I can’t think of a better way to prepare a potato than Hasselback-style. You may have seen Hasselback potatoes, with their distinctive accordion pattern. Thinly sliced, but still intact, the flesh is exposed while creating a cascade of ridges and edges ready to crisp. As the potato cooks, a flavorful basting sauce dribbles into the potato, flavoring the interior while hastening the browning of the skin. Apparently, you can have your baked potato and your crisps and eat them as one.

Russet potatoes and large Yukon Gold potatoes are fair game for Hasselback-style. The key to the prep is to first thinly slice a piece of each potato base lengthwise to stabilize them, so they won’t wobble or tilt while baking. Then cut thin slices crosswise, 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick, nearly to the bottom without cutting through the base. A trick to doing this is to lay two chopsticks or two thin cutting boards lengthwise on either side of the potato to act as buffers for the knife as it cuts through the potato, and prevent it from reaching the work surface.

Then, brush the potato all over and in the crevices with a melted butter basting sauce, and continue to baste the potato once or twice while it bakes. About halfway through the baking process, you can gently fan the slices to spread the potato farther open to expose the interior. If some of the slices break off, no worries! They will be delicious chips on the side.

Herb and Cheesy Hasselback Potatoes

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

4 large russet or Yukon Gold potatoes

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus extra for finishing

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for finishing

1/4 cup finely grated Gruyere or Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, mint and/or chives

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut a very thin slice lengthwise from the bottom of each potato to stabilize the bottom. Cut each potato crosswise, as thinly as possible, 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick, to about 1/4-inch from the bottom, without piercing the base. Place in a baking pan or cast iron pan.

Melt the butter with the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the garlic, salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Brush the potatoes all over and in the crevices with some of the butter mixture.

Transfer to the oven and bake until the potatoes are tender and beginning to crisp, 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the size of the potatoes, basting once or twice with the butter. In the last 10 minutes or so of cooking, sprinkle with the cheese and continue to bake until the cheese is melted.

Remove from the oven and immediately brush all over with the remaining butter. Season with additional salt and black pepper and sprinkle with the herbs.

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Sometimes, all we need is a cookie. Nothing comforts or pleases more than a fresh-baked homemade cookie. It could be for a simple snack, an afternoon pick-me-up or an impulsive sugary indulgence. Or perhaps there’s a need for a soothing sweet diversion from, say, a bout of back-to-school jitters or the end-of-summer doldrums. Heck, maybe you simply read the newspaper and need to take a timeout.

Regardless, we can all use a cookie now and then, and not just any cookie, mind you, but a real superhero cookie, a mighty delectable concoction to step in and save the day (or at least the afternoon). Something to distract from the tasks at hand, to sink our teeth into, and to meditate on with every luscious bite -- most preferably, with a significant degree of chocolate involved.

This chocolate cookie will come to the rescue. It’s essentially chocolate on chocolate (nearly 1 pound in all, thank you very much), melted and molded into a hand-held indulgent snack. It’s cookie hero material, for sure: deeply dark, intensely rich, yet airy and light with a crackly exterior and a gooey center, thanks to four billowy eggs and just a wee bit of flour. It’s very being will command your full attention and shut out any mettlesome distractions or to-do lists, while it melts in your mouth and floods your brain with happy chocolate endorphins.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies With Toasted Almonds and Sea Salt

Active Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour plus chilling time

Yield: Makes approximately 24 (2-inch) cookies

14 ounces dark chocolate (70% to 72% cacao), chopped

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds (optional)

Sea salt flakes for garnish

Melt the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat.

Beat the eggs and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until thick and very pale in color, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chocolate and vanilla and mix to combine.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Add to the chocolate and mix on low speed to combine without overmixing. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop heaping tablespoons of the cookie batter onto the parchment, leaving 2 inches between the cookies. Sprinkle each cookie with a few almonds and a pinch of sea salt.

Transfer to the oven and bake until the tops crack and the cookies are set, 13 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and slide the parchment onto wire racks to cool. Allow the cookies to cool completely before removing from the parchment (they will stick if they are still warm). The cookies will continue to set while they cool. Store in an airtight container for up to three days.

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The end of summer means many things to me: Labor Day barbecues, back-to-school excitement, shorter days and ... loads of tomatoes. Yes, I’m talking tomatoes -- cherry tomatoes, to be exact. It's the time of year when the garden is lobbing bushels of vegetables at us faster than a tennis ball machine, and it’s all that we can do to keep up.

Our tomato plants have chugged along this summer in a cooler-than-usual climate, and suddenly seem to have picked up steam in a last-minute hurrah to the end of summer. The bushes are heavy with red and yellow fruit begging to be picked. We oblige and pop them into our mouths and pile them into bowls for snacking. The best way to eat a ripe cherry tomato is straight up and warm from the vine, in my opinion. It’s nature's candy at its best.

Yet, there are only so many tomatoes that can be munched on or tossed into salads in a day. That’s when it's time to get creative with the bounty, and this recipe does just that. It’s a light and simple dinner that can be prepared in less than 30 minutes, and most important, it lets the cherry tomato shine.

Linguine With Cherry Tomatoes and Lemony Breadcrumb Gremolata

Active Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Serves 4 to 6

Breadcrumb Gremolata:

1/2 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs or panko

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

2 tablespoons finely grated pecorino Romano

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Pasta:

1 pound linguine or spaghetti

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup basil leaves, chopped (optional)

Prepare the gremolata: Toast the breadcrumbs in a dry skillet until light golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool completely. Add the parsley, cheese, lemon zest, salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup cooking water.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes begin to collapse and release their juices but still retain their shape, 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with the salt and pepper, and then taste for additional seasoning.

Add the linguine to the skillet and stir to coat. Add half of the gremolata and toss to combine. If the pasta is too dry, add some of the reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to moisten slightly. You don’t want the pasta to be gloopy.

Divide the pasta among serving plates and sprinkle with the remaining gremolata. Garnish with the basil, if using. Serve immediately.

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