Mmmm....Nostalgia...

We've had a rough few days around here...the babies are sick with rotten colds again, this time filling their sinuses and making for a lot of goo. They're having difficulty sleeping, which means Mom and Dad aren't sleeping. Last night was especially fun as I sent Phil out to sleep on the couch since he had to get up early for work this morning while I tried to get the boys settled. It was a long night, I finally got them down and got to close my eyes at around 5am. I slept in 20-30 minute bursts until 9:30 when the girl child woke up and wanted breakfast.

So with very little sleep I was cranky. I spent the day surfing the net and knitting, and wiping wee noses. I felt like crap, and I started feeling lower and lower. This day needed a pick-me-up ending. But it had to be a good one.

This day called for cookies.

And not just any cookies...I got out my book where I've written down all my favourite recipes and found the peanut butter cookies from the Pillsbury Cookbook that lives in my mother's kitchen. That book is full of family favourites, but I think these cookies are the best.

When I was a kid I'd help Mom or Dad make them, and by "help" I mean that I was in charge of pressing them with a fork.



It's still my favourite part of the process.

When I was smaller, I'd watch the cookies through the window of the oven, waiting for them to be ready. As an adult it's hard not to sneak peeks



As a teenager, I'd bake them on my own sometimes and I'd have my nose in a book while they were in the oven. That hasn't really changed...except my book has an on/off switch now.

Other things have changed since I baked these as a kid...I now do all the measuring, though I'm not at all able to "eyeball" measurements as my Dad can (the man can literally toss flour and whatnot into a bowl and come out with perfect pie crust. It's his gift). I'm also fully responsible for clean up, which isn't nearly a fun as the baking or eating part.

Most importantly, I now have my own little helpers, eager to do the pressing, eager to watch the baking, eager to have a cookie still warm from the oven.

The best part hasn't changed though...



Mmmmm