Hey, emz!!!!
Welcome to the site--I'm rather new myself but you will find yourself in great company here from all around the world and lots of excellent professional input and helpful advice. This site is well serviced by very professional site administrators who care about their jobs. You'll soon find out. oKay for great cookie recipes---I'm from Texas and I have one whose recipe I'm asked for over and over again. Even kids tell me to give this recipe to their moms.
Here we go.
"Cowboy Cookies" (very similar to the hoity-toity Neiman Marcus recipe flitting around on the internet) and a favorite for young and old and from a much abused cookbook that's about 30 years old.
INGREDIENTS:
I cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups dry oatmeal (rolled oats)
1 small package semi-sweet chocolate chips (12 oz) M&M's can be used if you are living in an area where you can't get the chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts are fine--could be optional if you can't find)
NO PEANUTS for you
Directions:
Cream sugars, butter, eggs, and vanilla (all should be at room temperature by the way--take them out 3-4 hours before you decide to put this recipe together). I use a mixer for this---a good athletic hand is fine, too. If not it won't be the end of the world, but it's better if you do. Sift dry ingredients and stir in. Add oatmeal, chocolate chips, and nuts. This part is definitely done by hand. Though not absolutely necessary, if you have the time put the bowl covered with foil, saran wrap, or a moist towel in the fridge for about 30 minutes. But if you don't have the time no problem. Drop by a whopping teaspoon at at time on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Even cheap Wal-Mart carries this and you will never go back to the old ways ever. This is like foil only it is made out of white paper and you measure out enough to cover your cookie sheet---you don't have to oil it and you can use it for many batches of cookies, then throw it away and have a clean cookie sheet afterwards. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 minutes. Of course that's in a real world---mine take about 12 minutes--just check on them and remove when they are a nice golden brown. If you have the double insulated cookie sheets you have made a wise investment as they really keep the cookies from burning. If not just keep an eye on your cookies so that they don't burn. Based on your "whopping teaspoon drops" about 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 dozen cookies will result. Allow to cool on cake racks. Bon apetit.