"Mother's Best: Comfort Food that Takes You Home Again" by Lisa Schroeder with Danielle Centoni (Taunton Press, $28)

"Once upon a time," writes Chef Schroeder in her cookbook "Mother's Best," "mothers would spend almost an entire day cooking. They'd put something on the stove or in the oven and let it simmer slowly while they went on with their day.

"Compared with modern life, those days have more in common with fairy tales than reality. Our lives are busier than ever, and many of us don't have the time — or the inclination — to spend all day in the kitchen. And that's why when we do fire up the stove, we want to make something with a big payoff — in either flavor, time savings or both."

Schroeder, chef and owner of Mother's Bistro and Bar and Mama Mia Trattoria in Portland, Oregon, probably never thought of herself as a fairy godmother, but that is just what she becomes in a well-worn apron as she rifles off the 150 special recipes in her fat cookbook. I'm glad it's so stuffed with recipes, as it's the perfect cookbook to give — or cook from — year after year for Mother's Day.

Can you improve on the kind of comfort food most of us enjoy on Mother's Day? Many people think not. After all, that's how it garners the status of "comfort food" in the first place. They're the special dishes of your family that are soothing enough to repeatedly put the whole gang over the moon and then some. Schroeder, though, accomplishes the near impossible. One dish after another is more calming, nurturing and downright decadent than its original inspiration.

Macaroni 'n' cheese is more than just the heartwarming basic. It's doused in heavy cream, loaded with diced bacon and served with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of sliced scallions. Taking comfort to new quantities, that's just one of nine versions (featuring a helpful primer, too) that culminates in varieties like smoked salmon cream cheese and dill mac 'n' cheese, and roasted garlic, prosciutto and provolone mac 'n' cheese.

Pork chops are not only marinated in orange juice and garlic, but they're also glazed in apple juice, honey and orange zest, and served with a Granny Smith and raisin-spiced chutney.

Corned beef hash (which can also be morphed into a show-stopping wild salmon hash) is mixed with a Dijon mustard horseradish cream.

"Best" chocolate pudding gets its moniker due to not only cocoa powder and finely chopped bittersweet chocolate, but also the addition of creme de cacao or chocolate liqueur.

The affection apparent in Schroeder's many "Love Notes" (ingredient and cooking tips), as well as additional essays on countless culinary techniques, seems heartily genuine as the award-winning chef pontificates on everything from peeling carrots, to avoiding pre-shredded cheese, to simmering cream until it is so thick as to be dreamy. These tips are nice additions to Mother's Day cards for new moms, grandmas and everyone in between.

BACON AND CHEDDAR MACARONI 'N' CHEESE

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for salting the pasta water

1 pound fusilli (corkscrew) or other pasta (see Note 1)

3/4 pound bacon, diced

3 cups heavy cream

2 cups firmly packed shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 1/2 pound) (see Note 2)

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup sour cream, for garnish

1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions (white and green parts), for garnish

Yields 4 to 6 servings.

Bring a medium (6- to 8-quart) pot of water to a boil.

Salt it generously (it should taste like the sea).

Stir in the pasta and cook according to package directions. Carefully drain (but don't rinse, or you'll rinse away starches that will help thicken the sauce), and carefully return to the empty pot.

Meanwhile, place a large (12-14-inch) saute pan over high heat for several minutes. When hot, carefully add the bacon and saute until browned and crispy. Lower the heat to medium-high if necessary to prevent scorching, about 5 minutes. Carefully remove the pan from the heat and, using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove the bacon from the pan and drain on paper towels.

Pour off the fat from the pan (into a metal can or heatproof cup, not down the drain, or you'll potentially clog your pipes) and return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the heavy cream and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat to medium and continue to simmer until the cream is reduced slightly, about 3 minutes.

Add the cheddar cheese and bacon. Stir well and cook over medium-high heat, stirring now and then, until the cheese has melted and the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper.

Stir the sauce into the cooked and drained pasta in the pot. Place over medium heat and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to thicken the sauce and allow the pasta to absorb the flavors, stirring occasionally.

Serve in individual bowls topped with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of scallions.

Note 1: Schroeder names her favored products throughout the book (e.g., for pasta, "preferably De Cecco.")

Note 2: "Avoid pre-shredded cheese," Schroeder writes in this "Love Note". "It may seem like a time saver, but much of the cheese's flavor has dissipated and the starchy coating on the outside will interfere with the sauce."

GARLICKY CROUTONS

1 (1-pound) loaf country or French bread with crust, cut into 1-inch cubes

3/4 cup olive oil

5 large cloves garlic, finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

2 teaspoons kosher salt

Yields about 10 cups.

Heat oven to 350 F. Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until dry and barely golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove and allow to cool slightly.

Combine olive oil, garlic and parsley in a small bowl.

Sprinkle the salt over the bread and drizzle it with the olive oil mixture. Toss well to coat and return the pan to the oven. (See Note.) Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freeze for 6 months (and defrost before using).

Note: "You must bake the croutons twice," Schroeder writes in this "Love Note": "The bread dries out and gets a little color from the first baking and then gets crispy and golden the second time. If tossed in the oil mixture and then baked only once, the garlic would burn before the bread got crispy and golden."

Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the author of seven food books, including "Mrs. Cubbison's Best Stuffing Cookbook" and "The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook." She also writes the Creators News Service "After-Work Gourmet" column. To find out more about Lisa Messinger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.