Next time life calls for a sweet treat, get smart and bake a pan of cookie bars. Simpler than cake, faster than cookies, and less stressful than pie, cookie bars are always a hit. Need proof ...

Over the years, we’ve fine-tuned the list of ingredients we bring and the gear we use to make the cookies. We’ve learned that smart kitchen appliances can help things run a bit smoother.

That didn’t work out so well, but after two months and 52 recipes they settled on a smart chocolate chip and cardamom cookie. If you’d like to give it a try, Google shared the recipe .

One Smart Cookie went to law school. Martha Yolanda Diaz, who grew up in Fremont, says the program made it possible for her to pursue her dream of becoming an environmental scientist.