DAY 1

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
This is a very basic recipe. I downloaded this one from Cathy Lowe of Food Network.com But really I have seen the same recipe in a number of places.

Ingredients:
1 cup Sugar, 1/4 cup additional to roll cookies
1 stick butter - at room temperature (not too soft. You should be able to just press your finger into the butter) and only use butter - no margarine
1 egg, I bring my eggs to room temp when I bake
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups flour - white unbleached all purpose

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or you can grease them. Honestly, invest in parchment paper you will thank me later.
In a large bowl, cream  together the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg. Mix in the peanut butter and vanilla until smooth and creamy.  Stir in salt, baking soda, and flour until well combined.
Roll dough into 1 inch balls - I use a small ice cream scoop. Then roll in sugar. I dip my fork in sugar then make a criss cross pattern on the cookies. You can sprinkle a little more sugar if you like.

Bake for 12 - 15 minutes. Cool on cookies sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to cooling rack.

This recipe can be doubled. If you make 3 times or 4 times you have to adjust the salt and flour. Just make 2 batches of double. I made 4 times and got  240 cookies (3 were eaten by the taste tester)  These cookies also freeze really well.

Enjoy!