Big, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mise en place - Gathering all ingredients is a necessary first step and one that I often over look because I'm too excited for warm, gooey cookies! I came home from work and gorged on Frosted Flakes, so I had the patience for the prep work. Everything went so smoothly that I'm convinced I need to start working the practice into my baking.

This post sort of feels a little elementary - it's not groundbreaking (they're only cookies!) and I have a very important birthday celebration coming in just days. The birthday celebration gives me the chance to work on a exciting birthday cake so I guess what I'm saying is cookies are good, cake(s) are better!

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour (sifted)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt (I use sea salt for no good reason - I guess it just seems saltier)
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (that's an insane amount, I used about half a bag)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. A trick for those with chilled butter place it in a heat safe bowl and then allow it to sit on the burner that receives the oven's extra heat, it'll soften in no time - plus microwaves kill (in my opinion). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer cream the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg and egg yolk until creamy and light. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips by hand using a spoon.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until golden. Cool on baking sheet before transferring to cooling racks.