The Secrets to my Specialty

Updates: Still none about the promotion, but we did find out this company is putting a salary freeze on all salaried employees. We aren't sure how that will affect B since the announcement was made yesterday, and B's raise (if he gets it) is effective December 1st (would get reimbursed for the first part of this month), so keep your fingers crossed!

As for Christmas eve, my president pulled me into his office late yesterday afternoon and asked me to close the door. The last time I had a closed door meeting at this place I was told not to come in for at least the following week and enjoy some free, unpaid, time off of work due to a temporary hardship layoff, so I was a little nervous.

Long story short he tells me that we will NOT BE WORKING CHRISTMAS EVE but the ONLY reasons he was telling me is because he trusted me not to say anything to anyone else I work with this week about it and because he knew I would be traveling out of town and would probably want to make arrangements. I thanked him very much for his consideration and for the information and have not said a word about it to anyone sense. It's been rough though. I think he's making the official announcement later today, but knowing I would be able to go home and be home for more than 15 hours was a huge relief!

Anyways, Candice asked me to share how I make my chocolate chip cookies with you, so here's the very complex process...

1. Go to the store and buy Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookie mix, eggs, and Land of Lakes stick margarine. I've found these brands together work best for me, but I'm sure you could substitute your preferred brand of margarine and be fine. *Do not use sticks of "spreadable" margarine unless you want to make a really huge mess.

2. Follow the directions on the package of cookie mix. I usually heat my over to 375, fit 12 dough balls (about an inch and a half in size) on a cookie sheet and cook for 7-8 minutes. When they come out of the over I put them on paper towels on cooling racks (the paper towel prevent the cookies from falling through the grid on the cooling rack). In my experience 7-8 minutes gives the bottom of the cookies a nice golden brown look without burning, and also leaves the cookies soft and melt-in-your-mouth worthy. 1 bags usually yields about 20 cookies when I make them.

3. This is VERY important... keep all men out of the kitchen when you are baking these cookies. I made them one time when my husbands 2 best friends were over watching football and 1/2 of every pan that came out of the oven was devoured before it even had a chance to cool off. Now anytime they come over to watch football the first thing they ask me is if I'm going to make any cookies. :-)

I really like cooking/baking because I can turn on some Michael Buble music and the process relaxes me after work, but I am definitely a fan of meals in 60 minutes or less on weeknights... what are some of your favorites?