Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookies

 2 sticks (1 cup) margarine (Wally used Blue Bonnet) 

2 eggs 

1 teaspoon real vanilla extract 

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 

3/4 cup granulated sugar 

1 teaspoon baking soda

1⁄ 2 teaspoon salt 

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 

2 to 4 tablespoons grated coconut (depending on how much you like coconut) 

1 cup pecan pieces 

3 cups (18 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips (Wally used either Nestle or Ghirardelli) 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Unwrap the margarine and grease cookie sheets with the margarine paper.  In a large bowl, cream margarine, eggs, vanilla, sugars, soda and salt. Gently add flour, coconut and pecans, in that order.

Add chocolate chips (which Amos called “the most important ingredient”) only until the chips are well blended. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a cookie sheet about an inch apart. (Famous Amos cookies should be bite-sized.)

Bake in the center of the oven between 8 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are brown top and bottom, turning the baking sheets several times to ensure even baking. Leave on the sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to complete cooling.

Yield: 80 to 100 cookies