The only chocolate chip cookie recipe you'll ever need

I know this is my second cookie post in a week and I probably should hide the fact that I make cookies compulsively, but you can never have enough cookies. Plus, Andrew wanted some and what Andrew wants, Andrew gets.

Chocolate chip cookies are a tricky thing. So traditional and simple and prevalent yet a great recipe is hard to find.  Luckily you have me and I found one.

I am here for you.

Enjoy!

The Only Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe You'll Ever Need

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup shortening (softened)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• enough chocolate chips for your liking (I use about 1 1/2 cups)

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
3. Cream the shortening, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract together in a separate bowl.
4. Add eggs, one at a time. Stirring after each addition.
5. Gradually beat in flour mixture. 
6. Add chocolate chips by hand.
7. Bake for 9-11 minutes.

Not Your Average BLT

So this is not going to win me any awards for being the prettiest thing I've made lately, but I have to tell you that it is delicious and I have to share it.

I actually didn't like bacon until about 6 months ago.  6 months ago I would've never made anything with bacon in it.  I would have thought it was disgusting and artery-clogging and chewy.  I hate the fat on meat and that was all I thought bacon was.  Chewy fat.

Thank goodness my husband has an affection for bacon and forced me to try it.  He cooked it well so it wasn't chewy and I loved it!  He's a great man.

So anyways, since bacon was newly discovered I had to do everything I could with it and this sandwich was born.  The cranberries really add a lot to the sandwich.  Do not omit.

Just go ahead and try it and love it and just be happy.

Enjoy!

Not Your Average BLT

• 2 slices thick, crusty bread, toasted
• Bacon, 3 strips
• Lettuce
• Craisins (dried cranberries)
• Avocado, sliced
• Honey mustard
• Mayonnaise

1. Fry your bacon and toast your bread. Spread mayonnaise and honey mustard on the toast.  Layer lettuce, craisins, avocado, and bacon on the sandwich. 
2. Smush together and enjoy.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

These are my all time favorite cookies. I was introduced to them by my college roommate, Kylie, and for that I will always love her.  I seriously made these about once a week for about 6 months.  I was obsessed.  Crazed.  Hungry.

It was a great six months.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

Combine the following in this exact order:

• ¾ c. butter
• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 1 c. brown sugar
• ½ c. peanut butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 3 TBS milk
• 3 c. flour
• 1 tsp.  baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 pkg. choc. chips (MILK CHOCOLATE CHIPS ARE BEST)

Bake at 350 for EXACTLY ten min.  They will look underdone but trust me on this one.  Let them cool on the pan.  They will be perfect, especially the day after, they'll still be incredily fresh and delicious.

Basil Artichoke Pesto

My mama is in town with me and we were making basil pesto for dinner.  Only, sad story, when we went to Costco to buy the necessary goods, they didn't have any basil.  So, we just went home and pulled some off my little basil plant which, let's be honest, has never been anywhere close to thriving.  It falls on the side of pathetic.  Oh well, we ignored it's patheticness and chopped off what we could but it just didn't amount to enough.

So, stroke of genius that is my mother, she suggested that we add some artichoke hearts to supplement the lack of basil.

Delicious. So delicious.

Try it and enjoy!

Basil Artichoke Pesto

• 1/4 cups fresh basil leaves
• 1/8 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Scant 1/8 cup pine nuts or walnuts
• 1 medium sized garlic clove, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2-3 artichoke hearts from a jar

Pour all ingredients in a food processor and blend until desired consistency.  Serve over pasta, top with Parmesan cheese and pine nuts. Easy as that.

My First Full-Time Job Ever

I couldn't be more excited and nervous.  I recently was hired at Nu Skin in Provo, and I start next Monday.

I am blessed and got a great job doing PR which is literally a miracle to get a job in my field straight out of college.

...Now the nightmares and panic attacks about being unemployed can stop.

This means I will be ending my three-week hiatus in California and return home very, very soon!

It also means the food posts will resume starting (fingers-crossed) Sunday, so get excited.

Swimming Lessons

I cannot post about food for awhile because I have left the comforts of my home (and husband) to make some money.   That is right, I have gone back to California where I am teaching little, adorable children to swim from 9 to 7 every day.

Yes, I am sun burned.

Yes, I am tired.

Yes, my eyes hurt and my voice sounds like I have laryngitis.

YES, I miss Andrew.

And yes, I am having a blast.  I love this job.  The kids are beautiful and cute and hysterical.  I did get peed on once today and spit up on once (I am randomly teaching a lot of babies and that is an occupational hazard) but that just makes me kind of laugh.

Yes, I may have lost my sanity hygienic-ness.

Anyway, maybe there are food posts to come or maybe this is going to be a hungry few weeks.  We shall see.