A Bit of House-Wifery~ Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've decided to stick with blogging about my favorite house wife things... Last week I blogged about my dream 'uniform', and today I thought I would share a Top Secret recipe. I've said it many times, but I truly feel like a qualifying skill necessary for being a good mother and housewife is making perfect chocolate chip cookies. (If you aren't a baker, please don't send me angry emails... this is actually not mandatory~ just something I had in my crazy brain!) I searched just to make sure I hadn't posted this before and couldn't find it.

Sorry for the picture with bright flash... I have serious lighting issues!

My recipe really isn't anything fancy, but it consistently makes the best chocolate chip cookies I've ever had. I use the best ingredients I can and have made it in variations with organic, non-organic, name brand, off-brand, and this recipe has never failed me. I think it's from Better Homes & Gardens, though I have it memorized and am too lazy at the moment to look for it in a book.

Ingredients
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (I use unbleached)
12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups nuts (optional)

~Heat oven to 375*
~ In large bowl, mix shortening & butter. Blend until smooth. Add in sugars and baking soda. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Mix in flour a little at a time until well blended. Stir in chocolate (and nuts, if using).
~On baking sheet lined with parchment, scoop out dough with plenty of space between. Most of the time I use a 1/4 cup cookie dough scoop and make fewer, giant cookies. I can fit about 16 on a cookie sheet this size. You can use whatever size scoop you like, just adjust the baking time accordingly. I think it works better to leave them in a ball shape, as they will cook up softer in the middle and won't be cracker-like.  (If that's your thing, press them out a bit!)
~Bake for 12-15 minutes, pulling them out when they begin to brown around the edges but still look soft in the middle. leave on sheet for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to eat cool.

Ours usually don't last long enough to have to store them, but I recommend keeping them in an airtight container after they've completely cooled. And if you really want to be June Cleaver (because who doesn't!?), put a piece of bread in the container with the cookies to keep them soft. Trust me, if you haven't heard of this, it works! The cookies steal the moisture from the bread and stay extra soft.

I'd love to know if you try out this recipe!! And I'd also love to know if there's anything in the vein of homemaking that you'd like to talk about~ recipes, organization, cleaning, laundry... I'm thinking this will be a regular Wednesday thing, and I'd love your input! 'Til next time!