Homebaked Goodness

Last night I thought I'd make hubby some treats for when he got home. He LOVES cookies so I decided to make some white chocolate-macadamia nut cookies. He also enjoys having banana bread for his mid-morning snack, so some of that was on the menu also (I'll share that recipe soon).

For Christmas we received the Southern Living cookbook and it's filled with wonderful recipes. It also holds my new all-time favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. It's so easy to modify with different flavored chips or nuts or whatever.

(Photo courtesy of: http://www.myrecipes.com)

3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels (or any flavor you like)
1 1/2 cups chopped nuts, any variety (optional)

1. Beat butter and sugars at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
2. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until blended.
3. Combine flour, soda, and salt in a small bowl; gradually add to butter mixture, beating well. Stir in morsels.
4. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 8 to 14 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

DIFFERENT VARIATIONS:
Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies: Decrease salt to 1/2 teaspoon. Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter with butter and sugars. Increase flour to 2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons. Proceed as directed. (Dough will look a little moist.)

Oatmeal-Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies: Reduce flour to 2 cups. Add 1 cup uncooked quick-cooking oats to dry ingredients and 1 cup raisins with morsels. Proceed as directed.

Pecan-Chocolate Chip Cookies: Add 1 1/2 cups chopped, toasted pecans with morsels. Proceed as directed. (I used walnuts instead because that's what I had on hand and they were yummy!)

Almond-Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies: Reduce morsels to 1 cup. Add 1/2 cup slivered toasted almonds and 1 cup almond toffee bits. Proceed as directed.

Chunky Cherry-Double Chip Cookies: Microwave 1 tablespoon water and 1/2 cup dried cherries in a glass bowl at HIGH 30 seconds, stirring once. Let stand 10 minutes. Substitute 1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate chunks for morsels. Add 1 cup white chocolate morsels, 1/3 cup slivered toasted almonds, and cherries with chocolate chunks. Proceed as directed.

Yield: Makes about 5 dozen (I don't even get 4 dozen and my cookies are about 2.5 - 3" diameter once they're baked.)

Susan Hefilfinger, Mandeville, Louisiana , Southern Living, APRIL 2005