It's been a while. I've been busy. With life. With cancer. With three kids. With work. With moving houses. With separation agreements. With radiation. With loneliness. With emptiness. With happiness. With hope.

I've spent a lot of time lately at hospitals. There is a lot of love, touchable and palpable, in those purell-washed walls. Those memories will be with me forever. I found out last week that my scan shows my thyroid cancer is "gone". Yay.

This cookie recipe is a blank canvas for whatever you desire—raisins, oats, chocolate chips, dates, or coconut. It’s comforting, customizable, and always delicious. My favorite is raisin oatmeal, but feel free to make it your own by swapping ingredients as you like.

Recipe: The Only Cookie Recipe You Need

This cookie recipe can be all that you want it to be. It likes chocolate chips, raisins, dates, and coconut. It plays well with others. Just substitute the raisins and coconut listed in the recipe with your favorite stand-in. If you're making chocolate chip cookies, you may want to leave the cinnamon out.

Makes: 24 2-inch round cookies

Ingredients:

1 stick (¼ pound or 1 cup or 8 ounces) unsalted butter
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
¾ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ cups quick-cooking oats
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup raisins
¼ cup coconut

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350˚F.
   
   
2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1-2 minutes until soft. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar, and mix until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Then, add the egg and mix well.
   
   
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, oats, and cinnamon. Stir in the raisins and coconut (or any other mix-ins of your choice).
   
   
4. Drop the dough by spoonfuls onto a lined baking sheet.
   
   
5. Bake for 18-20 minutes until the edges are golden. Let cool.

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