Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

In 2004, my sister, Lori, was preparing to marry Jake. Anna Olson, the host of the Food Network show "Sugar", and cookbook author was preparing a wedding segment for her show. Lori & Jake both know Anna Olson from when they worked at the Cave Springs Winery restaurant, Inn On The Twenty, and Anna asked Lori if she would like to be a guest on the show.

The invitation included myself and Lori's best friend, Sarita, and it was actually an invitation to come and do a screen test. We must have done something right, because we were asked to come back. The day of the taping, we were all impressed with how Anna makes it look so easy, and it is no where near easy. While the camera was rolling, we mostly had to sit there and pretend to be busy - it was exhausting! We scribbled notes to each other, as though we were writing out shower invitations, trying to make each other laugh. Example: "Nice hairy lip."

Keep your eyes peeled for reruns of that wedding show. It was an hour long extravaganza of cakes, cookies, candies and ideas, perfect for that special day. And just for the record, I really don't think my voice is as deep as it sounds on the show (but I have been assured that it is).

The whole "Sugar" cookbook is very good, and I have given copies of it to a few friends. I wasn't as impressed by her second book, "Another Cup of Sugar", but it could be that I haven't given it a proper chance. The secret to these fantastic cookies is the addition of cornstarch. I love the chewy texture. It reminds me of the old "chewy chips ahoy" cookies, only better. For all I know, chewy chips ahoy cookies are still around. I wouldn't dream of buying them these days, especially when I can have these homemade ones mixed and baked in under a half an hour.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 c. golden brown sugar, packed
1/4 c. white sugar
1 egg
2 t. vanilla
2 c. all purpose flour
2 t. cornstarch
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
8 oz. chocolate chips or bittersweet chocolate cut into little chunks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter and sugars until smooth. Add egg and vanilla and blend in. Stir in flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoons onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown around the edges. I have found that once the cookies start to smell good, they are very close to being finished. Let cool slightly and enjoy!

*I usually make a double batch of these cookies in my KitchenAid mixer. If possible, I roll any remaining dough into a log and pop it into the fridge or freezer for later use.
*I use an ice cream scoop to portion out the cookie dough. The one I use makes scoops containing 2 tablespoons of dough. For the kids, I cut the scoops in half and form smaller cookies. For adults, I like to keep them a little bigger. When I was baking for the Newmarket Farmer's Market, I used an even bigger scoop and made huge cookies that looked gorgeous in the glass cookie jars. Just remember, the bigger the cookie, the longer the cooking time.