fandomhigh | Baking Workshop 6/26, Monday Morning

Piper smiles at the students as they arrive. "We're going to make chocolate chip cookies today. As always, I brought some samples."

"Next week, you get to bake whatever you want. I'd like each of you to find a recipe before then. They can easily be found online," she continues. She peers at all of them warily. "Try not to choose something that requires open flames."

Then she hands them a list of ingredients and instructions. "Feel free to ask questions if you have any."

Equipment Needed

Mixing Bowls

Measuring Cups

Measuring Spoons

Baking Sheets

Cooling Rack

Ingredients

2 sticks butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated white sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 extra large eggs

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine butter, margarine, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large mixer bowl.

Add eggs one at a time, beating until fully incorporated.

Add vanilla extract and beat in.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.

Add to the wet mixture.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Let stand for about 1 minute and remove from hot baking sheet to cool on rack.

[ooc: ingredients and instructions from here.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Only to someone who's been there," Sam said quietly, having heard the radio. "I made a huge fool of myself after O'Neill went AWOL, if it helps. You're not alone."

"Thanks, Carter. That actually really does help." Anders closed his eyes for a second and smiled tightly, then looked at her. "I just hope she doesn't hear all about it, you know?"

"Yeah, I know. Do you have a good cover story ready? Baseball or soccer celebration?"

"I don't suppose just chalking it up to being that frakking drunk will work, will it?" Anders asked.

"It might, but it might not," Sam shrugged, not at all helpfully.

Anders rolled his eyes and smiled a little bit. "Actually, I get this feeling she'd think it was hot."

"Is that why you did it?" Sam asked.

"No, I did it because ~~my player couldn't resist the pretty, OMG~~ --" Anders facepalmed. "I don't know. Maybe I just really didn't want to sleep alone."

"Oh, do I get that," Sam nodded emphatically, "that's the worst part of being single. Er, not that Jack and I spent a lot of time in the same bed." Which was part of the problem, now that she thought about it. "Getting used to sleeping alone again is rough."

"If I'm awake, feel free to knock on the door if you can't sleep," she offered.

"I might be crashing with Bridge for a few days," Anders explained. "Well, I'm sort of in ABC-DC headquarters right now. But I'll keep that in mind. Thanks."

"You're welcome, and if I can give you another hint?" Sam said, "don't drink the punch at the school dances until you're better."

Anders laughed. "I don't think I'll be going to any of those for a while yet anyway."

"Oh, c'mon..." she snickered, pleased that Anders was doing something other than moaning over his sore head, "we can recreate the snark corner."

He considered this. "You've got a deal," Anders agreed. "But I'm not snarking on Cally. Maybe I'll take my Pyramid ball again, like I did at Homecoming."

"No, you don't have to snark on Cally," Sam said, again impressed that he could already say her name, "but I don't think you have to take your Pyramid ball either. You could go with someone else. As friends."

Anders made a face. "Maybe. I'm not too excited about that idea yet though. Even just as friends, it'd seem kind of wrong."

Considering what he'd been up to, this was probably pretty hypocritical.

"The dance isn't tomorrow, Anders," Sam reminded him. "Give it time."

"Oh. True," he admitted, then frowned. "I'm not really thinking that far ahead yet."

"One day at a time, and find something other than alcohol to get through it or you'll be in another kind of program," Sam told him bluntly.

Anders shook his head forcefully. "I'm not planning on making a habit of the drinking. Not after what it got me into, especially. She says she thinks I can be a better person, and I'm not gonna let her down by turning into a lush or something."

"A better person?" Sam stole a couple of chocolate chips. "What's wrong with the person you are now?"

"Frak if I know," Anders said, shrugging and opting to ignore the chocolate chip theft. "That's what she said."

Sam rolled her eyes. God spare her from teenage melodrama. "You do what you want with your life, Anders. You'll rise to whatever the world throws at you, but don't go looking for trouble."

Anders shrugged again. "Wasn't planning on it, really. Not like trouble doesn't find us here easy enough anyway."

Still, he was a little confused. "Why? What'd you think I'd do?"

"I just worry. People make dumb life decisions when they're heartbroken." As she knew very well. Sam sighed. "With what happens here? Could be anything."