Go Ahead. Be a Cookie Monster.

Usually, I'm a planner. But some things you just have to go for when you feel like it. No second guessing. Just do it.

For me, that means spontaneously baking a batch of chocolate chip cookies.

What a great stress reliever! Measuring ingredients, mixing dough, plopping spoonfuls of chocolatey goodness onto the baking sheets...then enjoying the end product!

Want to make some of my world-famous chocolate chip cookies? I'm going to share the recipe that has been passed down by my family for generations. Either that, or copied off the back of a chocolate chip bag. Can't really recall...

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Also, pour yourself a glass of milk in preparation.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat 1/2 cup margarine, 1/2 cup shortening, 1 cup brown sugar, and 1/2 cup sugar.
Make sure the margarine is nice and soft. If I don't plan far enough ahead and set the margarine out on the counter, I just zap it in the microwave. Don't let it melt!

3. Beat in two eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
Now, this is the step everyone used to be worried about. Eggs! Bad! Raw! Ignore that silliness. Taste away!

4. Beat in 2 1/4 cup flour, 1 teaspoon soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt.
I don't put in all that salt anymore, ever since my one friend claimed to be able to taste the salt in cookies. Thanks to her, I can now taste it. So I usually just throw in a pinch.

5. Stir in 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips.
If you like more, add more! But I prefer less, myself. The gaps with no chips are just as important as the chocolatey bits.

6. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
Don't forget to keep tasting. You want to make sure they're still good.

7. Bake 6-7 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Make sure you take them out in time! Watch closely...

8. After each batch comes out of the oven, put them on cooling racks.
This helps them stop baking! Don't let them cool and stick right on the cookie sheets.

You're done! Hooray! Share these cookies with your friends, and they will compliment you on your sweet baking skillz.

Enjoy!