Giant Chocolate Chunk Cookies

My husband is a self-proclaimed "Cookie Monster." Very rarely are we tempted to buy a pack from the store, though. Like everything else, I prefer to make them from scratch; that way I know exactly what's going into them. And I can add a little something extra if I wish: ground flax or whole wheat, for example.

This last weekend I made two batches of chocolate chunk cookies - the large, five-inch kind. Shape them into tubes, wrap them in plastic wrap and stuff them into the freezer in freezer bags, and you can have warm, chocolate-gooey cookies in 18 minutes whenever you want them.

Giant Chocolate Chunk (or chip) Cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 cup melted shortening (or margarine or unsalted butter)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups coarsely chopped dark chocolate bar (or semi-sweet chocolate chips)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Grease cookie sheets (or use non-stick pans)
In a large bowl, cream together melted shortening, brown sugar and white sugar until very well blended. Add the vanilla, egg and egg yolk, and beat until creamy.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Mix dry ingredients into the batter until blended.
Add chocolate chunks. Stir.
Drop cookie dough onto the sheets (each ball should be approx. ¼ of a cup). Place the balls about 3 ½ ” apart.
Bake for approximately 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden.
Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring.