This is the week I’ve been waiting for — sharing my favorite recipe of all time.

Way back four years ago, I was the Mahoning County reporter. On Election Day, I ran around, getting photos and stories before my jaunt to the newsroom where I’d be the rest of the night.

Now, for those not in the media, the weeks leading up to Election Day are daunting. It’s the actual day itself that I think is pretty awesome.

Part of it is that natural bustle of making sure you call your assigned candidates, talk with voters and check to see results as votes are tallied.

The other part, and I know some fellow media members will agree, is the food.

Who would have thought, right?

My first newsroom, we had some incredible pizza and barbecue. It was 2016 and my first foray into Election Night.

I wasn’t privy to the food that would be involved.

I drove my tiny Toyota to my polling location and cast my ballot. Then made the ridiculously long trek out to work (well over an hour with traffic).

It’s an understatement to say I was elated when I arrived right when the pulled brisket, pizza, potatoes, pop, macaroni and cheese and everything else did.

In Montana, it was a little different since I was the only reporter, and I was also contracting with the Associated Press.

It wasn’t a presidential election year and voter turnout was expected to be low.

Except it wasn’t — it took days to count the paper ballots (I tapped out after 2 a.m. with less than I think 25% votes across the county and state turned in), and waiting around a board of elections or with county commissioners is great with the free food, but at some point, everyone gets sleepy and slap-happy.

The dozens of muffins, cupcakes, pizza, homemade sweets and everything else don’t compare with sleep.

That was the year, though, that something pretty great happened.

Not only did I have something to contribute to the spread, I was really close to perfecting my chocolate chip cookie recipe.

In the years leading up to Montana, I wanted to have “that recipe” that I knew off the top of my head was pretty dang good.

Just before moving in 2017, I tried a random cookie recipe and didn’t mind the outcome.

Over the course of the next year or so, I experimented and was ready for Election Day in my tiny, beautiful Montana town.

The cookies were a hit and were gone in no time.

Proud, I entered into a lifelong relationship with that recipe, and in 2020 I whipped up a couple of batches to share with The Vindicator and Tribune Chronicle crew.

Again, gone in almost an instant.

That’s when I decided to call them “Election Day cookies.”

They aren’t extremely sweet, and like a lot of other ingredients in a lot of other dishes, I measure the morsels with my heart.

Cookie tables, care packages, funsies, these cookies make their way everywhere.

Sometimes I’ll do equal parts butter and Crisco, and other times all butter.

I’ve tried using butter from the fridge but my mixer isn’t a fan; room-temp butter but the cookies end up flat; and softened butter that I think come out best.

Chilling the dough doesn’t let the cookies spread as much as I like (when I make a cookie, I want a large, thick and gooey monstrosity).

If you like a crunchier cookie, bake them a little longer.

And another thing.

I have old cookie (or cooking?) sheets that are so well-used that I don’t bother greasing them. I’ve tried using parchment paper but it’s more of a headache for me.

Prepare your cookie sheet as you would for any other chocolate chip recipe.

The great thing with these directions, like so many others I try sharing, is you can swap out ingredients and play around with what you like so you get your favorite cookie recipe.

Now I’m going to rummage the breakroom for Election Day leftovers. But no cookies. They’re gone.

Election Day Cookies

1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened (Can sub ½ cup Crisco for butter)

1 cup brown sugar, packed

½ cup white sugar

2 eggs (I like extra large or jumbo for this recipe)

1 teaspoon vanilla (I tend to measure on the generous side)

2 ½ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

Chocolate chips

M&Ms

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Prepare pans as you would for cookies.

Whip butter, brown sugar and white sugar until fluffy.

In a separate small bowl, beat eggs and vanilla. Add to creamed butter and incorporate.

Slowly add flour, mixing a little at a time. I keep the mixer on and introduce it continuously, adding the baking soda and salt.

Add chocolate. I add however much I’m feeling that day. It’s usually a lot.

Bake for about 11 minutes.

Cool for 10 minutes then transfer to rack and enjoy.

Share your favorite recipes and memories with Features Editor Ashley Fox at afox@tribtoday.com.