Sometimes You Should Go Long

by Scott Bonder
President, DeKalb Bar Association

Likely as a result of some horrific personality flaw, I focused on these with an almost OCD like neurosis. My goal has been to provide practical advice based on nearly 20 years as a lawyer with the theme of brevity being a good thing. In trying to decide what practical advice to give as we approach the holiday season, I realized that my theme of brevity should not continue unabated throughout the year. At times, brevity is a mistake.

Brevity is a mistake when you could be spending time with your family. Brevity is a mistake when you could instead spend some more time with your spouse or significant other. Brevity is a tragic mistake if you allow it to rule your life to the point that you look back at a life of brief moments and realize that you are not in any of the photos of your family or friends doing fun things that took a long time.

One great way to capture some time with family and friends is to make cookies. Yes, I said it, cookies.

The best thing to come out of last year’s multiple ice/snow shutdowns for me was the time I took with my family to collaborate and decide on what we believe to be the single best chocolate chip cookie recipe of all time. (I would attribute the recipe to somebody, but believe it is ultimately a combination of several all taken from the internet.) You cannot rush the prep, as things only mix so fast. You cannot rush the baking as the heat transfers at its own rate regardless of your desires. And, who the heck wants to rush the eating.

I give to you:

The only chocolate chip cookie recipe you will ever need

1 cup unsalted butter
½ cup sugar
1.5 cups packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. plus a slight pinch more salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 cups (plus some for eating while baking) high quality semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter, sugar and brown sugar until fluffy, roughly 3 minutes with stand mixer at medium. Add eggs and beat until fully incorporated, about 2 minutes in stand mixer. Add baking soda, baking powder, salt and mix until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add flour slowly to avoid lumps. Add chocolate chips and mix. Put about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 12-14 minutes until edges are golden brown. Center will finish browning as they cool.

At all times, please be messy, throw flour on your family, friends and helpers. Make sure to eat too much of the dough so you feel a bit ill, but not enough to actually become ill. Take pictures. And look at your friends, family and loved ones while they eat. Look, listen and do not be brief. Have a happy holiday season.