Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ugh, I have been in the worst food rut the past two weeks. (Hence, no blog posts.) Have you ever been in one of those? It is terrible. I would go to the grocery store with no plan and get home and feel like I had nothing to cook with. Then in an attempt to get out of my food funk, I took on recipes that were much to complicated for my blah-food-state. I made whole wheat homemade poptarts and stuffed pretzels that required both boiling and baking (and should be illegal to attempt with a whiney toddler). Finally, a batch of chocolate chip cookies pulled me out of my rut and back into the kitchen with good spirits. It happened on Friday afternoon: Vaida was napping, my house was clean, Pandora was playing my favorite country music, and it was just me in the kitchen. These cookies are easy and delicious and best enjoyed when they are warm with a glass of ice cold milk. When baking cookies I always take them out before they look done so they don't dry out.

On a side note, I have tried out several semi-healthy desserts lately: spinach brownies, whole wheat flour cookies, brownies made with coconut oil and honey, etc. Our family didn't want to eat seconds of any of these recipes and I came to the realization that dessert should be dessert. These cookies are made with Crisco, refined sugar and white flour - enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 cup Crisco shortening
1 1/4 c light brown sugar
2 Tbls milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 lg egg
1 3/4 c all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c chopped walnuts (optional)

In a large bowl, cream Crisco and sugar. Add milk, vanilla and egg and mix until smooth. Stir in the remaining ingredients: flour, salt, soda, chocolate chips and nuts. Drop tablespoon size amount of batter on cookie sheet (I lined with parchment paper but you don't have to) and bake at 375 for 9-10 minutes.