• 1 1/4 C. flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 C. butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 C. firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 C. granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 6 oz. pkg. semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 C. chopped walnuts (optional)

In a bowl stir together flour, baking soda, and salt to combine thoroughly; set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In mixer bowl combine butter and sugars; beat until fluffy and well blended. Beat in egg. Add vanilla and mix well. Gradually add flour mixture until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts (if used). Drop by rounded teaspoon, placed well apart, onto lightly greased or nonstick baking sheets. Bake until cookies are well browned (12-14 minutes). Cool on wire racks.

Yield: Makes about 30 2 3/4 inch cookies

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies: Bake cookies in a 325-degree oven until they are a light golden brown (10 to 13 minutes). Cool on baking sheets for 3 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Chunk Cookies: Omit semisweet chocolate chips. Coarsely chop a 3- to 4-oz. bar of semisweet chocolate, and fold it into cookie dough in step 3.

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies: After beating butter and sugars, add 1/2-C. peanut butter (Smooth or chunky). Beat well, and then continue as for Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies. Omit chopped walnuts.