Oprah's Exposé

Today I watched an Oprah show on the dangers of being...a music video ho. I am so not kidding! Then she talked about 'sex, sluts, and ecstasy' (her words, not mine). And here I thought the only subjects allowed on the show were weight loss, makeovers, celebrities, and child molesters.

Actually, it was a serious show on the objectification and marginalization of women in today's society. And I really do like Oprah. Honest. Thanks to her, I have the all-time best chocolate chip cookie recipe in the world, which I'll share with you now.

All-Time Best Chocolate Chip Cookies in the World

Three splurge items improve these quite a bit: (1) the best-quality dark chocolate chips you can find, (2) really good cookie sheets—the heavy, high-priced kind from the household section of the supermarket, and (3) a wire cooling rack.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter (don't toss the wrappers)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned (or rolled) oats
1/2 cup Grape-Nuts cereal
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
12-ounce bag dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°F (if you want them really crispy, jack up the oven to 400°F). Use the butter wrappers to grease 2 cookie sheets. Combine the flour, oats, cereal, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

In a second, large bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Gradually stir flour mixture into the butter-sugar mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop batter by rounded tablespoons, not teaspoons (I like to use a small ice cream scoop), about 2 inches apart onto prepared pans. Bake until light golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Use a spatula to remove cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Don't be scared of the Grape-Nuts--they turn into a really delicious toffee-like crunch. I should warn you, though--these cookies are dangerous! Last time I made them I accidentally ate 5 in a row.