Blogiversary Cookies!!!!

One year ago today I made my first real post to Cooking is Medicine. Such monumental events seem to happen on this day...last year, a post to my blog and the end of a school year; this year, I took Step 1...perhaps the biggest test I'll take in a long time! Must pass to continue in training...but it's over with for now! For a while, I've mentioned a recipe for chocolate chip cookies that always draws rave reviews. For such a special occasion, I have decided to give you all a gift...the recipe and explanation of technique used to make the cookies! These cookies are from a recipe my mom's best friend gave us. She is famous around my hometown for these and often, people ask if there are any "Joanie cookies." The official name is the Sharpe cookies, owing to the fact that they look like Sharpe bulldogs. Before I give the recipe, there are a few things you must know...BUTTER IS A MUST!!! I've tried margarine and is does not work! Number two, if you have White Lily flour available, use it! If not, use a light baking flour. Number three, either use air bake pans or baking stones. These are all commands (i.e., suggestions) from Joanie! We've done experiments and found that butter is a MUST, White Lily flour DOES make a difference, and the air bake pans aren't a must as stones work as well...I don't know about "normal" baking sheets. I've done several variations on these including white chocolate chips, Reese's peanut butter cups (OH, so good), cappucino chips, and special edition raspberry dark chocolate swirl chips. They all work, but I think the best is the original chocolate chip. So, without further ado, ENJOY!

Sharpe Cookies

2 sticks (one cup) softened unsalted butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups AP flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-2 cups chocolate chips (I like less chips but the original calls for 2 cups)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream together butter and sugars until very smooth (I recommend for about 5 minutes). Add egg and vanilla and mix. Mix together flour, salt, and soda. Add slowly to butter mixture and stir until just combined. Add chocolate chips. Place dough on baking sheet/stone in large tablespoons (I use a FULL tablespoon sized cookie scoop but my brother thinks they should be bigger - Joanie does them bigger). Bake for 11-13 minutes. If you do them larger, they may require more time. NOW, here is the special technique. IMMEDIATELY after taking the pan out of the oven, using the backs to two soup spoons, squunch (I don't know if that's a word, but I think it should be) the cookies together all the way around. This must be done quickly so that they don't harden too much. Allow to cook for a few minutes and remove to cooling rack to finish cooling. Makes about 36 cookies, depending on how big you make them.