Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars 1

My friends love Chocolate chip cookies, almost every week I must have cookies made for them. So this week was the week for me to make some and I just got tired of the same old cookies. What I decided to do was make the same recipe but make them into bars, less work and taste more like a cake cookie bar so to speak. Now this recipe is the base for an original chocolate chip cookie, however if you love cherries (as much as I do), pecans, walnuts, semi-sweet chocolate, milk chocolate, and oatmeal you can add these items and anything else you love, which will make such a nice soft bar.. But don't forget the chocolate chips, its the base of the recipe. This is only one bar recipe out of many, as they say, "The Skies The Limit".

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cup Hershey's Milk Chocolate Chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1/2 cup roughly chopped cherries (optional)
1/4-1/2 cup instant oatmeal (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 375F

2. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in a large bowl, until creamy. Then add eggs, mix well. Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture, mixing until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips, saving 1/4 cup and stir in optional items, saving a few handfuls, if desire.
3. In a squared 8" pan or larger, spread the dough evenly throughout the pan, then sprinkle the rest of the chocolate chips over the top and the few handfuls of optional items over the top as well.
4. Bake for about 25-40 minutes at 375F, it depends on your oven. Usually I check them at 25 minutes and leave them to brown for 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Let cool and Enjoy!