A Taste of Vacation

It's almost seven in the morning and I'm about to go away to a conference for two days--the longest I've ever been away from Chamudi continuously. Of course he chose last night to get a stomach virus...he was up from 3 to just a little past 5:30 and now has thankfully drifted off to sleep so he doesn't have to see me leave. I can't imagine how upset he'll be when he wakes up, though--all he wants when he's sick is Ima--and the guilt is already getting me.

Following Maya's theme of the healing powers of chocolate, I wanted to share with you the most wonderful chocolate chip cookie recipe, which I found on the back of the Hershey's chocolate chip bag. Over vacation Chamudi and I whipped up a batch to bring to Savta and had a great time of it, measuring and mixing (with our hands) and eating cookie upon cookie and making a big mess of ourselves. I could have done that forever.

So here it is, a taste of vacation:

Hershey's Classic Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups HERSHEYS milk chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer [or clean hands!] until creamy. Add eggs; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Drop by teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes until lightly brown. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet onto wire rack. Cool completely. About 5 dozen cookies.