Meringue Cookies ("Forgotten Cookies")

Ingredients:
4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup miniature chocolate bits

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat egg whites at high speed until soft peaks begin to form. Mix in sugar 1 tablespoon at a time; add vanilla. Beat until stiff peaks form and the mixture is glossy. Carefully fold in chocolate bits, and either pipe or drop the meringue from a tablespoon onto a parchment-paper-covered baking pan to form cloudlike puffs. Put the pans into the oven and turn off the heat. Forget about the cookies until the next day (hence the name “Forgotten Cookies”). Remove and store in airtight containers. Makes about 48 large puffs.

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TOP 10 ESSENTIALS FOR COOKING
Here's my top-10 list of kitchen essentials for a well-equipped kitchen:

1. An 8-inch chef knife and 3-inch paring knife. Make sure they are high-carbon stainless, forged knives. Avoid the "82-knife set."

2. Cutting board. I favor nylon or bamboo. In either case, make sure it is lightweight and at least 12-by-20-inches.

3. Measuring cups and spoons. You'll need a 2-cup and a 4-cup liquid measuring cup, a set of measuring cups for dry ingredients and a set of measuring spoons. Stainless steel is the most durable.

4. A 12-inch nonstick skillet with cover. Tri-ply such as All-Clad is the best for even heating. This pan does everything from omelets to sautés.

5. An 8-quart stock pot. This is essential for boiling pasta, steaming vegetables or making large batches of chili, soups and stews.

6. Colander. Get stainless steel with firmly riveted handles.

7. A 3-quart covered saucepan. This rounds out your pots-and-pans inventory for small boiling projects and heating canned soups.

8. A four-sided cheese grater. Freshly grated cheese is a big flavor boost for your cooking. This tool is also useful for grating vegetables and shredding lemon zest.

9. Sheet pan. This inexpensive pan has raised sides and can be used to bake cookies, breads and pizza, or to roast vegetables and meats.

10. A 6-quart slow cooker. This is a working couple's best friend. Ten minutes of prep in the morning yields a dinner entree and loads of leftovers. The models with the thickest insert provide the slowest, most-even cooking. Be sure it's at least a 5-quart capacity.

- Chris Fennimore