Those Cookies with the Pudding

The unrest in Egypt and the vote on the proposed Iowa amendment outlawing gay marriage were two things on my mind after I turned off the alarm this morning. When I think about what's going on in Egypt, I can't help but be grateful for the freedoms that we take for granted in this country. But when I read the opinions of those who want to withhold rights from my friends and fellow Iowans, I wish there was some sort of caveat that would limit stump time for people who don't have a clue as to what they're talking about.

At any rate, my thoughts turned to snow after getting a text from each of my carpool companions, who bailed on me due to the nasty condition of their respective driveways. Sure enough, a cursory check outside the garage door indicated I was drifted in, and facing a solo drive that would take a minimum of 2 hours. So I elected to work from the home office.

Fast forward 2 hours (like I'm going to get Pat out of bed at 5 a.m. when school has been called off): Pat and Sean trudge out to the garage wielding their shovels. (There's a back story about why we don't have a snow blower, but I won't get into it here). Five minutes later, an angel of mercy in the form of our neighbor across the street came out with his snowblower and quickly and efficiently blew our driveway clear. To say Pat and Sean were ecstatic is an understatement. They danced into the house, shed their coast and boots, took position on the couch with the remote control, at which time Pat turned to me and said, "We should make cookies for him."

Right. "We" should.

Bring in "Those Cookies with the Pudding." This by far is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I have encountered. Sure, there are fancier varieties, and you could argue that ccc's are better with nuts, oatmeal or whatever, but if you want a standard, no-fail, boots-on-the-ground chipper, this recipe is for you. The secret, as you may have gathered, is adding a package of instant pudding mix to the batter. I'm not sure what's in the chemical makeup of the pudding mix that causes this (and probably don't want to know), but it results in a soft and tender cake-like texture that sets off the semi-sweet chocolate beautifully, while remaining crispy on the outside.

About a year before my grandpa died, I started sending him cookies in the mail so he would have a special treat now and again. I would ask him from time to time if he wanted me to change varieties, but he always asked for "Those Cookies with the Pudding." So there's quite a bit of sentiment to this recipe, too.

Whether it's to thank someone for doing something nice, to give to someone you love or just to enjoy yourself, stir up a batch of these and give thanks. Freedom is good. As is a good cookie recipe.

Those Cookies with the Pudding (or Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies)

Source: Best of Country Cooking, Taste of Home Publications

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

2 1/4 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 c. butter, softened (I don't ever use margarine in my cookies, but it's up to you)

1/4 c. white sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar (I use the dark stuff)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 package vanilla flavor instant pudding (don't use the stuff you have to cook and you can use sugar-free if you want to. You can also change the flavor if you want to mix things up a bit)

2 eggs

1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine flour and baking soda, set aside. Combine butter, sugars, vanilla and pudding mix in a large bowl; mix until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs; gradually add flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips (batter will be stiff). Drop onto a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart and bake at 375 degrees for 9 minutes or until browned.