Moisture makes the cookie difference

Dear Heloise:

What is the ingredient that makes the difference between soft and crisp cookies?

— Kathleen H., Camp Hill, Pa.

Kathleen, high moisture does, as well as baking time, and the temperature must be adjusted to retain moisture. Binding the water in butter, eggs and brown sugar (which contains molasses, which is 10 percent water) with flour slows its evaporation. There’s also a little more flour in a soft cookie. Volume also helps cookies stay moist. A large cookie rather than a small spoondrop cookie usually will be softer. They’re baked for shorter time periods at a higher temperature.

Heloise Dear Heloise: Dear Heloise: —

I cook two scrambled eggs in a very small skillet to preserve the shape and size. I turn them once to cook on both sides, then I stack them on a saucer, cover and refrigerate. When ready to serve, I warm them in the microwave on half power and top with diced fresh tomatoes, grated cheese or precooked bacon. It works well and saves time.

— Lana D., Taylorsville, N.C.

Lana, now that’s a clever way to get breakfast in the morning!

— Heloise

To lose weight and not be uncomfortable doing so, I’ve been doing the following:

When filling my plate with high-calorie foods, I say, “A little less rather than a little more.”

To continue filling my plate with vegetables and low-calorie items, I say, “A little more rather than a little less.”

It’s a slow process, but it’s been working for me.

— Terry S., Danville, Ky. Dear Heloise:

My boyfriend loves good coffee, and I’d like to serve him some creative coffees, except that I’m a total klutz in the kitchen. Do you have any ideas or recipes on how to make plain coffee a little more interesting? Please, nothing complicated or where I have to go buy a fancy machine.

— Joan E., Maplewood, Minn.

Joan, I have several recipes, but one of my personal favorites is:

MOCHA COFFEE

Mix the ingredients together and store in a labeled container. Just mix with hot water when ready to use.

If you like this recipe, I have several more you can try in my Flavored Coffees and Teas pamphlet. Just go to my website, www. Heloise.com, to order one, or send a stamped (70 cents), self-addressed, business-size envelope, along with $3, to Heloise/ Coffees & Teas, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. There are few things more enjoyable than sipping a warm cup of coffee or tea with friends. It just makes life more enjoyable.

Heloise — Heloise Dear Readers:

Freezing does not kill bacteria; it only stops their growth. The only thing that will kill bacteria and help to prevent food poisoning is cooking food at highenough temperatures.

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