We are introduced, at an early age, to the sweet wondernous of a cookie. From teething cookies to soothe the swollen aching gums of incoming incisors, onto animal crackers purchased in rectangular-shaped boxes bearing a string handle for easy toting by little fingers. Deciding which part of the animal should be eaten first-the trunk of the elephant or the tail of a lion-depended on how hungry one was. Savor each and every one or simply gobble them down as fast as possible.

My next cookie memory would be the ever famous, possibly all-time favorite, the chocolate chip cookie. There is nothing better than to bite into a round circle of baked dough sprinkled with gooey melt-in-your-mouth chocolate. A chocolate chip cookie can dry tears, heal broken hearts, mend scraped knees and elbows and solve sibling arguments. Most of the problems in the world could likely be solved by a properly baked, right out of the oven, chocolate chip cookie. The power of a cookie is underestimated.

I will attempt in the next 365 days to prepare and comment on a year’s worth of different cookies-one for each day. My goal is to share with others my extreme love of cookies-baking them and especially eating them! Feel free to send me your favorite recipe, your earliest cookie memories, or how cookies may have influenced your life. Cookies Rule!


Thursday, September 30, 2010

Cookie Recipe #271 - French Vanilla Coconut Macaroon Bars


A cake mix is the base for this bar cookie; a few additions, bake, top with lines of chocolate, and you have a yummy concoction.

Ingredients: 1 package French Vanilla cake mix, 1/3 cup margarine or butter, 2 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 egg, 1 1/2 cups coconut, 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch pan; set aside. In large mixing bowl, place cake mix. With pastry blender or fork, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add water, vanilla, and egg; blend well. Stir in coconut; mix well. Press dough evenly into prepared pan.

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 16-22 minutes or until bars are golden brown and edges begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool 15 minutes on wire rack.

In small saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate chips, stirring constantly (or use the microwave resealable bag method). Drizzle over bars. Cool completely and cut into bars.

Makes 2 dozen bars.

This recipe was presented by Cheryl Osborn, Flushing, Michigan, in the "The Million Dollar Bake-Off" put out by Pillsbury Cookbooks, Minneapolis, MN, April 1996.

Cookies Rule!!!

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