The Send-Off

Nobody feels like doing a lot of cooking just before a big trip--which is why so many of us end up eating airline food. But if you really love your friends, you’ll do the cooking for them. That way, when the stewardess asks if they want lasagna or teriyaki chicken, they can simply say, “Nothing, thanks, we brought our own.”

There’s nothing as gratifying as a crunchy, yet slightly chewy, cookie while traveling. These cookies keep well for days in airtight plastic food bags. For crisper cookies bake them for the full amount of time; for soft and chewy treats, underbake the cookies slightly.

MACADAMIA-COCONUT COOKIES

2 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon water

1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut

1 (7-ounce) jar macadamia nuts, toasted

Stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Cream butter with sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, vanilla and water. Slowly beat in flour mixture. Stir in coconut and nuts.

Press into average-size ice cream scoops or 1/4-cup measure and drop, about 2 inches apart, onto ungreased parchment or wax-paper-lined baking sheet. Lightly press down with fork into 3-inch circles.

Bake at 350 degrees 11 to 12 minutes or until top is slightly set. (Underbake just slightly if soft, chewy cookies are desired.) Carefully transfer cookies to cooling racks to cool. Store in airtight containers or food bags. Freeze up to 1 month, if desired. Makes about 1 1/2 dozen large cookies.

Each cookie contains about:

491 calories; 373 mg sodium; 77 mg cholesterol; 31 grams fat; 52 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 1.22 grams fiber; 57% calories from fat.

Variations:

Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies:

In place of coconut and macadamias, add 1 1/2 cups quick oats and 2 cups raisins. Makes about 2 dozen.

Chocolate Chip-Walnut:

In place of coconut and macadamias, add 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips and 1 cup chopped walnuts. Makes 2 to 2 1/2 dozen.

Easy to tote, empanadas or turnovers are the perfect travel food. There are many versions of turnovers. They can be sweet, filled with fruit and nuts, or savory ones filled with chicken, beef, ham or vegetables. Here’s one South American version that you can bake, pack and eat on the plane.

ARGENTINIAN EMPANADAS

2 (10-ounce) packages frozen puff pastry shells, thawed

1 tablespoon butter

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup chopped tomato

1/2 pound lean ground beef

10 green olives, pitted and chopped

Salt, pepper

2 hard-cooked eggs, sliced

1 egg, lightly beaten

Sugar

Roll pastry into 5- to 6-inch circles. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Add and saute garlic and onion until tender. Stir in tomato, ground beef and green olives and cook 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook until beef is done.

Place slice of hard-cooked egg on each pastry circle. Place rounded tablespoon of meat mixture on each pastry circle. Moisten edges of dough with water, then fold in half, fluting or crimping edges to seal. Place on greased baking sheet and brush tops with beaten egg. Sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake at 450 degrees 15 minutes or until golden. Makes 12 empanadas.

Each serving contains about:

297 calories; 263 mg sodium; 52 mg cholesterol; 21 grams fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams protein; 0.14 gram fiber; 63% calories from fat.

When out-of-town friends and relatives visit Beth Luna in San Francisco, she bakes this decadent rum-soaked bundt cake. “It smells so good,” she says, “that often they end up eating it on the plane. The cake stays moist and gets better as it ages, a perfect send-away present.

RUM POUND CAKE

1 (18.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix

1 (3.4-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

4 eggs

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup oil

1/2 cup dark rum

Rum Butter Glaze

Place cake mix in large mixer bowl. Add vanilla pudding mix, eggs, water, oil and dark rum. Beat according to package directions, or 2 minutes at medium speed. (Do not overbeat.) Turn into greased and floured 10-inch bundt pan, or 2 smaller (7-inch) bundt pans, or 8 to 10 (3 1/2-inch) brioche pans. Bake large bundt at 350 degrees 50 to 60 minutes (cover top with foil if browning too fast). Bake smaller bundt pans, 35 to 45 minutes and brioche pans about 25 minutes.

Place pans on cooling rack and cool completely before unmolding cake. Invert onto serving plate. Pierce top with wood picks. Spoon Rum Glaze over. Makes 10 servings.

Each serving contains about:

664 calories; 613 mg sodium; 188 mg cholesterol; 36 grams fat; 68 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 0.00 grams fiber; 48% calories from fat.

Rum Butter Glaze

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup water

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup rum

Melt butter in small saucepan. Stir in water and sugar and boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in rum.

The surprising combination of rosemary and raisins makes these cornbread muffins special.

ROSEMARY-RAISIN CORNBREAD

3/4 cup golden raisins

1 cup flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

Sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup vegetable oil

6 small sprigs fresh rosemary

Place raisins in small bowl and pour over hot water to cover fruit. Let stand while assembling ingredients. Combine flour, cornmeal, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder and salt in another bowl. Stir in rosemary.

Beat egg lightly in bowl. Stir in milk, olive and vegetable oils. Stir into dry ingredients. Just before ingredients are completely blended, stir in drained raisins. Spoon into 6 greased mini-tart pans. Lightly sprinkle tops with sugar.

Bake at 400 degrees 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and cake tests done in center. Remove to wire rack to cool. Decorate top of each with rosemary sprig before wrapping. Makes 6.

Each serving contains about:

437 calories; 703 mg sodium; 38 mg cholesterol; 20 grams fat; 59 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 0.49 gram fiber; 42% calories from fat.

The vinegary dressing makes this crispy combination come to life.

AIRLINE ANTIPASTO

1/2 cup cracked green olives

1/2 cup kalamata olives

1/2 cup miniature red pear tomatoes

1/2 cup miniature yellow pear tomatoes

1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

1/2 (5-ounce) package pepperoni, thinly sliced

1 cup sliced celery

1/2 cup julienned red onion

2 tablespoons capers

Dressing

Toss together green and kalamata olives, red and yellow pear tomatoes, artichokes, pepperoni, celery, onion and capers. Pour over Dressing and toss well. Pack in clean jars or containers. Cover and chill several hours or overnight. Makes 4 1/2 cups or 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

210 calories; 350 mg sodium; 7 mg cholesterol; 18 grams fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0.63 gram fiber; 75% calories from fat.

Dressing

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup vinegar

1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano

1/2 teaspoon sugar

3 cloves garlic, minced

Salt, pepper

Combine olive oil, vinegar, oregano, sugar and garlic. Stir to blend and season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes about 3/4 cup.