Chocolate Chip Cookies

There is nothing quite like a fresh chocolate chip cookie. This particular recipe has become my favorite over the years. It is soft and chewy and full of chocolate. Whenever I make this, I always have memories of coming home from school to a house filled with the smell of chocolate chip cookies. All five of us with chocolate smeared all over our faces. Great memories!

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 packages (12 ounce) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the butter and sugars in a large bowl. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract. In a different bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips. Roll into balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 9 to 10 minutes.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

My husband is not a sweets man but he loves these cookies. The first time I made these it was for some friends. They almost all disappeared in one night! My husband and another friend of ours (also not a sweets man) were eating these the way I eat chocolate (with both hands, one right after the other). Whenever I make these, I always find my husband sneaking one when he thinks I am not looking. He will just look at me, smile sheepishly and say, "What? They're good." Ah yes, the highest compliment any baker can receive. :-)

3 eggs

1 cup raisins

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat the eggs, stir in the vanilla extract, and then stir in the raisins. Refrigerate this mixture for at least one hour.

1 cup butter flavored shortening

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups oats (quick cooking kind)

In a large bowl, mix together the shortening and sugars. Add in the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add in the raisin mixture and the oats. Roll it into balls and bake on ungreased cookie sheets for 10 to 12 minutes in a 350 degree oven.