Ahhhh, parchment paper, how do I love thee?

I seriously LOVE parchment paper.  I don't know what I ever did without it and why everyone doesn't use it, except for maybe they don't know about it.  I no longer clean cookie sheets or have to scrub them between batches.  I just add a piece of parchment, throw on some cookie dough, cook, slide them onto my cooling rack, and add more dough.  It seriously makes baking cookies much easier and faster.

This morning, I was baking cookies before the kids got up, since I totally forgot I was suppose to deliver a snack for teacher treat day this morning until late last night.  I made this new chocolate chip recipe from this link:  http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/cookies/cookies2/cherry-chocolate-chip-cookies.asp.  I was going to make the actual cherry chocolate chip cookies but realized that I had inadvertently picked up dried cranberries flavored like cherries instead of real dried cherries.  That's what happens when you shop with two kids and their friends in tow.  So I scrambled around a bit before I saw the candy jar with the Hershey Hugs left over from Valentines Day.  I grabbed a handful, chopped them up, and tossed them into the dough with the chocolate chips.  YUM-O!  These are REALLY good cookies, a little crispy on the outside but oh so soft on the inside.  I do recommend using good chocolate chips (not the cheapy stuff) but I tend to be a little bit of a chocolate snob.  Anyway, thought I'd share.

Lesson of the day:  If you don't want to work out...don't start your day with cookies. :)