My favorite chocolate chip cookies

These are just the best cookies and they work well at high altitudes!! The secret is I don't put in as many chocolate chips! So many people like to eat chocolate chip cookie dough and I think that 12 ozs. or 2 cups of chips drowns out the cookie. If you want you can add the whole bag, of course, but try it once with less chips. This recipe came from a series of cookbooks in Colorado called "Kitchen Keepsakes"and I made a couple of changes. They are wonderful for high altitude(I live at almost 7000 feet) and work well at all altitudes. I don't know if the cookbooks are available any more.

• 1/2 cup butter



• 1/2 cup butter flavored Crisco, you can use 1 cup butter flavored Crisco and eliminate the butter



• 3/4 cup white sugar



• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed



• 1 tsp. vanilla



• 2 Eggs



• 2 1/4 cup unbleached flour( I use King Arthur or Pillsbury, or unbleached Wheat Montana when I can get it )



• 1 tsp. baking soda



• 1 tsp. salt



• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips or 3/4 of a 12 oz. bag



• 1 cup chopped nuts(optional)

Bream butter, shortening, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs and mix well. Add the dry ingredients and thoroughly mix. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts, if desired. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes or golden brown. Remove from oven, and let set for 2 or 3 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet onto cooling racks. Makes 3 dozen-