Happy Birthday! + Recipe | Crisscross Peanut Butter Cookies

            Sunday we celebrated Keith's forty-fifth birthday after he came home from work.  The poor guy has been working every weekend for the past couple of months.  I wanted to make an Oktoberfest dinner for him but because he wasn't sure what time he would be home [later than the usual dinner-time] we opted to go out for dinner instead.  And in lieu of a traditional birthday cake, I baked Keith's favorite cooky----Crisscross Peanut Butter cookies.  Oh are they G double O good!  Buttery, peanutty, slightly crisp and melt in you mouth G-OO-D!  I rarely make them because I honestly have no self  control when they are in the house!  I put them in a storage bag for him to take to work.  Lol!  

      Erich doesn't like peanut butter and he tried one and he said, 'that's actually really good!"

      
Crisscross Peanut Butter Cookies

Adapted from my Mama's 1965 McCall's Cookie Collection cook book

1 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup soft butter
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter ( I use Peter Pan )
1/2 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla

1.  Sift flour with baking soda; set aside.
2. In large bowl, combine butter with remaining ingredients; beat until smooth and fluffy.
3. Add  flour mixture until well combined.
4. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour.
5. Preheat oven to 375*F.  Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease.
6. Form dough into 1 1/4 inch balls.  Place, 3 inches apart, on prepared cookie sheets.
7. Flatten with fork, dipped in granulated sugar, making a crisscross pattern.  (I dipped the fork in sugar, before pressing the cookie, each time; to prevent the fork from sticking to the dough.)
8. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned.
9. Remove to wire rack; cool.
10. Store in airtight container.  If they last long enough to make it into one, that is!