Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

What to do with a tropical storm sitting over us? We still had power...but had no idea if that would continue, or how long this storm was going to last (we're all fine, by the way. Wind, rain, but no drama). We didn't want to do anything too elaborate and be left with a half completed meal...so why not make cookies?

We did a switch again, Christey baked, and I took the pictures. The recipe was an adaptation of my grandmother's peanut butter cookie recipe.

My grandmother put together a book of family recipes many years ago, everything from cakes to barbecued ribs. Many of the recipes were hers, but she asked all of us to contribute our favorite recipes, and it became almost as much of a family scrapbook as a cookbook.

So, the cookies. 1/2 cup of crisco (my grandmother makes nothing without crisco), goes into the kitchenaid, along with a stick of softened butter, a cup of brown sugar, a cup of regular sugar, and a cup of peanut butter.

This gets beat until light and fluffy (Grandma has given each grandchild a Kitchenaid mixer for a wedding present, and her recipe specifies starting on setting #1, gradually raising to #6)

Once light and fluffy, two eggs are added, and the Kitchenaid gradually is raised from #1 to #4 until blended well.

2 1/2 cups of flour are sifted with a teaspoon each of baking soda and baking powder, and a pinch of salt. This is incorporated with the wet ingredients, a package of semi-sweet chocolate chips is added, and everything is mixed on setting #1 until a smooth ball.

A cookie sheet is greased, and the dough is pushed down with a fork in the traditional peanut butter fashion (they won't melt and spread like chocolate chip cookie dough does). Then into a 375F preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Cool just until you can't stand it any more, then serve with whole milk.