Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Paul had a final at 4:30 this afternoon, so I made chocolate chip cookies while listening to Tom Jones, which I have to do while Paul isn't around because I'm forbidden from even mentioning Tom Jones in his presence, much less singing Delilah or It's Not Unusual at the top of my voice. Oh, well. Two of the best things about baking on my own are: (1) I pick the music and (2) I get to gluttonously lick the bowl and beaters all by myself. This is actually my second batch of cookies this week. Erika and I made molasses spice cookies yesterday but I forgot to take pictures. I have a dozen eggs I need to use up before we go on vacation.

The recipe I used is for Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies from Martha Stewart: Holiday Cookies. It's online here. I use all semi-sweet chocolate chips and instead of vanilla extract I use Nielson-Massey Vanilla Bean Paste, which after you try it you will understand why it's worth $11 a jar. It definitely makes a difference.

My lovely apron:

"Put butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment" (my hand mixer will just have to do):

"Add salt, vanilla, and eggs":

Dough ready to be frozen:

Close-up of cookie goodness:


This sublime cheesiness is precisely why I always wanted my own variety show. Do you think it's too late to quit this whole history thing and become a back-up singer for Tom Jones? [edited 10/3/08: video no longer available; this is the same performance but the quality of the video is definitely not as good. :-( ]
[edited 11/14/08: above video now no longer available, as well--same performance is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWRWFllVEzc]