Two Faced Chef

So let’s be honest, one of the main reasons we love baking something pretty is hearing everyone say “ooohhh” and “ahhhh” when you show it to them.  I, myself, am obviously victim, considering I take the time to update a blog almost every other day and actually think people care what I have to say.  My favorite desserts are the ones that take absolutely no effort to make, are completely error proof and are perfect crowd pleasers.  Today’s recipe is a great example.

Meet the Really Really Really Big Chocolate Chip Cookie:

Please ooh and ahh not only for the cookie, but for how adorable I was…

Ingredients:

• ½ cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/3 cups flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1-2 cups assorted chocolate chips and/or chunks, (semisweet, milk, mini, white—use an assortment of types)
• 1/2 cup raisins or chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 13-inch round, pizza-style pan (I use disposable ones from the supermarket.  Less to remember to take home when I make this for someone!).  In large bowl with electric mixture, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  Add flour, baking soda, and salt.  Mix well.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Spread batter into prepared pan by dotting baking pan with lumps of batter and with wet hands, spread out batter.  If it does not fill the pan, fill any large holes with more chocolate chips and press down.  There can be some small holes since the batter will spread while baking.  Bake 15 to 20 minutes.  Let cool and cut into wedges.

If you’re feeling artistic, pick up some store bought frosting at Food Emporium and write on the cookie for any occasion.  It’s not too hard and a real treat!  I have no idea what my mom was thinking with the giant flower on the right though…

This cookie is extremely easy to make and worth trying.  It really doesn’t seem like the cookie will fill the pan, but when you pull it out of the oven, everything will have magically spread out and you feel like a true champion.  You will amaze your coworkers–and if you are as lucky as me, the woman who sells the Daily News outside your office will see it and now everyday will call you “Cookie Lady” which seems weird and completely inexplicable to others walking to work with you.  As a warning though, the more chocolate you use, the more flimsy the cookie is. Carry it with two hands, or you will spend 20 minutes cleaning up crumbs and destroying your vacuum, while debating if you will get sick from eating the pieces off your hopefully recently cleaned floor.