The Holiday (aka: Baking) Spirit

Just made these yummy shortbread/cornmeal cookies from a recipe posted on poppytalk a while back.

THE Best Chocolate Chip Cookies...ever.

What follows is the recipe for my family's favorite dessert, and my most signature recipe:
Great Grandmother Barber's Chocolate Chip Cookies. There is no equal.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In bowl mix*: 1 c. softened butter (2 sticks)
1/2 c. white sugar
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

add: 2 eggs, mix*

add: 2 c. flour (I use 1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour and 1/2 c. all purpose flour)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
dash of cinnamon and/or nutmeg

mix well*.

add chocolate chips--approx. 1 12 oz bag, or how ever much you like.

*do not use an electric mixer. mix by hand, with patience and love, and preferably the same wooden spoon used only for sweet dishes so it becomes 'seasoned.' (yes, I am particular about this)
bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 7 to 10 minutes-- (I like to bake for 8 min., then open the oven, close it, and bake for 2 more min. I've tried not doing this, and they end up burned. This may just be me, though...)
--until they look like this.
Enjoy. And you will.