Perfect Cookies

I posted about hospitality last week, and on that note I have been thinking about simplifying  foods I serve my guests. I LOVE to feed people! I truly do. But, I have found that I spend way too much time running around preparing food while the guests are here to be the calm, devoted hostess I would like to be.  So I’ve spent time thinking of ways to still serve good food to my guests yet cut out some of the work when they are here. Today I decided to test out one of those ideas.

I’ve heard over and over that you can freeze cookie dough and just bring out as many as you need and bake those, but I was wary. It seemed like something would go wrong! So today was my practice go. I googled cookie recipes that would freeze well, and found that the Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie was the best rated for this endeavor.  I also got to try out my new cookie scoop which I LOVE! It makes beautifully round, uniform cookies! Thanks to Martha Stewart for that tip (I admit I get excited when Abigail decides to have her second nap at 3 because it means I can watch a bit of Martha while I nurse her to sleep. I’m not a big TV person, but Martha has been a guilty pleasure this deployment when naps work out  at that time)! I scooped my cookies onto wax paper to let them freeze without sticking to each other, then I transferred them into a gallon sized ziplock bag.

I took a few out, let them thaw and then  baked them and they were perfect! Round and golden, great consistency… It worked! And now I have 3 dozen cookies ready to go in my freezer for the next time someone drops by!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups unbleached flour plus 1/8 cup

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks butter, softened

½  cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 cups Chocolate chips

375 for 10minutes