Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

This time of year, we want to share with everybody.  My kids want to take cookies to the firefighters and their favorite librarian and the mailman and every clerk at every store they meet.

While I like their giving attitude, that's a lot of baking.  And while I love to bake, during December I also need to decorate and make presents and wrap presents and teach and ... well, you know the drill.

So while we are going to bake and share cookies, sometimes we get the idea to share them faster than we can decorate them, and that's where these cookie bars come in.  They're homemade, taste great, and easy to mix up.  They even bake quickly, so soon you'll be slicing and bagging them to take to your very favorite community helpers.

So, if you find yourself with more people to gift than time to make presents, try out these cookie bars.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. butter
• 3/4 c. brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1 t. vanilla
• 2 1/4 c. white-wheat flour
• 1/2 t. salt
• 2 c. chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Cream the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla.
2. Add eggs and beat well.
3. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. 
4. Gradually beat into the creamed mixture.
5. Stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Spread the batter in a greased 9X13" pan.  
7. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes.

These are even more festive with M&Ms instead of chocolate chips, too!

What's your favorite foodie gift?