather fortunately, Samuel's mom makes incredible homemade rolls using...what else? Yeast! And if it weren't for the fact that these rolls are AMAZING, I would have given up long ago.

Well, it's been approximately 8 years now, and finally, finally I can declare:

The Yeast...

has...

RISEN!

Mom's Famous Rolls

6-8 cups of flour

6 tbs sugar

3 packages of instant yeast (approx. 2 1/4 tsp. per pack)

3 tsp salt

3 tbs vegetable oil

3 cups hot water

Mix dry ingredients in a mixer using the bread hook, reserving 1-2 cups of flour.

Incorporate wet ingredients slowly.

Resulting mix should be a soft not sticky dough. Add additional 1-2 cups of flour as necessary.

Place dough in a bowl and allow to rise until it's double in size.

Punch down and divide into equal pieces and place in a buttered or oiled 13" x 9" pan, and allow to rise a second time.

Place in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. Oven time may vary.

Butter tops immediately after coming out of the oven.

Remove from pan, separate rolls when cool enough to handle, and place on a cookie sheet.

Best if served immediately.

Store leftovers in a air-tight container.