Pistachio Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies

Whenever I visit our local library with daughter,I'm sure will borrow some cooking or baking books .One of the baking book I borrow is Chocolate American Style by Lora Brody.The photography is quite impressive and the recipe is easy to follow..One of the recipe I choose is Orange Pistachio Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies but I omit few ingredients to suit my taste..
Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups(11.25 oz) all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter(8 oz),room temperature
3/4 cup (6oz) granulated sugar( I reduced to 1/2 cup)
3/4 cup (6 oz) light brown sugar,packed(I reduced to 1/2 cup)
2 extra-large eggs (I used large egg instead)
2 tsp almond extract (I replaced wt vanilla extract
1/4 orange oil or 2 large grated zest oranges( I omit both)
1 1/2 cups (7.5 oz) milk choc chips
1 1/2 shelled pistachios,salted or unsalted,left whole( I crushed coarsely)
Yield about 4 1/2 dozen

Method:

1:Preheat the oven to 375 F with rack in the center position.Line 2 baking sheets with silicone pan liners or parchment paper.

2:Sift the flour ,baking soda and salt into a medium bowl.Place the butter,granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl.Using an electric mixer set on high speed,beat the mixture until it is light and fluffy,about 2 minutes.Reduce the mixer speed to low and add in the eggs,one at a time, and mix zest and finally the flour.When the flour mixture is totally incorporated,mix in the chocolate chips and nuts.

3:Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons on the prepared sheets,placing the portions 2 inches apart.Bake the cookies,one sheet at a time, until they just begin to brown around the edges,10-12 minutes.The center should remain pale.Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes,then transfer them to a wire rack to cool.

4:Bake the remaining cookies in the same way. (You do not have to replace the lining material for subsequent batches).

5:Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Note:

If you like flat,crisp,chewy cookies,slam the cookie sheets down on a work surface halfway through the baking time.If you like softer cookies,skip this step.
These make great freeze and serve cookies:
Form the dough into 2 logs 10 inches long and about 2 inches wide.Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and again in aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
To bake:Use a sharp knife to cut the still frozen dough into 3/4 inches slices. place the slices 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets and allow them to defrost for 15 minutes before baking them according to the directions above.