Baking Cookies

Today I decided to make peanut butter cookies.  Actually it wasn't today: I bought the creamy peanut butter three or so weeks ago with the intent to make peanut butter cookies (I like to eat crunchy).  So today I finally made them.  You wouldn't think this was a big deal, but I haven't made peanut butter cookies in at least 8 years.  This is due to the fact that I was on my mission where peanut butter was scarce (c'mon Norway, get with the times!) and afterward I started eating natural peanut butter which I deemed too expensive to waste on baking.  But, I got a cookie cookbook for Christmas and I had to try the recipe for Old-fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies.  I added chocolate chips.

Look at those crackly cookies...they are delicious too, with great texture. 

Here is the lesson for all "stereotypical" housewives who I'm sure only have non-partially-hydrogenated peanut butter in the house: don't be afraid to make substitutes to new recipes!  I substituted natural peanut butter instead of cheap peanut butter and I used regular butter instead of vegetable shortening.  Another lesson: real butter makes any cookie amazing.  While these substitutes make these cookies marginally more healthy than using the real ingredients, it is enough of a psychological difference that I don't feel bad eating some of them.  

The funny thing about the recipe is that it said it made 18 2" cookies, that is, 2" balls before cooking.  Well I made about 70 1" cookies.  I don't know whose math was wrong but it seems like I have ended up with about 40 more cookies than anticipated...who wants cookies?!