3 1/2 c  Flour

  1 1/2 ts Baking soda

  1 1/2 ts Salt

      2    Vanilla beans, split length-

           -wise
      3    Sticks (1 1/2 c) unsalted

           .butter, softened
      1 c  +2 T firmly packed brown

           .sugar
      1 c  +2 T granulated sugar

      3 lg Eggs

  1 1/2 ts Vanilla extract

      3 c  Semisweet chocolate chips

           (or chocolate chunks about
           1 pound)

  1 1/2 c  Chopped walnuts (about 1/3

           .lb)
  Preheat oven to 350F.
  In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Scrape
  vanilla bean seeds from pods into standing electric mixer, reserving
  pods for another use if desired, and add butter and sugars, beating
  until light and fluffy. One at a time, beat in eggs, beating well
  after each addition, and beat in vanilla extract. Add flour mixture
  and beat until dough just comes together. Stir in chocolate chips or
  chunks and walnuts (do not overmix).
  Form dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and arrange about 2 inches apart on
  parchment-lined baking sheet. Flatten balls slightly with a metal
  spatula and bake cookies in batches in middle of the oven until
  golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer cookies with spatula to racks to
  cool.