Black and White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cookie dough

I found this recipe in the Milwaukee Journal when Taranee was about a year old. I've done all kinds of things to it and it's always come out right. At one time I reduced the amount of sugar by one-half and it still tasted good. When I lived in Thailand, shortening was too expensive so I used butter. It still tasted fine. One summer, Taranee made them without brown sugar. They were anemic to look at but they still tasted great.

Have at room temperature:
1 cup shortening (or 16 tablespoons butter or 8 tablespoons shortening and 8 tablespoons butter)
1 cup packed brown sugar (use a full cup not only for sweetness but also for the nice brown color)
1/2 to 1 cup white sugar (1/2 cup is the lowest I would recommend for reducing the sugar)
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375˚F. Prepare baking trays. Cover with sheets of baking parchment. Parchment makes prevents the cookies from sticking to the pan, making clean up much easier.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Cream butter and sugars. Add vanilla and eggs until just combined. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing until just combined. Add the chocolate morsels and nuts (if using) by hand. I used 6 oz. white and 6 oz. black chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded teaspoonful on the prepared baking sheets. I recommend using a small ice-cream scoop with a spring-action release for making uniform-sized cookies. Bake 8-10 minutes or until the center of a cookie, when lightly touched, leaves no impression. Cool cookies completely on wire racks before stacking. Makes 2-3 dozen.

 Cookies!