New Things

I am now a 1st grade teacher at Crossroads Charter Academy in Big Rapids. My interview was Monday and the principal called me back on Tuesday afternoon to let me know that I got the job! (Yay for getting student loans paid off faster!) He doesn't know when I can start putting together a classroom because he doesn't know where they are going to put me.... one of the first grade teachers decided to go back to teaching kindergarten so they don't know if they will move her back to her old room or stay where she's at. Plus, with her moving back to Kinder, they no longer have a Kinder teacher position to fill but now have another 1st grade teaching position left to fill. On top of that, we need another classroom for the other new 1st grade teacher as well. CCA is bursting at the seams as far as enrollment goes and that's a good problem if you ask me. As soon as I can get in the building and start setting up the better. I've already decided I want to have a farm theme classroom so I'll post pictures as things start moving.

In other new things, I tried a new dessert recipe that is "no bake" and it turned out DELICIOUSLY! Thanks to the Blue-Eyed Bakers website for this recipe called "Salt River Bars." This dessert is SO EASY. Plus it's salty, chocolate-y, caramel-y, and crunchy. Here's the recipe and a picture of how mine turned out:


Salt River Bars

1 box club crackers (I used saltine crackers instead)
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. peanut butter chips
1 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil or canola oil
coarse sea salt

Line 8x8 glass or metal baking pan with foil so that it's hanging over the edges of the pan. Lightly spray the foil with cooking spray or grease lightly with vegetable oil or butter.

Place 15 club crackers (5 rows of 3) in the bottom of the pan and sprinkle 1/3 c. of the peanut butter chips over the crackers. (Note: I used saltine crackers so they didn't fit into the pan as nicely. I laid out 9 whole crackers, 3 rows of 3 tightly packed, then cut a few crackers in half to use on the top and side gap.)


Melt the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until melted, bubbly around edges, smooth and creamy, (about 5 minutes). Pour 1/3 of this caramel-y mixture over the crackers and peanut butter chips as evenly as possible. (NOTE: I used a 1/4 cup measuring cup to pour the caramel more evenly.) Then add another layer of crackers, peanut butter chips and caramel on top. Then another layer and then finish with a layer of crackers. **I forgot to take a picture of this step.**

Finally, melt the chocolate chips and vegetable oil in the microwave, stirring in 30 second increments utnil the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Spread the chocolate over the final cracker layer evenly.


Let cool ever so slightly then sprinkle the top with coarse sea salt.


Place in the fridge for 60 minutes or until chocolate is hardened. Cut into bars. Serve and store cool.


http://www.blueeyedbakers.com/home/2011/6/16/salt-river-bars.html - Check out their website for more pictures plus a comical commentary. Those ladies crack me up!

Love,

Sarah