Cookies & Bars

Last year, during a holiday open house I absolutely did not have time to host, my carefully planned dessert tray vanished in fifteen minutes flat. Guests were still hanging up their coats while I stood there staring at an empty platter like it had personally betrayed me. That was the night I realized something crucial:…

Let’s rewind to last summer’s barbecue — the one where I completely forgot I was supposed to bring dessert. There I was, ten minutes before leaving, staring at an empty counter and three kids already buckled in the car. I grabbed a pack of Oreos, some cream cheese, and chocolate chips, whispered a prayer, and…

Every summer, I tell myself I’ll make “just one” s’more — and every summer, that turns into six. There’s something magical about that first bite: the crack of the graham, the gooey marshmallow stretch, the melt of chocolate that’s just barely holding its shape. It’s nostalgia and chaos all at once — especially when you’re…

I’ll never forget the night my oven quit halfway through baking dessert for a family get-together. I had guests on the way, a fridge full of appetizers, and zero backup plan—until I remembered my emergency stash of chocolate chips. In a moment of pure desperation (and maybe caffeine), I whipped up a quick batch of…

I once forgot to make dessert for a dinner party. The kitchen smelled like roasted chicken and panic. With guests already pouring wine in the living room, I grabbed a bag of chocolate chips, melted some butter, and threw everything into my cast-iron skillet. Twenty minutes later, I pulled out a golden, gooey masterpiece that…

There was a time when I believed “homemade” meant starting from scratch—until a chaotic birthday morning proved me wrong. With no butter, no patience, and a box of yellow cake mix staring me down, I took a gamble. Thirty minutes later, those cookies were golden, chewy perfection—and my secret weapon for every last-minute gathering since….