Happy Birthday, October

One of the realities of working at an elementary school is that there is always food around, begging to be nibbled. Of course there is the stream of student birthdays, with parents sending in cupcakes, cookies, and other sweets to celebrate. Many of the surplus goodies from these events often find their way into the staff lounge. There they meet up with other treats left by the PTO, staff members, and the like. Adding in staff birthday celebrations starts to get a little over the top.

The school I'm working at right now doesn't celebrate individual staff birthdays, but instead groups a month's worth together for a single treat-alicious occasion. Four people are responsible for bringing food on a designated day. As you might imagine, this food usually consists of bread, cake, cookies, and (if we're lucky) fresh fruit. While yummy and delicious, the march of sugar gets a little tiresome after a while. How many birthday cookies can a girl resist (or eat, for that matter)?

To celebrate our staff's October-born, the four of us charged with bringing food this month decided to go a defferent route. Instead of sweets we brought soups! There were a number of chilis, including my own peanut butter chili (soooo delicious, and the sole vegetarian option on the menu). Also in attendance was some clam chowder, spinach baba ghanoush with crackers (by me as well!), tortilla soup, five bean chili, chocolate chip pumpkin bread, pumpkin bars with cream cheese icing, and candy corn. So we got the sweet along with some heat from four simmering crock-pots. I guess my idea for last school year's birthday responsiblities wasn't half bad!

Happy birthday, Octobers, and happy Friday to boot!