Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 4-5 dozen

1 pound of butter, or four sticks, softened

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed

3 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

4 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda

2 teaspoons of salt

4 1/2 - 5 cups flour

4 1/2 - 5 cups chocolate chips (2 12-ounce bags of semi-sweet chocolate will be four cups, but it never hurts to throw in more)

2 cups of walnuts, or peanuts, or pecans, as desired, chopped or not

Cream the butter and sugars in a mixer until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla. Then add the three eggs, one at a time, mixing each till the batter is creamy. Add the flour one cup at a time; bake a test cookie for 7-8 minutes at 375/350 (convection) degrees after 4 1/2 cups and see if you need that last 1/2 cup or not. If it spreads too thin during the baking, add the flour. Stir in the chocolate chips (and nuts). I always bake a couple of test cookies, again, and then chill the dough overnight. The next day, I make 1-inch balls, and bake just till they have lost the raw look; the cookies will continue to bake on the cookie sheet after they are out of the oven. If, in fact, you like them crisper, put them back into the oven but keep an eye on them.  You won’t need more than two or three minutes.