Cookies!

More specifically, the chocolate chip kind. My nephew loves to bake with me more than anything. He loves to crack eggs, pour stuff and mix it all up. He's even got to measuring ingredients, by pattern-matching. He may not know what a "half" is, but he knows the 1/2 symbol when I tell him and to match it to the measuring cup/spoon! Pretty impressive for a five-year old, I say!

I even got my not-yet-two-years old niece in on the action. The Monkey would crack the egg into a bowl. After checking for any stray shell bits, I hand the bowl to my niece (forever known as the Cat) and she tips the bowl into the big mixing bowl. Yes, it's complicated, but darn it if it isn't adorable as heck!

Anyhoodle, the cookies we made were more of a soft-cakey kind of cookie, as that is how I like 'em. Not a big fan of crispy crunchy ones. This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2.5 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, salt and eggs. Beat until well mixed. Add flour and baking soda, mix until just combined. Mix in the chocolate chips.

Drop large tablespoons onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Lightly flatten with your hand. The cookies should be about 2 inches apart.

Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, but still soft in the centre, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 2 minutes, transfer to cooling rack, plate or mouth.

DELICIOUS

See how expertly the monkey SMOOSHES flat the cookies?

Angry Birds break time while the cookies bake...

So soft.

The really funny lookin' one at the top was the remainder of the dough, HA.

Right, so naturally these were devoured in no time at all. My niece, of discerning taste, quite appreciated them.

I did, too. Lots of them. With milk. I miss them already.