Yuca fries are an excellent reminder that those who enjoy french fries should definitely try yuca fries. Yuca, another top finger food is Stewart's fourth choice due to the same reason as potatoes: it is starchy enough to fry. They can be consumed as you would french fries, or as side dish, appetizer or just an accompaniment. Salt is sufficient but again adding a good dipping sauce or the pickled onions gives it a very memorable feel.

Yuca is eaten in many parts of the globe, yet yuca fries are parts of several Latin and Caribbean countries. This is a take on the yuca fries I had in Cuba and couldn't get enough of it!.

How to Make Yuca Fries

The yuca used in making this dish is parboiled to make sure the inside remains soft before the exterior turns crispy by frying. After boiling they are fried until crisp then put in salt. They can also be made in an air fryer, those will be slightly different though not quite as crunchy as deep fried yuca fries.

What Is Yuca?

Yuca is the plant that is also called cassava or manioc; it is the woody shrub which contains starchy root. It is not to be confused with yucca, a plant in the agave family which is grown for its ornamental value. Because the root is the most commonly used part of the plant, some people may just call the ingredient yuca though in some cases yuca root may be used to avoid confusion.

The root is narrow and elongated and the commercial variety commonly varies in diameter from 2 to 4 inches and in length from 6 to 12 inches. It has white hard fleshy part that is surrounded by a brown skin which has to be scrapped off. When cooked the flesh becomes pale yellow and the texture is starchy somewhat related to that of potatoes or yams. More specifically, it has a bland, sweeter, and somewhat peanut - like flavor making it suitable for use in most dishes.

First produced in South America, and now produced mostly in Nigeria, yuca is the third most important source of carbohydrates in developed tropical regions. People have included it in boiled, mashed, fried, roasted and incorporated into soups and stews among other methods. My people from Jamaica prepare a flat single bread called bammy by grating an pressing cassava.

Tip

Regardless of how the yuca is prepared it is always important to avoid eating it raw. Raw yuca has Cyanogens, but once the skin is peeled off and the tuber is boiled thoroughly the poison is neutralized rendering the tuber safe for culinary use.

How to Buy and Store Yuca

Raw yuca can be bought from the supermarket and sourced from the produce section particularly those that cater Latin and Caribbean markets. Frozen yuca is also sometimes available, peeled and sliced, making preparation a little less cumbersome.

When considering the purchase fresh yuca, one will find that the long pointy brown root looks like it has a coat of wax. What you ideally want to go for are mops with no suft of any sftness on it at all. Ideally, the ends will be cut such that you can be perceived that the flesh is white in form with no feature of black or even any grey blots on its surface. It should also be as close to odorless as possible save for emitted a fresh clean smell.

Contrary to what many might expect, yuca does not have a very long shelf life at all. When not peeled, it should be stored in a cool, dry place just like a pantry and will last for about one week. Still, that never seems to freeze well, unless it is done so well that it requires defrosting before it can be used. The fruit may be peeled and cut into chunks and then frozen for months.

How to Peel and Prep Yuca

Currently when you go shopping at the supermarket you may be lucky to find frozen yuca and the task of detaching the root's fibrous skin will already have been done on it. So if you start off with having bought the clothes, where you can see the actual process beginning, make sure you have included this step.

First, remove as much of the root, as you can with a sharp knife adjusted to the length of its both ends. Slice the yuca in halves lengthwise, saving its length to about 4 inches – this is also going to be the size of the fries. When washing, say, an apple, to clear the outer waxy bark and the inner peel do not use a vegetable peeler. Otherwise, make a small incision along the whole length of the yuca's body. Using the butter knife or your fingers can slip under the peel and use those layers to pull it away from the yuca's flesh.

If it's still too hard, you can flip the yuca piece upside down and then, with a sharp knife in hand, sire along the edge as one would do in peeling a pineapple. Brown spots can be cut out in situation when there are several of them existing in the entire fruit. But if you observe that the lines or discolouration goes all the way down to the root part of the sweeter, then it is advisable not to use it.

Enclosed in the yuca there is a longitudinal fiber stem. In my experience, it is possible to remove this core after pressure cooking but you may also peel it off while the yuca is still uncooked. If so, cut the peeled pieces of yuca in four along its length, then, using knife remove its middle core.

Yuca Fries Variations

Yuca fries are traditionally made only with salt but you want can add some spices or varied seasoning in this recipe. Some kind of spices such as garlic or any other spices could be added in boiling water while cooking the yuca in that initial process.

Depending on time and preference you could garnish your cooked yuca fries with fresh herbs or even a blend of spices of your choice. If I had to be very basic the flavor pairing would be just plain salt, pepper and simple seasonings like onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika.

Choosing a Dip

The dip is another area where we can see possibilities to put more efforts into customizing a product. If you want something a little more zesty and from the herb garden then try a chimichurri, mojito sauce or simply your favourite salsa. As for a sauce, cheese sauce, a guacamole or a mayo based dip (as we are seeing here) fit very well with the crispy yucca.

If you are not exactly a 'dip person', the tangy pickled red onions are excellent for topping.

Ingredients

For the yuca fries

• 2 pounds fresh yuca (1 to 2 roots) or 1 1/2 pounds frozen yuca pieces
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 2 quarts neutral oil – preferable for deep frying such as canola, vegetable oil or the like.

For the spicy mayo

• 2 jalapenos, that have been seeded and chopped to a coarser texture
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• Quite simply, a few good pinches of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

1. Peel and prep the yuca:

As with other root vegetables peel the yuca and cut or scrape off the two ends of the yuca after which the root should be cut into 1-inch thick pieces.

Take one piece/filet and make a slight incision along the length removing the outer layer/skin and the layer of peel running along the side of the piece. In all probability it will not come off in one piece-pry it up again with the knife under the layer of the peel and peel it from the flesh.

Do the same with the other yuca. Remove any undesirable brown part then wash the yuca under running water.

2. Boil the yuca until tender:

Place peeled yuca segments in a medium-pot boiling water, add salt to the water then let the yuca boil. Boil, then continue to simmer until tender, the yellow color will be pale, and they will start to become transparent, which usually takes around 20 minutes.

3. Make the dipping sauce:

While the yuca is being boiled, cook the spicy mayo. Place the jalapeños, garlic, mayonnaise, lime juice, vinegar and season with salt and pepper in a small blender or process with a small food processor. Purée until smooth.

4. Prepare the yuca for frying:

Although it is ready, the yuca has to be drained well and allowed to cool for 3-5 minutes before touching or handling it.

Peel the skin off the yuca and with the knife cut the yuca in half through its length and take out the filament running down its center. Slice the halved portions into wedges of approximately 1/2-inch thick.

5. Fry the yuca:

To deep fry: Turn the heat on a deep, heavy pot or Dutch oven with 2 to 3 inches of oil to medium-high and heat until the oil is at 375°F. Take a rack and place it over a baking sheet or put a paper towel on a platter.

Place the yuca wedges in batches and fry until they are golden in color, this will definitely take, at least 4 minutes at most. If oil does not submerge the yuca, flip the pieces over once in a while in order to brown all the sides. Using a slotted spoon or spider remove the yuca fries and place them in the cooling rack, or paper towel lined plate. Season immediately with salt.

To air fry: Toss the yuca wedges into a medium bowl and mix with 2 tablespoons of oil and season with salt to it. Place the wedges in the basket of the air fryer adjusting for one layer and repeat the process in cases where more wedges are being fried. Bake at 400°F until golden, brown, crisp for about 15 minutes with the bacon turned over half way through.

6. Serve:

It is necessary to serve the yuca fries whilst still hot accompanied with the spicy mayo. Leftover yuca fries should be put in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator. They'll last up to 5 days. When you're reheating them, make sure you do so in an oven or an air fryer at 375°F until warmed through and crispy.

Of course, there are just a few families' preparations that I associate with Christmas and every year my family prepares these dishes. Many of them are sweet—the coconut cake my grandfather was fond of, and we continue eating this cake in his honor, the homemade boiled custard served with a spoonful of vanilla ice cream—but not all. However, sausage balls are also known as sausage puffs.

It is a three ingredient appetizer that I always seem to make and everybody loves them. Sausage balls, as you would know, can be taken for just about any event whether a sports event or simple functions but to me they equal Christmas, and it was always a tradition in my home to have them during the Christmas brunch.

In a recent discussion of this recipe with some of the other editors at Simply Recipes, everyone knew about it immediately. In fact, as I soon discovered, I wasn't the only one awake feasting on sausage balls in my childhood. Simply Recipe's associate social director Brooke Schuldt, claims to have a profound family inheritance to what she and Germans refer to as 'sausage cheese puffs.' (Note: It doesn't feel right to call them balls though it is much easier, so do so if you will not mind.)

The sausage cheese puff is one of the best loved recipes of my family among a lot of recipes which are our family secrets. Each holiday there were cookies, small cheesy biscuits, which my grandmother baked in the morning of that particular day. All I have been occasionally known to ask for them as birthday or Christmas prescence, that is how much I personally like them.

Brooke is actually a girl and she says: "they are most nostalgic and make me recall the moments when I was happily laughing with some of the closest people, in my grandma's living room, for example".

All her family entered the conversation, joining the conversation and revealing their favorite story about the family recipe. But if that doesn't make you want to try sausage puffs/balls, then I don't know what will.

How to Make Sausage Balls

To make about 35 sausage balls, you'll need:

• 1 pound bulk pork sausage, taken out of the refrigerator
• 2 cups Bisquick baking mix
• Cold shredded cheddar cheese 1 pound

Suggested oven temperature for this recipe is 350°F and the baking is done in a large, rimmed baking sheet which has been covered with parchment paper.

Place the sausage that has been taken out of the fridge at room temperature and Bisquick to the bowl. Then use your hands to mix it up but make sure that not everything is mixed up. Then, incorporate half of the cheese into the dough and mix properly with the rest of the cheese.

Shape the mixture into walnut sized balls, putting them at least an inch apart on the sheet. Bake in the oven until the cake is golden at the bottom and totally cooked through, 20- 25 minutes.

Tips for Making Sausage Balls

These three-ingredient gems are incredibly easy to make, but I will note one big tip: temperature is key. Your sausage must be at the room temperature while your cheese must be cold. Otherwise it is impossible to mix and all of cheese will come out as soon as it comes in contact with the oven. They become extra tidy balls and for this you can put them in the refrigerator for about thirty minutes after forming them and before baking.

A quick note about cheese: The only time I would suggest using the shredded cheese from the store is now. The outer layer containing the anti-caking agents prevents all cheese from oozing out as soon as you have made the sausage balls. Plus, it's a real time saver.

Spicy sausage is what I do prefer for sausage balls that give an extra spice to the meal. You can also substitute the cheese—sharp cheddar for more kick, or pepper Jack. It's best if the cheese is a type that melts easily.

If there is a dip at a party then you cannot help but be happy. Whether it is a simple spinach dip, the latest whipper feta dip, or even a smores dip so you can never be bored with yourself especially if a bowl of the dip is right in front of you. Just feed those crackers and turn up the volume on your tunes!

I've made my fair share of dips, but until recently I had never heard of this one: Million Dollar Dip, Neiman Marcus Dip. The dip, which came from a restaurant at Neiman Marcus, is sort of like a quieted-down pimento cheese.

They have a base of cream cheese and mayonnaise (or sometimes just mayonnaise), and there's lots of shredded cheddar, bacon, green onions, and toasted slivered almonds. This is one of the simplest recipes and you will also find it very easy to devour. As you can guess by now, there is quite a lot of texture here and it really is a luxurious appetizer to bring to any event.

How Neiman Marcus' Million Dollar Dip started

In this story, was formulated in the 1950s by Helen Corbitt, the Zodiac Room waiter service eating place situated in a Neiman Marcus store in Dallas, Texas. Although I reached out to Neiman Marcus to clarify this, the company did not respond to me. It's most probably aptly named the 'Million Dollar Dip' given some of the ingredients to it, such as mayonnaise, bacon, cheese etc. Surprisingly, there is no original recipe on the internet but you will find plenty of pretend recipes.

How to make Million dollar dip

To make the dip you'll need:

• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 8 slices bacon
• There are 1 packages of 8 ounce cream cheese and the cream cheese is softened.
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 pk; shredded cheddar cheese, 8 oz; (about 2 cups)
• 4 scallions green, fine sliced and halved
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper

Bake the slivered almonds in a pan with slightly open flame until it turns brown. Let cool. You should fry the bacon until it becomes overcooked —I like to bake it. Remove them from the pan, allow the bacon to cool, and chopped into small pieces.

In another bowl blend the softened cream cheese and the mayonnaise until it forms a smooth paste. Add the package of cheese, the bacon bits, 3 green onions, slivered almonds and cayenne pepper. Mix until combined. Place on top the additional green onion.

Cover the bowl with some plastic wrap or put a lid on and refrigerate for at least an hour. I served it with some sort of buttery crackers but raw vegetables would also be nice.

To the Larder or Not to the Larder?

I've found two types of Neiman Marcus' Million Dollar Dip imitations: those that have just mayonnaise and those that include cream cheese. Of all the recipes in the book, those without anything but mayo appear to be the most successful, but I wanted to use cream cheese for a couple things.

First, some of the readers who tried other recipes commented that the taste of mayonnaise was present, and I didn't want this taste to overpower the others.

I envisioned that the cream cheese is going to provide a smoother, slightly denser background to this mixture the rest of the ingredients – bacon, slivered almonds, and all.

But hey: If you do not wish to use the cream cheese in this recipe you can adapt the above recipe by just leaving out the cream cheese.

Two focusing points of making Million Dollar Dip

Make sure your cream cheese is softened:

So if your cream cheese is not very soft then it is very difficult to blend it with the mayonnaise. If you are desperate you might try stirring the cold cream cheese in your stand mixer with the paddle on to help to warm it.

Amp up the flavor:

If you want to experiment with this recipe you may begin with 1/4 tsp garlic and onion powder. Also, a few dashes of hot sauce will not acts as a menace.

Guacamole! But did you know that in the U.S., we eat over 2 billion pounds of avocados each year? (Google it.) Being over 7 pounds per person is that. I'm guessing that most of those avocados go into what has become America's favorite dip: guacamole.

Guacamole: A Classic Mexican Dish

Avocados were bred in Mexico for thousands of years before the word "guacamole" and the dip were born there. The name is a combination of two Nahuatl words of Aztec in the form of ahuacatl (avocado) and molli (sauce.)

Easy Guacamole Ingredients

Ripe avocados and salt, with that being all you really need. A little bit of lime or lemon juice, a splat of acidity, will help counter the richness of the avocado after that. To further season this, add chopped cilantro, chili, onion, … and/or tomato.

Perfectly Ripe Avocados: How To Pick

Avocados that are not too ripe, not too sour, but just right, are the trick to making the perfect guacamole. If the avocados aren't ripe enough, as they will be hard and tasteless. If too ripe, the taste will be off.

To check if your avocado is ripe, gently press the outside of the fruit. If there is no give the avocado hasn't ripened. The avocado is ripe if there's a little give. If the avocado is too ripe, there is a lot of give. Use after taste testing first.

How To Cut an Avocado

To slice open an avocado, cut it in half lengthwise with a sharp chef's knife, twist apart. One side will have the pit. If you want to pull it out, you can tap a chef's knife on the pit, and twist to extract it (with a towel over your hand), or cut the avocado in half and scoop it out using your fingers or a spoon.

Other Ways To Use Guacamole

The job of guacamole in the kitchen is bigger than a party dip. Served scooped on top of nachos, it's great or as a side or topping to enchiladas, tacos, grilled salmon, or even oven baked chicken. And guacamole is good in food too. Mix some in with a tuna sandwich, your next deviled egg batch, or anything else you want!

Storing Guacamole So It Stays Green

For the best guacamole, eat it as soon as you've made it. Cut avocados, like apples, start to oxidize and become brown. While the lime juice you add (to guacamole, for example) actually contains acid that can slow down the process more than a little. If you are making the guacamole just for you, you can make it a few hours ahead and store it properly, but if you are making for a party this is great.

To keep guacamole green, our trick is to avoid letting air touch our guacamole! Place into a container, seal with plastic wrap and press down on the plastic wrap to force out any air pockets. Make sure there's not any exposed surface of the guacamole on the plastic wrap, but touching the plastic wrap itself. This will reduce to a minimum the amount of browning.

This can be stored in the fridge for up to three days. Scrape off the brown parts, or stir the remainder in with the guacamole as it sits before serving.

Guacamole Variations

You can feel free to add strawberries, peaches, pineapple, mangoes and even watermelon when you've got guacamole basics down. For instance, one Diana Kennedy favorite Mexican classic guacamole has pomegranate seeds and chunks of peaches in it. That's when you can get creative with your homemade guacamole!

Simple Guacamole:

Salted mashed avocados are the simplest version of guacamole. Don't allow other ingredients to prevent the making of guacamole.

Quick guacamole:

To make the easiest guacamole ever, take a 1/4 cup of salsa and mix it in with your mashed avocados.

Don't have enough avocados?

Add sour cream, mayonnaise or cottage cheese if you need to stretch limited supply of avocados. So what, purists may be horrified? It still tastes great.

There's a dessert I grew know where I grew up called chess pie, which seems to be a universally loved dessert almost everywhere except where I grew up. It's not until I speak to someone from the South (or at least the Midwest) and they just look at me puzzled.

"Chess pie?" they ask.

"What's that?"

If you look past the southern region, the popularity of the classic southern pie's pretty limited actually; you'll see some chess pie pop up here and there at bakeries and dessert menus. I prefer chocolate chess pie to my sister. The buttery crust is complemented nicely by the little cocoa powder added into the rich, sweet dessert.

If you're just starting out with chocolate chess pie, wow your friends with a great dessert that's also one of the easiest pies to make (we ain't telling). If you already know this tried and true recipe I hope that it will become a regular for you.

What Is Chess Pie?

Chess pie is a traditional Southern pie made of a short list of staple ingredients: eggs, sugar, and butter. Sometimes there's vanilla, cornmeal, milk, little flour, lemon, and other things you can throw in to deepen the flavor and create a thin, crispy top as well. Gentle cooking in the pie crust in the oven, it's a cooked custard pie.

Chess Pie

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Is the pie an offspring of "chest pie" — pie chest or cheese pie? Or more my favorite where is it from the Southern pronunciation of "just pie?" No one's quite sure. It's a Southern favorite, but what is certain.

A Family Recipe

I have made countless chess pies with numerous flavor profiles (lemon, buttermilk, and brown sugar, among others) but this would be the first chess pie recipe I developed myself. I started at the best possible place: the family cookbook.

My family's original chocolate chess pie recipe (somewhere around 50 years old, probably more) is a great recipe, if you have one, without bells and whistles and with no remorse. The result works, and it tastes good, but I couldn't help tinkering a bit by adding salt, espresso powder, upping the cocoa powder and par baking the crust. I am almost sure I would gain my relatives' approval.

Blind Baking the Crust: Case

Created with copper tools and machinery, these cookies are baked blind on the bottom without any components on the bottoms.

I know, I know. It does make par baking pie crust an extra step and therefore annoying! But hear me out.

Most standard chess pie and chocolate chess pie baking recipes want you to bake the filling in an unbaked pie crust. If you're feeling lazy, you can do this, but heed this warning: Having a barely cooked, slightly soggy bottom crust is what you'll wind up with. That's just the facts!

For a tender, flaky, crispy, buttery crust that is a wonderful balance for the rich, smooth filling, simply blind bake for a few minutes. Homemade or store bought crust, this is true for both. I will never skip blind baking the crust of my chess pies, it's such a big difference.

Pie Crust Problem Solving Tips

• Make sure there aren't any holes or tears in your crust. It's liquid, so if there's an opening it will leak out and under the crust.
• Once baked, blind, then check the crust quickly. If you see any small holes or cracks that were open, brush a little of beaten egg white over them and pop in the oven for about 2 to 3 minutes, to seal any holes that open.
• Put the pie in the bottom third of the oven and bake. This will further crisp up the bottom crust and will stop the edges of the crust from browning too much.

Sometimes you want a little nibble when it comes to dessert. They either reach for a treat in little hands, or else. Sometimes you're tired and you want to eat the entire package but other times, you way to want to house half a package of cookies and an entire pint of ice cream in one sitting.

Either of the above scenarios, and I find it hard pressed to come up with a more universally loved duo than Oreos and ice cream. Historically, cookies 'n' cream is often shunned into kids flavor status and that's just unfair and inaccurate. This two ingredient recipe takes justice back to Oreos and ice cream and sells them as simple, adorable mini ice cream sandwiches that everyone– kids and adults alike– will love.

It All Starts With Oreos

The beauty in using such Oreos is that they are not terribly sweet all by themselves. No other cookie can balance quite like that with your favorite ice cream flavor, and there's textural contrast as well. Now, the part to focus on is the important (and potentially controversial) part that the filling doesn't matter. We won't be using it. It's all about the cookie. There are the two most widely available options, Classic chocolate and the cult favorite Golden Oreos.

Cookie and Ice Cream Combos

I am of course going to always advocate for the best quality you can find and afford, and ice cream preferences are similar to underwear in matters of the personal. I will say, however, premium ice cream works best during the shaping step: and it's denser and creamier and melts slower than inferior, lighter, and cleaner (i.e., richer) ice cream, which is known in the ice cream world as overflow. If not, the only other thing required is that it be a flavor that matches your cookie of choice.

Chocolate Oreos: mint chocolate chip, black raspberry, coffee, salted caramel, peanut butter, and green tea (depending if I have them), and if not, Indulgences.

For golden Oreo cookies, I think lighter, fruitier flavors work best: And strawberry, peaches and cream, pistachio, or cake batter would be amazing. However, this is a great chance to get a little creative and explore flavor combinations that will please the taste buds of your family and dining guests.

Here's the Trick to Getting a Picture Perfect Ice Cream Sandwich

It seems simple enough in theory: assembly an ice cream sandwich from Oreos and ice cream — and it is, in practice! However, there is a cunning trick for making the ice cream come out just right in order for your sandwich to have the perfect bit of even ice cream to cookie ratio in every mouthful. You can whip out your slice and bake cookie skills because molding the ice cream into a parchment tube and then freezing will harden the ice cream to make a perfectly sliceable log which will create even, flat discs of ice cream ready to pair with their cookie partners.

Working with ice cream in pints is best for this technique: To serve, just free the ice cream from the pint with a dull knife around its edge, slip it out onto the parchment, and cut the cylinder in half lengthwise. Lining the two semicircular halves on their sides, end to end, will aid in the shaping process: the better, the less you have to work with the ice cream to squish into a log. Once, it's wrapped tight, leave it to harden in the freezer for a while before you could slice it. It's no better, but it is faster, and your patience will be rewarded.

Storing Ice Cream Sandwiches

And lucky for me, these ice cream sandwiches won't last long, because you probably won't want them to. Tested for science, of course, I found that letting the cookies soften a bit overnight in the freezer (at least 12 hours) gave me the best sandwich I could have. It was tender with a little give to it, but not totally crumbly. Of course, if you decide to eat them any sooner, they will crunchier cookie. But they will be so soft after 24 hours or more that you won't even need your teeth to chew them (fun for all ages!). All of this depends on what you're about.

However, however long you have them around, no matter how you keep them, store them in an airtight container, not all in one layer, all in a single layer like books on a shelf. That way the cookie tower won't be too heavy causing the ice cream to be pushed out of the sandwich.

Monster cookies are soft baked peanut butter monster cookies loaded with oats, chocolate chips, and m&ms. They're a little crispy on the outside and very moist and chewy on the inside. This is a flourless treat that uses peanut butter and oats to make a hit of a texture.

They're famously kid pleasers, but we're not even gonna pretend that monster cookies aren't a summation of all the good stuff.

When deciding about what Oats to Use for Monster Cookies?

You need quick cooking oats for this recipe. The reason I had to have quick cooking oats, which adds to the flourless in the cookies, is because the cookies are flourless. You'll need to pulse old fashioned oats a few times in a food processor to break them down so they resemble quick cooking oats.

A Note on Nut Butter

The classic monster cookie base is creamy peanut butter. Chunky will work (it just gives an extra crunch to every bite), but I find it better to go thicker. If you are allergic to peanuts, and are just looking for a new food, almond butter is a good substitute. You'll notice that the cookies you make with almond butter will be flatter, but will still be a chewy middle cookie.

In any case, make sure to thoroughly emulsify your nut butter. There's nothing wrong with natural nut butters (nuts and salt with the oil separated), but I would not recommend natural nut butters (nuts and salt with the oil mixed in). Instead, look for creamy no stir nut butter. If its nut-free entirely as well? Go for sunflower seed butter.

Mixing Up the Mix-Ins

Without M&Ms and chocolate chips, there is no monster cookie... But as always put your own twist on it! You can continue to try M&Ms in countless flavors, or there are other candies like Reese's Pieces and Heath Bar bits.

Without the M&Ms and chocolate chips, it isn't a monster cookie but you can put your twist on it! M&Ms has loads of flavors to choose from, along with Reese's Pieces, Heath Bar bits, and still so much more.

We are using semi sweet chocolate chips here, but they can be milk, dark or even tutti fruits or toffee depending on how sweet you'd like your cookies to be. Toss some rolled oats in with your flour, or chopped nuts, like pecans, or raisins for a good chew.

Naturally Gluten-Free

Oats themselves are gluten free but can contact gluten in their production and processing. To be sure these cookies are totally gluten free, make sure you use labeled gluten free oats. All of the other ingredients listed are naturally gluten free.

How to Store and Freeze Monster Cookies

Monster cookies will keep well, baked or unbaked, for 3 to 5 days in an airtight container stored at room temperature. When you freeze them, put your completely cooled cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag and they will keep for up to two months if frozen. If you want to eat them straightaway, place them in microwave for about 30 secs or leave at room for them.

Raw cookie dough can remain in the fridge, for up to 3 days, or in the freezer, for up to 2 months, before baking. Roll the dough out into a square, portion into balls and top with M&Ms and chocolate chips, then freeze in a single layer. Then you'll want to transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw it first and refrigerate until cold, preheat oven and bake straight from frozen, adding 2 minutes or so to the total baking time.

Being a baker means friends know to expect dessert from me at gatherings. Normally, I'm only too willing. On a hot day, even I am loath to keep my oven on for very long. So vintage icebox recipes like million dollar pie are what serve up this situation.

A million dollar pie is a classic, icebox pie made with pecans, coconut, and pineapple in a whipped cream filling over a crumbly graham cracker crust. It's rich and creamy, tangy and nutty put it all together. Make ahead and a smart dessert for a hot and lazy summer day.

What Is Million Dollar Pie?

By the 1930s and 40s, refrigerators were being increasingly common in households, so icebox pies were the rage. They say that million dollar pie was invented in South Carolina but have been unable to confirm or deny its origins. This much is true: it's actually a Southern recipe, it's from the 1930s or the 40s.

You've always got pecans, shredded coconut and canned pineapple in your traditional million dollar pie. I use store bought whipped topping, sweetened condensed milk, combine, fold and use as a filling. Sweetened condensed milk is helpful to mix with lemon juice and get a thick filling that doesn't only beat the sweetness, but also balances it. Graham cracker crust or shortbread crust is very common on it.

My Take on the Classic

I created an updated version of this vintage recipe with a few easy flavor boosters: Homemade whipped cream, a baked graham cracker crust, and toasted pecans and coconut is something so simple. It takes an oven to be sure, but only for a little time. The toasty flavor, the crunch of the pecans and coconut all deserve it; and you can bake the crust and toast the nuts together.

What I discovered in my research was the usually debated ingredient, cream cheese. It's a little bit of cream cheese that is my preferred way to stabilize homemade whipped cream so I decided to include it. I like that the tanginess balances the sweet filling and it works better as a replacement for store bought frozen whipped topping.

Why should this pie be worth a million bucks?

It has a lot to live up to, because of the name million dollar pie. It's worthy of its name here's why.

• Almost no bake million dollar pie is one. The process takes only 10 short minutes, and you only require your oven. A big difference on a hot day – a traditional fruit pie might take an hour to bake.
• You can make it ahead. This is a great candidate for any event you want to prep some ahead of time and this needs to sit in the refrigerator a few hours.
• It's sweet and tart, creamy and crunchy, and rich and nutty, in other words, it has everything.
• It's a total crowd-pleaser.

Shortcuts and Upgrades

An upgraded million dollar pie only takes a few more steps than that. From the original, you can take a handful of shortcuts, or, if you're a billionaire pie, upgrade it.

Completely no-bake pie:

Skip the baking of the crust and go right to toasting the pecans and coconut. The crust can be chilled for at least 1 hour and then fill up with.

Shortcut pie:

Frozen whipped topping (thawed) is used in place of whipped cream in the original million dollar pie. In five minutes you can assemble the pie, substitue a store bought crust and a container of whipping topping for the homemade versions.

Billionaire pie:

Million dollar pie gets its name from a can of cherry pie filling. I would add one-half to one cup of chopped maraschino cherries to keep the filling from becoming too liquid rich.

Every weekend I'm living it up with a batch of cookies on Friday nights baked for my family. Warm cookies after dinner and then leftover cookies to enjoy with coffee over the weekend is always magic. That, however, is not an easy task when it comes to picking a cookie everyone agrees on.

Just make kitchen sink cookies which are the ultimate have it your way treat. Moist, soft and chewy these gigantic cookies are made with melted butter and lots of brown sugar. Wildly adaptable to any palate, these mix-ins hit chocolatey, salty, nutty, sweet, and sticky notes for a deeply flavored cookie.

The only difficult part about making these cookies is figuring out what mix ins to use (because I've already done all the work to figure out how to make it perfect). Since they come together quickly (no mixer needed), these are a wonderful anytime treat.

Where In the World Is The Name Coming From?

Kitchen sink cookies take "everything but the kitchen sink" literally. The idea is that the cookies are packed with all of the things you thought to do them, salty or sweet of everything in between. The resulting cookies hit that flavor note on all counts when packed with mix ins.

A Guide to Mix-Ins

This cookie's greatest strength is how riff able it is. However, my favourite combination of these ingredients (listed in the recipe as well, along with your standard semi sweet chocolate chips, salted, ridged potato chips, salted pretzels, roasted peanuts and toffee bits), are pretty much your oyster here when it comes to mix ins.

I've even tried to balance the cookie so there are amounts for each mix in (chocolatey, salty, nutty, and chew and sticky). Below are examples of mix-ins that fit into each category with my tips on each:

Chocolatey:

For example, semi sweet, milk, dark, white chocolate chips or chunks, or chocolate candies like M&M's or peanut butter cups. Milk cookies will lean sweeter, all M&M's or white chocolate will be a bit sweeter, semi sweet will be in the middle (my own preferred preference), and the dark chocolate will be a little less sweet. If you use all semi sweet chocolate I suggest either using all or a combination of chocolates (all milk and dark or half peanut butter cups and half semi sweet).

Salty:

Some examples of them are potato chips, pretzels, etc. If you can get your hands on both, I personally mix them, but you can certainly use just one. For measuring or weight using a scale, be sure to crush the chips or pretzels. If I'm using potato chips I'll use a plain old, salted, ridged potato chip. When baked in the cookie they are crisp, but not hard and have the best texture I have found, so far, of all the ridged chips. For pretzels I like salted twist pretzels (though skinny sticks work) for brains I like mixed berries. Don't use the bigger, thicker rods.

Nutty:

There are examples of peanuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, and/or unsweetened shredded coconut or coconut chips. I like unsalted, toasted nuts here (save coconut from toasting) for flavor. Be sure and chop up any whole nuts you may have first before measuring by volume. This will let you chop things and make better distribution and texture.

Chewy/sticky:

These include toffee bits or finely chopped caramels or dried fruits. For larger dried fruits, chop them before drying: after all, you wouldn't want to measure a whole cherry by weight! Plain toffee bits aren't always available, but a good substitute for me is chopped chocolate covered toffee bar, or Heath. They're chopped very fine you get a nice chew, but they can be pretty sweet, so keep an eye on the rest of your ingredient mixture.

And even MORE Mix In Variations and Substitutions!

These ingredients will do for the four categories in this recipe, but without even more, what would these kitchen sink cookies be? If ingredients from one category overlap with those of another, cut some of the mix ins from each.

Alternates:

Don't like chocolate? No problem. For example, use peanut butter chips or butterscotch chips instead.

Additions:

Inspire yourself to try swirling a spoonful or two of peanut butter (like Skippy) or Nutella into the dough. Make streaks through the dough and don't try to fully combine.

Alternates/Additions:

& this is the part where the candies are usually, Twix, chocolate pretzels, peanut M&M's, Snickers, Rolo and Reese's pieces.

How to Freeze

Like most drop cookies, the dough can be scooped, frozen and baked at a later date. When you're ready, scoop the dough and place onto a lined baking sheet as the recipe directs it. Place the baking sheet into the freezer and freeze for 15 minutes to an hour. Instead of baking, transfer the cookie dough portions in a single layer into a resealable plastic bag, sealing and pressing out all air. Refrigerate the bag for up to 2 months and return to the freezer.

Preheat the oven and the baking sheets just as the instructions tell you to. You can bake the cookie dough from frozen but will need to bake a little longer once the pans have been rotated.

Sad cake is all about carefree joy not at all sad and not really a cake. Sad cake is easy to make and fun to share, and is a retro recipe that you'll want to add to your regular rotation. By containing its three fundamental ingredients, it serves as a template for all the creative riffing that can be done in this theme and beyond. Its origins, at least to me, are something of a mystery, and it's — and.

If you've got a box of Bisquick, preheat the oven, and plan to grab these addictive, chewy, blondie-like brown sugar dessert bars out of the oven, then…go ahead.

Where Did Sad Cake Come From?

Sad cake was first introduced to me on page 190 of The Lubbock Women's Club Cookbook copyrighted 1983. I have a friend, who knows it is crazy that I am always on the lookout for old community cookbooks at thrift stores, and she picked it up for her because she figures 'I know. . .you'll love this. I like to look at them in breaks between snacks, and it was on one of these breaks that I saw a recipe posted by one Frances Cowger for "Sad, Sad Cake."

The recipe called for 2 cups of Bisquick, four eggs and one whole box of brown sugar. This all sounds excessive, it's really about 2 1/4 cups (the brown sugar we buy in plastic bags today used to come in 1 pound boxes).

Here are the directions straight from Frances: "Mix ingredients by hand. Pour into a greased 13 1/8" by 9 1/2" by 2" pan. Although, baked at 350° F for 30 minutes."(This cake should rise nicely–then fall as it should!)"

That's it. That's the recipe. I had to make it.

Short on Looks, Big on Appeal

I made sad cake as written, having no idea what to expect, and I was very happy. It baked in a 9 x 13 inch pan, spread thinly in the pan, baked up like crazy and then collapsed like it's supposed to (Bisquick is full of leavener, so that makes sense). I'll just say I can only imagine they messed up a more conventional Bisquick cake and just ran with it.

So after 30 minutes, my sad cake was still squishy, I baked it a little longer. When it came out of the oven it had a glossy, crackly top and lots of tiny craters by the edges that were more dark than the center. It wasn't sad, per se, but it was matter ugly.

I am one of the biggest edge piece fans and the corner pieces in particular were in a dreamland. The interior pieces were super moist, but more butterscotchy, and the exterior was very playfully chewy and a caramel vibe.

Shredded coconut flakes mixed with a cup into the next batch and I like that one even better. The coconut made a difference and a difference that even coconut haters liked. The next day it not only tasted better, but it also reheated better. It kept fresh up to 4 days and was a great conversation starter, everyone loved it. The happy, sad cake made me and everyone else happy. I hope you'll see it do the same.

Sad Cake Variations

Sad cake at its 3 ingredient truest is a recipe that begs to be tinkered with.

• Nuts: Up to 1 cup toasted chopped nuts (I think they are better sprinkled onto the cake rather than mixed in…ness).
• Chocolate chips: Because it's so sweet, choose semisweet or bittersweet chips for this cake, mini ones if you can. Use anything from 1 cup to 1 1/2 cups.
• Omit the coconut: You can omit coconut if you really really dislike it (or for that matter, don't have it in your pantry).