This is a favorite cookie recipe of mine. With that in mind, I made the cookies as an entry in the culinary competition at the Western Montana Fair August of 2001. They won Honorable Mention--not good enough to win first class. The strange thing, though, is that my entries were entirely eaten; the first-, second-, and third-class entries were still intact on their presentation trays. Go figure.

Honorable Mention Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup vegetable shortening or butter

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir together dry ingredients--flour, baking soda, and salt. In seperate bowl, cream shortening, sugar, and brown sugar. Mix in the eggs and vanilla and beat well. Then add the flour mixture in thirds and thoroughly incorporate. It should be a really sticky, thick dough. Add the chips last. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheets and bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. Makes about two to three dozen cookies, depending on how much of the dough you eat!