I AM THE FORCE

I just tried this new chocolate chip cookie recipe out of the New York Times magazine, and I believe I have a real winner here. You people should trust me on this one, as I definitely know my cookies and would not lead you astray. They taste better and stay fresh longer than any other chocolate chip recipe I've tried over the years. Stop using the recipe on the Nestle's Toll House package, and improve your life a little bit with this superior version. I know most of you read I AM THE FORCE for the brilliant political insight, but I can assure you that the recipes are significantly more valuable. I've changed the recipe slightly, so I am giving it a new title.

Ragnar Mentaire's Non-Partisan Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons kosher salt
8 ounces butter, softened
1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 bag Ghirardelli's double chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

2. In a mixer fitted with a paddle, cream the butter and sugars until fluffy, 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla. Add the flour mixture all at once and blend until a dough forms. Fold in the chocolate. Chill the dough, briefly.

3. Roll spoonfuls of dough into balls, then place on the baking sheet and flatten to ½ -inch-thick disks spaced 2 inches apart. Chill the dough between batches. Bake until the edges turn golden, 14 to 17 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet, then transfer to a baking rack. Makes 30 cookies.