There was a time in my life when baking up a batch of chocolate chip cookies could solve almost any personal problem.  Mom mad at me? Make chocolate chip cookies.  Friends hurting my feelings?  Make chocolate chip cookies.  Just feeling plain sad on a gray, drizzly day?  Make chocolate chip cookies.  Then life began to get a little more complicated.  A potential boyfriend asking someone else to the prom. Getting a “B” instead of an “A” on the report card.  Trying to decide what I really wanted to be when I grew up.   And instead of turning to chocolate chip cookies, I started turning to a new life-passion: acting. First in community theatre in Boulder , Colorado , where I grew up. Then on to larger audiences in Denver . Then, upon graduation from high school, on to the Yale School of Drama and Broadway in New York City , before settling down in Los Angeles to do both theatre and television.  Even now, when I long for simple comforts, after a long day or a grueling season of rehearsals and performances, I turn to warm chocolate chip cookies. Rarely baked by me, but still just as gooey good.

Chocolate chip cookies -- the original comfort food.

(Makes about 3 doz. large cookies or 6 dozen smaller cookies)

 
Ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour                       1/2 cup packed, light brown sugar

1 T. baking powder                              3 eggs

1 T. baking soda                                   3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 T. ground cinnamon                           3 cups old fashioned rolled oats

1 t. salt                                                    2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1 ½ cups butter at room temp.             2 cups (8 oz.) chopped pecans

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in bowl.

In 8-qt. bowl, beat butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 1 minute.

Gradually beat in sugars and beat to combine, 2 minutes.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Beat in vanilla.

Stir in flour mixture until just combined. Add chocolate chips, oats, coconut and pecans.

Drop spoonfuls of dough onto ungreased baking sheet, spacing 3 inches apart.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 15 – 17 minutes, until edges are lightly browned. Rotate cookie sheet halfway through. Remove cookies to rack to cool.