2 cups melted butter (4 sticks)
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
4 tsp vanilla
2 tsp salt
4 beaten eggs
5 cups flour (no need to sift)
3 cups chocolate chips
4 cups chopped pecans

preheat oven to 350 degrees, rack in the middle position.

melt the butter. mix in the sugars. add the vanilla and the baking soda and mix. add the eggs and stir it all up. add half the flour, the chocolate chips, and the chopped pecans. stir well to incorporate. add the rest of the flour and mix thoroughly.

drop by teaspoons onto greased cookie sheets, 12 cookies to a standard-size sheet. if the dough is too sticky to handle, chill it slightly and try again. bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until nicely browned.

let cool two minutes,then remove cookies from the baking sheet and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

makes approx 10 dozen cookies

1 cup melted butter (2 sticks)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbs water (OR coffee, if you have some left over from breakfast)
3 cup flour (no need to sift)
1 pkg bridge mix OR assorted chocolate candies*
4-5 dozen walnut OR pecan halves

*IF YOU CAN’T FIND BRIDGE MIX, YOU CAN USE CHOCOLATE WAFERS OR HERSHEY’S ASSORTED MINIATURE CANDY BARS CUT INTO FOUR PIECES. YOU CAN EVEN USE FULL SIZE CANDY BARS IF YOU CUT THEM UP INTO SMALL PIECES.

DO NOT PREHEAT THE OVEN. DOUGH MUST CHLL BEFORE BAKING.

melt the butter and mix in the sugars. add the beaten eggs, baking soda, salt, vanilla, and water (or coffee).

add the flour and mix thoroughly. then chll the dough for at least an hour (overnight is fine, too).

preheat oven to 375 degrees, rack in the middle position.

scoop out a tablespoon of dough and form it around a chocolate wafer (or a piece of cut up candy bar). place a walnut half (or pecan half) on top and place it on a greased baking sheet, 12 cookies to a standard sheet.

bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until nicely browned.cool on cookie sheet for two minutes and then transfer the cookies to a wire rack.

makes 8-10 dozen, depending on cookie size

1 1/2 cups melted butter (3 sticks)
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup mashed very ripe banana (2 med or 3 small)
4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups flour (no need to sift)
2 cups finely chopped walnuts OR pecans (measure AFTER chopping)
1/2 cup sugar (for later)

DO NOT PREHEAT OVEN! this dough must chill before baking.

melt butter in a large microwaveable bowl. stir in the sugar, beaten eggs, baking soda, and salt. choose bananas that have black freckles on the skin so they’re almost overripe. mash them until they’re smooth (you can do this in a food processor OR by hand). add the banana puree and mix thorougly.mix in the flour and then the nuts. cover your bowl and refrigerate it for 4 hours (overnight is fine too).

when you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the middle position.

roll the chilled dough into walnut-sized balls with your hands. (this dough is quite sticky – you can wear plastic gloves if you like, or wet your hands slighly so the dough won’t stick to them). put 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl and roll the balls in it. place the dough balls on a greased cookie sheet, 12 to a sheet. press them down just a little so they wont roll off on the floor when you put them in the oven. then return your bowl to the refrigerator and let it chill until it’s time to roll more.

bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees, or until they’re lightly golden in color. they’ll flatten out all by themselves. let them cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet and then move them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

makes approx 10 dozen cookes, depending on cookie size

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) melted butter
2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/8 cup (2 tbs) molasses
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups finely ground salted cashews (grind them up in your food processor with the steel blade – measure AFTER grinding)
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups flour (no need to sift)

preheat oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the middle position.

microwave the butter in your mixing bowl to melt it. add the sugar, vanilla, and molasses. stir until blended, then add the baking soda, baking powder and salt. mix well.

grind up the cashews in your food processor. measure AFTER grinding. add them to the bowl and mix. pour in the beaten eggs and stir. then add the flour and mix until all the ingredients are thoroughly blended.

let the dough sit for a few minuts fo firm up. then form the dough into small walnut-sized balls and arrange them on a greased cookie sheet, 12 to a standard sheet.(THESE DOUGH BALLS SPREAD OUT SO MAKE THEM FAIRLY SMALL. IF THE DOUGH IS TOO STICKY TO FORM INTO BALLS, CHILL IT FOR A FEW MINUTES AND TRY AGAIN.)

flatten the balls slightly with a spatula or the palm of you hand, just enough so they won’t roll off when you put them in the oven.

bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown. cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

makes approximately 10 dozen, depending on cookie size

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
9 tbs (1 stick plus 1 tbs) unsalted butter
6 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups sugar, PLUS 1/2 cup for rolling the cookies
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. set aside.

put the butter in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on HIGH for 45 seconds, or until melted. or melt the butter in a small saucepan. stir in the cocoa. cool.

pour the butter mixture ito a large bowl.add the 1 3/4 cups sugar, eggs, and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. beat in the flour mixture. the dough will be soft.

gather the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. refrigerate for 1 hour, or until firm enough to shape.

preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

pull off walnut-sized pieces of dough and shape them into balls. place the 1/2 cup sugar in a shallow bowl and roll the cookies in the sugar. place the cookies 2″ apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

bake in the center of the oven for 8-10 minutes,then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

makes 48 cookies