Cookie Jar: Peanut Butter Cookies

My summer vacation lasted all of 1 (ONE) day.  And now that I think about it, it can't even be called a vacation because it was a state holiday here:  King Kamehameha Day.  If school had been in session, I would've had it as a legitimate holiday anyway.  So perhaps a more accurate opening line should have been, "I completed my first and began my second summer employment opportunities."

I reported to the good 'ole blue and gold on Monday for 3 days of pacing guide work.  While it sounds intense, it was actually time well spent.  I managed to finish my pacing guide for the 1st quarter, and I'm almost done with the 2nd quarter.  Now all I need to do is share it with my partner to see what she'd like to incorporate in our co-teaching class.

In addition to working on my pacing guide, I helped a friend, OllieMama, get the keys to her new classroom.  She'd been driving around with half her work shit in her truck so she was more than happy to get access to her new digs so she could unload.  The key czar in the office was in a good mood and readily allowed her to sign out her key set, which included the "magic" key.  The magic key works the building elevator. . .no need to lug 40-pound boxes of paper up 3 flights of stairs!

But the real winners in all of this were the custodians.  Upon entering her room, OllieMama and I discovered the remnants of a sheet cake and a "PLEASE EAT" sign which had been left on a desk by the previous occupant.  Had OllieMama not asked for the keys, the room would not have been opened for several weeks.  The custodians, who would have opened up the room to wax the floors, would've had a massive surprise.  OllieMama is fortunate to be in a building which does not have the same critter infestation problem many of the other buildings have (probably because it's the newest building, save for the gym, on campus).  The cake would've definitely welcomed the roaches and other creepy-crawlies.

OllieMama definitely has her work cut out for her.  In addition to the cake, the previous occupant did a horrible job cleaning the room.  Everything was merely shoved into the cabinets.  At least OllieMama will have lots of time to get her room into shape.  I can't wait to see the finished product.

Sometime in the early part of the week, Mr. Dependable jetted off to the continent, leaving the Ds to take care of his pets.

When the Ds were younger, I used to dread having to deal with Mr. Dependable's animals.  The Ds couldn't manage the dogs on their own, and cleaning the rabbit cage was a nightmare.  Now, there's no rabbit (R.I.P. Ruby) and the Ds are both able to handle to his unruly dogs by themselves.  Even better, D1 can drive there herself!

Since I had the Ds through the weekend, D2 and I decided to bake cookies.  We spent a lot of time trying to decide what kind of cookies to make.  We thought about making chocolate chip cookies and snickerdoodles, but we abandoned those ideas in favor of peanut butter cookies.  D2 is a fan of peanut butter, and I told her about how I loved it when KikukatMom made these because I got to help do the criss-crosses.  D2 helped me mix the dough and did the criss-crosses.  It would've been nice if she helped me wash the dishes, but I guess I have to do some work.

 click on recipe title for printable recipe

Peanut Butter Cookies

     1/2 c butter

     1/2 c peanut butter

     1/2 c sugar

     1/2 c brown sugar

     1 egg

     1 tsp vanilla

     1/2 tsp salt

     1 tsp baking soda

     1 1/4 c flour

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Sift salt, baking soda and flour together.  Set aside.  Cream butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar.  Add egg and vanilla.  Gradually add sifted dry ingredients.  Use a #60 disher to drop dough onto parchment-lined cookie sheet.  Flatten in criss-cross pattern with a lightly floured fork.  Bake for 11 minutes.  Makes 3-4 dozen cookies.

Oh.  I almost forgot.  My second summer employment opportunity began on Friday.  At 6:00 am.

I thought there was a chance it would end on Friday too.  At 6:30 am.

One of the summer people decided to take the day (sick or off, does it really matter?) and, unbeknownst to me, took it upon herself to call a sub.  It took me over 30 minutes to find someone "legitimate" (submitted employment papers) willing to sub.  I don't understand the people who put in their names as subs...apparently 2 months ago, working as a sub during the summer sounded like a good idea, even if they had no intention of actually working.  And then now, when I'm calling at 6 am, working doesn't sound good at all.

Then I thought about quitting again.  At 8:00 am.

I got a call from the sub (not the one I called; this is how I found out the employee called her own sub).  As Eliza Doolittle would say, "Garnnnn!"

I'm hoping today will be a better day.

My summer vacation lasted all of 1 (ONE) day.  And now that I think about it, it can't even be called a vacation because it was a state holiday here:  King Kamehameha Day.  If school had been in session, I would've had it as a legitimate holiday anyway.  So perhaps a more accurate opening line should have been, "I completed my first and began my second summer employment opportunities."

I reported to the good 'ole blue and gold on Monday for 3 days of pacing guide work.  While it sounds intense, it was actually time well spent.  I managed to finish my pacing guide for the 1st quarter, and I'm almost done with the 2nd quarter.  Now all I need to do is share it with my partner to see what she'd like to incorporate in our co-teaching class.

In addition to working on my pacing guide, I helped a friend, OllieMama, get the keys to her new classroom.  She'd been driving around with half her work shit in her truck so she was more than happy to get access to her new digs so she could unload.  The key czar in the office was in a good mood and readily allowed her to sign out her key set, which included the "magic" key.  The magic key works the building elevator. . .no need to lug 40-pound boxes of paper up 3 flights of stairs!

But the real winners in all of this were the custodians.  Upon entering her room, OllieMama and I discovered the remnants of a sheet cake and a "PLEASE EAT" sign which had been left on a desk by the previous occupant.  Had OllieMama not asked for the keys, the room would not have been opened for several weeks.  The custodians, who would have opened up the room to wax the floors, would've had a massive surprise.  OllieMama is fortunate to be in a building which does not have the same critter infestation problem many of the other buildings have (probably because it's the newest building, save for the gym, on campus).  The cake would've definitely welcomed the roaches and other creepy-crawlies.

OllieMama definitely has her work cut out for her.  In addition to the cake, the previous occupant did a horrible job cleaning the room.  Everything was merely shoved into the cabinets.  At least OllieMama will have lots of time to get her room into shape.  I can't wait to see the finished product.

Sometime in the early part of the week, Mr. Dependable jetted off to the continent, leaving the Ds to take care of his pets.

When the Ds were younger, I used to dread having to deal with Mr. Dependable's animals.  The Ds couldn't manage the dogs on their own, and cleaning the rabbit cage was a nightmare.  Now, there's no rabbit (R.I.P. Ruby) and the Ds are both able to handle to his unruly dogs by themselves.  Even better, D1 can drive there herself!

Since I had the Ds through the weekend, D2 and I decided to bake cookies.  We spent a lot of time trying to decide what kind of cookies to make.  We thought about making chocolate chip cookies and snickerdoodles, but we abandoned those ideas in favor of peanut butter cookies.  D2 is a fan of peanut butter, and I told her about how I loved it when KikukatMom made these because I got to help do the criss-crosses.  D2 helped me mix the dough and did the criss-crosses.  It would've been nice if she helped me wash the dishes, but I guess I have to do some work.

 click on recipe title for printable recipe

Peanut Butter Cookies

     1/2 c butter

     1/2 c peanut butter

     1/2 c sugar

     1/2 c brown sugar

     1 egg

     1 tsp vanilla

     1/2 tsp salt

     1 tsp baking soda

     1 1/4 c flour

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Sift salt, baking soda and flour together.  Set aside.  Cream butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar.  Add egg and vanilla.  Gradually add sifted dry ingredients.  Use a #60 disher to drop dough onto parchment-lined cookie sheet.  Flatten in criss-cross pattern with a lightly floured fork.  Bake for 11 minutes.  Makes 3-4 dozen cookies.

Oh.  I almost forgot.  My second summer employment opportunity began on Friday.  At 6:00 am.

I thought there was a chance it would end on Friday too.  At 6:30 am.

One of the summer people decided to take the day (sick or off, does it really matter?) and, unbeknownst to me, took it upon herself to call a sub.  It took me over 30 minutes to find someone "legitimate" (submitted employment papers) willing to sub.  I don't understand the people who put in their names as subs...apparently 2 months ago, working as a sub during the summer sounded like a good idea, even if they had no intention of actually working.  And then now, when I'm calling at 6 am, working doesn't sound good at all.

Then I thought about quitting again.  At 8:00 am.

I got a call from the sub (not the one I called; this is how I found out the employee called her own sub).  As Eliza Doolittle would say, "Garnnnn!"

I'm hoping today will be a better day.