If you give a mouse a cookie, do you also want to have that glass of milk?

If you give your special someone a dozen roses on Valentine’s, is that just the beginning to the end? Love is never having to say “I’m sorry” over and over again. Love is a word that means nothing in the world of tennis.

Is Valentine’s Day just a big retail enterprise for the mass retailers and advertisers? Love should be expressed year-round in the simplest of forms. Recently, while celebrating a birthday lunch, the most wonderful thing happened. It spoke my love language.

The head chef, Jonathan Fraser, from Earls Kitchen and Bar, came around to every table and passed out the most wonderful, fragrant, gorgeous looking, delectable freshly baked-from-scratch chocolate chip cookies. Table after table of businessmen said “no” to the offering of this wonderful delight. I could not get this man to my table of girlfriends fast enough. I stated I will take home any chocolate chip cookie that my girlfriends do not want. I fell in love with this random act of kindness, pro marketing and personal touch.

In a society that is so trained when the economy is down to save every penny and g-d forbid we go out to lunch, it can leave us feeling empty. We say no to the bread on the table, eat our healthy salads with little to no dressing, but say “yes” to the cookie. Carb free and sugar free out the door, hello cookie. I could not have been happier. This chef sat and took the time out of his day to give a personal touch to make his guests feel welcome and appreciated. In a society that is over-scheduled, over-booked and short on personal touch, I felt a feeling full of joy, happiness and friendship.

Of course, our children love Valentine’s Day; it is a time for classroom parties and a shoebox filled with valentine’s cards. Our teenagers feel the pressure to find a special someone, or do they have the fear of being left out on Valentine’s Day? Valentine’s Day is right before the MIHS tolo dance (girl asks boy). I am sure that many girls are thinking of very clever ways to ask their special someone to this dance. Maybe they should ask with a cookie. But do not forget the glass of milk.

This month’s recipe is a Famous Retailer Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. A woman asked the chef for the recipe over 20 years ago and found a $250 charge on her credit card bill for this recipe. So she decided to share her love for this cookie and spread it to the world.

Famous Retailer Chocolate Cookie recipe

2 cups softened butter

2 cups sugar

2 cups brown sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. baking soda

4 cups flour

5 cups blended oatmeal*

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

1 Hershey 8-ounce milk chocolate bar (grated)

24 ounces chocolate chips

3 cups chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare greased or sprayed baking sheets. Cream butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla: mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and soda. Add chocolate chips, Hershey bar and nuts. Roll into balls and place 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes 112 cookies.

(*Measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder.)