Ta-da! I have arrived from the depths of my too-small kitchen with another Instructable for everyone. This time, it's everyone's favorite cookie: the chocolate chip.

Invented by some greater unearthly being from the cosmos, the chocolate chip cookie has been around since ancient times. The recipe was written on the tablets that Moses brought down from the mountain. Helen of Troy tempted the men in her life not with her body, but with cookies. Genghis Khan swept across the known world at the time searching for more cookies for his men.

Ok, the cheesy adoration I have for these cookies is over now. Sorry about that. :)

But seriously, let's get cracking! THUNDERCATS ARE GO!

Step 1: Ingredients and Tools Needed.

Here's the list of ingredients we'll need and the tools we're going to use.

The Edibles
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup brown sugar (packed; dark or light is fine [it's a taste thing])
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 butter (melted; salted or unsalted is fine [it's a taste thing])

1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk (the yellow stuff only)

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

The Workables
1 small bowl (to melt butter in; I used the microwave, so make sure it's microwave safe)
1 medium bowl (to sift stuff in)
1 large bowl (to cream stuff together in)
1 sifter
1 spoon

Step 2: Preheat the Oven!

Now that you've assembled all of your ingredients, time to preheat the oven.

So we're going to preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (which is around 165 degrees C).

Aaaaaand... onto the next step!

Step 3: Holy Sift! What's That?

Sorry for the bad joke title. I had to do it.

Let's get sifting! In the large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. And then push it aside. We're going to come back to it in a bit. Don't worry about it because it's a big kid now and can be left alone for a minute.

Right? I know my flour mixture is mature.

"But Jason, why do we have to sift it all together? I'm still recovering from my overworked whisking muscles from your previous Instructable!"

Well, you have to because all-purpose flour is kind of clumpy. So if you want clumpy, floury-tasting cookies, don't sift. Also, I think sifting allows a more even distribution of the salt and baking soda throughout the flour. Just trust me and do it already. Sheesh.

If you need a little push while sifting, put on Reel Big Fish's big hit "Sell Out" while sifting. It speeds up the process.

Step 4: Time to Melt Stuff! and Mix Stuff! Hoo Rah!

Ok. Now. It's time to get intimate with your microwave. But not in that way. Nevermind. Just understand how your microwave works because we're going to use it.

Take the butter and stick it in a microwave-safe bowl and then stick it in the microwave. Nuke the butter until it's melted. In my ancient 'wave, it only took two 35-second intervals. In fancier 'waves, it might take less. Just melt it already. Becareful taking it out because it'll more than likely be hot and liquidy.

Stage 1:In the large bowl, dump the sugars and the melted butter and begin mixing! It'll look weird, but make sure you break up any brown sugar clumps that form. We need it thoroughly mixed, but don't kill it.

Stage 2:After that, we're going to beat in the vanilla extract and the egg stuffs. It should look like picture #2.

Step 5: Flour/Soda/Salt, I Want You to Meet Sugar/Egg/Vanilla and You Guys Can Sit Over There.

In this step, you're going to slowly add in the flour mixture to the sugar mixture. Make super sure to stir slowly, or you'll end up with a mess everywhere.

I don't really think I need a picture of that. Just mix well, making sure to scrape the sides and get all the flour involved. It should look like a nice brown-ish cookie dough. Weird, right?

Once it's all mixed up, you're in business. We're now going to set them up on the cookie sheets. Make sure that you've sprayed them with some Pam or something or maybe some parchment paper. That way, there's no burning.

I like my cookies a little bigger, but it doesn't really matter what size they are. Just make them consistent, so they will all cook at the same time.

Step 6: Throw Them in Ze Oven! Huzzah!

Open the oven.

Insert cookie sheets into oven.

Close oven.

Set timer for 15 to 17 minues.

Check for doneness by examinging edges. If they're visibly dry and a little brown, remove cookie sheets from oven.

Let cool for a few minutes. Wire racks help in this case, if you have them.