Chocolate chip cookie dough (and variations)

2 sticks butter
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
2 1/4 cup flour (plus probably another 1/4 cup)
2 cups chocolate chips

You know the drill.
But if you are guaranteed to serve them hot, then decerase the white sugar to 1/2 cup and increase the brown sugar to a full cup. the extra molasses in the brown sugar will make the cookies harder when cool, but whne warm, it gives the cookie an extra carmel kick.

And if you would like an amazing frosting for your brownies, then substitute the egg for 2 tsp milk, and leave out the baking soda. Throw a few m&ms on top. I call it "half baked Brownies."

For a "mookie" variation, add 1/2 cup peanut butter and 2 cups oatmeal, an extra tsp soda and some milk to make it muffin consistency. Spoon into muffin tins and bake. There will be a sort of a hole down the middle when they are done, fill it with chocolate frosting. We call them "mookie's" because they are a combination of muffins and cookies. Amy loves them. We made them out in Provo quite a bit, during my "perfecting cookie dough" years.

Cookie dough is one of the great comforts in my life. Whenever a day goes badly, I try to spend part of the evening doing something I kow I am good at. This is where cookie dough comes into play. I know I can ace cookie dough. It is the best kind of therapy, after you've messed up everything else, to remind yourself of something you can do right. I reccommend that everyone make a list of a few things they can do right, to fall back on when everything else you try fails. Honestly, I don't even have to eat the batch to feel better. Just make it and taste it in order to know that I am not a total failure. It helps, though, if you can share it with someone who comes to the same conclusion.