who're you calling chubby?

Weight can often be a sensitive subject, and there are a few kinder, more delicate ways to describe the size of something or someone.

If you have to use an adjective, portly and husky seem to be nice descriptors for dudes, and I think stout's all right too. For the ladies, pleasantly plump is okay, but the best term of all is one I heard in a movie the other day--zaftig. Gotta love Yiddish.

These fudgy cookies have been dubbed chocolate chubbies, and for good reason--they're practically bursting at the seams. There's quite a bit of chocolate in these little treats, both incorporated into the dough and added in morsel form, and they're packed with toasted pecan pieces too. If your mix-ins outweigh your actual cookie dough, I think it's safe to say that you're headed in the right direction.

Chocolate Chubbies Tubbies Pudgies Roly-Polies
From The All-American Cookie Book
Makes 30-35
Ingredients:

• 2 cups coarsely chopped pecan pieces, toasted
• 8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1-1/3 cups semisweet chocolate morsels

Directions:
Preheat over to 325 degrees F. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper or thoroughly spray them with nonstick spray.
Melt the 8 ounces of chocolate and butter together in the microwave or on the stove top and let cool to warm.
In a small bowl, thoroughly combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
In a larger bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together the sugar, eggs, and vanilla until thick and lightened.
Beat in the chocolate mixture, then add the flour mixture and beat until combined.
Stir in the pecans and chocolate chips until even distributed.
Refrigerate the dough for 2-8 hours, at least until firm.
Drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets by heaping tablespoonfuls spaced about 2-1/2 inches apart.
Bake 11-14 minutes, until just firm on the edges and still soft in the center.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.