Quickest cookies ever

OK, so a batch of chocolate chip cookies doesn’t really take a long time, but sometimes you just don’t feel like getting out all of those ingredients (or in my case, putting them all away when you’re done), or maybe you’re out of something, or maybe you have a small helper and all that measuring can make a real mess. Whatever your reason for not baking your go-to batch of cookies, here’s a recipe that is super-easy and super-delicious and super-flexible, and definitely worth trying.

+

=

5-ingredient cake mix cookies

1 box cake mix
1 stick butter, softened
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
2 c mix-in (or combination of mix-ins)

Combine all five ingredients in a bowl until well-mixed. The batter will be very stiff. Drop by spoonful (whatever size you prefer) on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in preheated 350° oven for 10-12 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, remove to cooling rack, and continue cooling.

The number of combinations you can come up with is endless. Here are some suggestions.

cake mix flavor	+	mix-ins	=	voilá
chocolate fudge	+	Andes mint chips	=	chocolate-mint cookies
yellow or chocolate	+	butterscotch chips, Heath bits, and walnuts	=	Heath bar cookies
chocolate	+	peanut butter chips	=	chocolate-peanut butter cookies
carrot cake	+	raisins and coconut	=	carrot cake cookies
white or chocolate	+	M&Ms	=	M&M cookies
chocolate	+	chocolate chips	=	double chocolate cookies
spice	+	chopped dates and chopped walnuts	=	hermits (substitute molasses for vanilla)
butter	+	chopped pecans	=	butter pecan cookies
chocolate	+	white chocolate chips	=	reverse chocolate chip cookies
“funfetti”	+	sprinkles or mini M&Ms or both	=	Child's Delight
chocolate	+	mini-marshmallow, mini chocolate chips, and chopped nuts	=	Rocky Road cookies
chocolate	+	Raisinettes and peanuts	=	Chunky cookies
yellow or spice	+	mini-marshmallows and mini chocolate chips	=	S’more cookies

cheesecake 101

I love a building block recipe that follows the same basic ingredients and instructions, but offers variations to cater to one’s own tastes.



Building block cheesecake
based on recipe from finecooking.com
serves 10 to 12

8 oz (2 c) crust option
1¼ c plus 3 T sugar
7 T butter, melted
4 8-oz packages cream cheese, at room temperature OR 3 8 oz packages cream cheese plus one add-in
2 T flour
pinch salt
1 T vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature

Make crust: Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 375°. In a medium bowl, stir the crust option of your choice and 2 T sugar. Mix in melted butter until the crumbs are evenly moist and clump together slightly. Press crust mixture evenly into a 9-inch springform pan along the bottom and 2 inches up the sides using your fingers or the flat bottom of a glass. Bake 9-12 minutes, until crust is fragrant and slightly browned (if you’re using lighter colored crumbs). Let cool. Reduce oven to 300°.

Make filling:In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, add-in, if using, flour, and salt on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl often, until filling is very smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Make sure the filling has no lumps. Add 1¼ c sugar and continue beating until well blended and smooth. Add the vanilla and any flavoring or spices, if using, and beat until blended, about 30 seconds. Add the eggs one at a time, beating just until blended. (Don’t over-beat once the eggs have been added or the cheesecake will puff too much and crack as it cools.) Pour the filling into the cooled crust and smooth the top.

Bake in preheated 300° oven 55-65 minutes, until the center jiggles like Jell-O when nudged. The cake will be slightly puffed around the edges, and the center will still look moist. Turn oven off, and prop oven door open with a wooden spoon. Cool for 1 hour. Remove from oven, set on a rack and cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 8 hours, and up to 3 days. The cheesecake can also be frozen for up to 1 month.

Unclasp and remove the sides of the springform pan and run a long, thin metal spatula under the bottom crust. Carefully slide the cake onto a flat serving plate. Add your topping and/or garnish, if using. To cut, run a thin knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and cut the cake into thin slices, heating and wiping the knife after each slice.

To freeze: Put the unmolded, cooled cake on a rimmed baking sheet in the freezer, uncovered, until the top is cold and firm, then wrap it in two layers of plastic wrap and one layer of foil.

To thaw: Thaw overnight in refrigerator.

crust options	add-ins	flavorings	spices	toppings	garnishes
choose one (pulse in a food processor until crushed to fine crumbs): chocolate wafers gingersnaps graham crackers vanilla wafers	substitute one of the following for one eight ounce package of cream cheese: crème fraîche, 1 cup dulce de leche, 3/4 cup fruit purée (strawberry, blueberry, or banana), 1½ cups mascarpone, 1 cup, at room temperature milk, semisweet, or bittersweet chocolate, 10 ounces, melted and cooled pumpkin purée, 1 cup ricotta, 1 cup sour cream, 1 cup white chocolate, 8 ounces, melted and cooled	choose up to two of the following: creamy peanut butter, 1/3 cup fresh or crystallized ginger, 2 tablespoons, finely chopped instant coffee, 2½ teaspoons (or 2 teaspoons instant espresso) lemon zest, 2 tablespoons, finely grated lime zest, 2 tablespoons, finely grated liqueur (amaretto, Bailey’s, Chambord, Kahlúa, Grand Marnier), 3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips, 1/3 cup orange zest, 2 tablespoons, finely grated	choose up to four, for a total of two teaspoons: ground cinnamon ground cloves ground ginger ground nutmeg	burnt sugar caramel sauce ganache glazed fresh fruit	choose up to three of the following quick garnishes: chocolate-covered espresso beans chocolate shavings chopped toasted nuts cocoa powder, sifted over cake crushed amaretti cookies fresh fruit lemon curd powdered sugar, sifted over cake toasted whole pecans whipped cream

I was thinking of my friend Karen today, and coincidentally, I made her husband’s favorite meal for our dinner: Baked macaroni & cheese.

Though it was warm yesterday, it’s Fall, and Fall gets you thinking of comfort food. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary:

comfort food n food prepared in a traditional style having a usually nostalgic or sentimental appeal

that reason, when you ask people about their favorite comfort food, you get all kinds of answers. Comfort isn’t one-size-fits-all.

Comfort food is real stick-to-your-ribs food; creamy, saucy, topped with gravy. However, it doesn’t always have to be heavy. In fact, there are numerous resources dedicated to revamping comfort food, making it less Your Mother’s Tuna Noodle Casserole, and giving you opportunities to put your own healthy stamp on it. Food Network is constantly running shows aimed at lightening up your favorites, and Cooking Light often features readers’ favorite recipes lightened.

For me, comfort food is synonymous with macaroni & cheese, and the boxed kind just won’t do the trick. Everyone’s got a favorite macaroni & cheese recipe, and usually your favorite is the one you grew up on. That’s just how it is with comfort foods, they bring you the comfort and security of home, in a dish.

This macaroni & cheese is basic. It is a perfect building block recipe for you to add your favorites. For extra sunshine-in-a-dish, try broccoli for some color, vitamins, and crunch. In the mood for Italian? Add diced tomatoes, Italian cheeses, basil, and oregano. Or try peas and bacon for a Carbonara flair. Mexican? Add Monterey Jack and chili peppers to suit your SQ (spicy quotient).

Baked macaroni & cheese
Serves 5

2 T flour
4 T butter, divided
½ t dry mustard
½ t garlic powder
¼ t white pepper
1/8 t nutmeg
2½ c milk
2 c cheese, shredded, divided (I use a mixture of cheeses, it makes for additional creaminess and better flavor)
8 oz medium shell macaroni, cooked 7 minutes, drained
¼ c bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease casserole dish (choose a pretty one that can go straight from the oven to the table, even if you have guests). Melt 2 T butter, stir in flour to make a white roux. Add dry mustard, garlic powder, pepper, and nutmeg. Add milk slowly, stirring the entire time, to make a white sauce. When thickened, stir in 1¾ c cheese until melted and blended. Add cooked macaroni. Stir together to coat macaroni. Melt remaining butter. Mix together with bread crumbs and remaining cheese. Pour macaroni mixture into prepared casserole. Top with bread crumb mixture. (Can be made ahead to this point and frozen or refrigerated at this point for baking another day. If you do this, bring the dish to room temperature before continuing.) Bake 50 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and top is golden.