Green Chile Apple (Hand-Held) Pies

The first time I tried a green chile apple pie was in Vermont, of all places. We were visiting a friend who insisted we bring him some Hatch green chile from New Mexico so he could make a pie. I was intrigued at what it would taste like and fell completely in love after one bite. Unfortunately, the rest of my family didn't really care for it and I'm sorry to say that I never had it again...until now.

I always thought about green chile apple pie and wanted to make it several times, but every time I mentioned it people, (my husband) looked at me like I was crazy. A few months ago I came across a recipe for these hand-held pies (turnovers, really), and I decided to finally make them. I think you either like green chile apple pie or you don't. Personally, I love the sweet heat combo and could eat them all day long...which is exactly what I did.

If you make these, and I really hope you do, play around with the amount of chile you use. Chile from a can tends to be on the mild side, so you can probably get away with using a full cup. If you're using fresh chile, taste it first and judge the heat. We used one cup of VERY hot chile and I was afraid of the outcome, but I think cooking it and combining it with the sweet apples actually helped simmer the spiciness. If you're timid about chile, add it to a few pies and see how they taste—the outcome may surprise you!

Green Chile Apple (Hand-Held) Pies

adapted from Bless Her Heart

Ingredients:
4 sheets of puff pastry, thawed according to manufacturers instructions
3 cups apples, peeled and diced into bite-sized pieces
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 cup green chiles, roasted, peeled and diced.
1/2 cup of sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar (1Tbs sugar; 1Tbs cinnamon)
flour for dusting the workspace
egg for egg wash

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix lemon juice with the apples to keep them from browning. Stir in green chile. In a small bowl, mix sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch and salt. Thoroughly mix dry ingredients into the apple mixture. Set aside; mix occasionally. In a small bowl beat egg for eggwash.

Lightly flour a work surface for cutting out puff pastry circles. Using a bowl as your cutter, you should be able to get 2-3 circles from each sheet of puff pastry sheet. The circles should be around 5-6" in diameter (we used the lid from our flour container—get creative with your cutter!).

Fill in half of the circle with apple filling, around 2-3 full tablespoons of filling depending on the size of circles. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top of filling. Brush along half of the edge of the circle with egg wash. Fold in half, tucking the filling inside as you go along and pinch closed, or seal with the tines of a fork. Cut a 1" slit in the top for a vent. Brush the top with the egg wash; sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar. Place on parchment paper on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining hand pies. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Summer Berry Tart

I have a confession to make. Well, it's not really a confession, but more like a fact: I only like to make something if it's simple. I'm still learning my way around the kitchen and I'm still figuring out what works well together, so if something's too difficult, my eyes glaze right over the directions and I forget about making it.

I always see pretty-looking desserts floating around the Internet, but thought they were way above my baking league. But when I saw a version of this tart on Pinterest I couldn't get over how light and refreshing it looked and knew I wanted to try it. Then I discovered the recipe was from Real Simple and breathed a sigh of relief knowing it had to be easy to make. Luckily, it was extremely simple—just like the magazine claims—and I had the perfect place to take it: a 4th of July barbeque.  

You can use cream cheese, but we really like marscapone (Italian sweet cream cheese), so that's what I used. You can also top it with whatever berries you want. The one shown here is clearly decorated like a flag, but I also made one with a mixture of blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries. Frozen puff pastry is my new favorite ingredient and I'm already dreaming of other things to make with it.

Sweet Berry Tart

adapted from Real Simple

Ingredients:

2 8-ounce sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten  
2 tablespoon granulated sugar 
8 ounces marscapone (or cream cheese, softened) 
1/2 cup half and half (or heavy cream)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest 
6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
3 cups berries

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375° F. On a lightly floured surface, unfold the sheet of pastry and roll it into a rectangle, smoothing out creases. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
2. Using the tip of a knife, score a 1-inch border around the pastry without cutting all the way through. Brush border with egg and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake until golden and puffed, 17 to 20 minutes.
3. Using the tip of a knife, rescore the border of the cooked pastry without cutting all the way through. Let rest until cool to the touch. Gently press down on the center of the pastry sheet to flatten it. Let cool to room temperature, 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, with an electric mixer, beat the marscapone until smooth. Add cream, vanilla, lemon zest, and 5 tablespoons of the confectioners’ sugar; beat until smooth (will thicken up over time). Gently brush flakes from the center of the pastry off; spread mixture evenly within the borders of the pastry.
5. Arrange the berries on cream mixture and sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of confectioners’ sugar.

Ice Cream Bread

Ice cream bread? Say what?

If you're scratching your head right now, you're not the only one. I saw this a few days ago on Pinterest (anyone else completely addicted to that site?) and knew I had to try making it immediately.

Not only did I try it, but I've kind of gone crazy trying different flavors. I'm still baffled that this bread is made with ice cream! Make this with your leftover ice cream or pick up a pint for a  fun, ridiculously easy, and tasty bread. When I say "ridiculously easy to make" I truly mean that. There are only two ingredients:

Self-rising flour* + Ice cream

The flavors above are strawberry on the left and "turtle tracks" (caramel, chocolate, and peanut butter) on the right. I've also tried pineapple coconut ice cream (SO delicious) and peach ice cream. I just bought some coffee ice cream and plan on making some bread with that very soon. I happen to like chunks in this particular bread, so to the strawberry ice cream I added additional frozen strawberries, and to the peach I added pecans. The sky is really the limit!

If you try this, let us know what you think and what flavor you used; I'm curious how it'll taste with different ice creams.

Ice Cream Bread

from The Hungry Housewife originally from 1001 Ways to Cook Southern

Ingredients:
2 cups (1 pint) ice cream
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour*
(For every cup of flour add 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt {sift together}. There you go, now you have self-rising flour.)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Spray an 8 x 4 loaf pan or line it with parchment paper. In a medium bowl mix semi-melted ice cream and flour together until just combined. Scoop into the loaf and and smooth out. Bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the loaf comes out with a few crumbs stuck to it. Remove from the pan and allow to coo. Enjoy! 

Sopaipilla Cheesecake Bars

I sometimes claim that I'm "not a fan of sweets," but that's a lie. I'm just not a fan of certain sweet treats; there are plenty of desserts I love. Like this one. I'm a sucker for anything covered in cinnamon and sugar, I have a weakness for cheesecake, and I puffy heart love sopaipillas.

Wait. Have you heard of sopaipillas before? (So-pa-pee-ya)

They look like little pillows and are basically puffed dough traditionally served after a Mexican meal. Some people stuff them with leftovers on their plate or fill them with honey for dessert. They're little pieces of heaven and I will one day learn how to make them.

But back to this recipe. It's another one of those desserts that's inexpensive and takes zero time to prepare, but tastes like you worked all morning to make them. I love, love, love the crunchy top and how it's combined with the creamy cheese filling.

I used healthier ingredients to make these (reduced fat crescent rolls, neufchatel cheese, and Brummel and Brown), and I honestly can't imagine how rich it would taste if you used the full-fat versions. Don't get me wrong, this is in no way healthy. But I figure every little bit helps!

A note: these taste good while they're warm and just out of the oven, but they taste even more amazing at room temperature or cold. Patience, my friends! 

Sopaipilla Cheesecake Bars

adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything

Ingredients:

2 cans Pillsbury Crescent rolls
2 8oz cream cheese (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons butter, melted
honey (optional)

Directions:

Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Unroll and press 1 can crescent rolls into the bottom of baking dish; press seams together. In a separate bowl, blend cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and vanilla. Spread cream cheese over top of dough. Unroll second can of crescent rolls and place on top of the cream cheese mixture pressing seams together again. Melt butter in small bowl and brush over top layer of dough. Mix the reaming 1/2 cup of sugar and cinnamon together. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture generously over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until bubbly and bottom crust is slightly brown. For an added touch of sweetness, drizzle with honey before eating! Tastes good warm, but tastes even better at room temperature or cold.

Strawberry Pineapple Crumble

Yesterday I headed out to a local strawberry patch with my friend Natalie where we each picked several pounds worth of fresh strawberries and then enjoyed delicious strawberry ice cream. This was my first time strawberry picking and I had an absolute blast. Sure, I could have done without the Georgia humidity in April, but I almost all forgot about the heat when I heard the lovely "Pop" that comes from picking the berry off its stem.

Armed with five pounds of ruby-red, sweet strawberries, I had a hard time deciding what to make first. But then I remembered a post I read that morning from Joy the Baker and knew exactly what I'd use my first pound of strawberries for: Strawberry Pineapple Crumble.

If you tilted your head for that combination, you're not alone. I remember thinking, "Huh, interesting." So interesting, in fact, that it just might work really well. I'm here to let you know that it doesn't just work, it's fantastic!

The pineapple's sweet and tart flavor brings out the sweetness from the berries. And the crumble? Well I could probably eat the topping all by itself. All together, this dessert is light enough to eat for breakfast (like I had this morning), and the crunchy topping has a bit of saltiness that pairs perfectly with the filling. Make this. Make it, share it, and enjoy it.

Since I have four pounds of strawberries leftover, what should I make next? I'm thinking at least one pound needs to be devoted to some strawberry ice cream.

Strawberry Pineapple Crumble 

slightly adapted from Joy the Baker

Ingredients: 
1 pound strawberries, hulled and cut in half/quarters (bite-sized pieces)
1 pound peeled and diced fresh pineapple 
3 tablespoons sugar 
3 teaspoons cornstarch 
1/4 cup all-purpose flour 
pinch of salt  
2/3 cup all-purpose flour 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes 
1 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats 
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup brown sugar


Directions:

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

After fruit is diced, place in colander to drain excess liquid. In a small dish, whisk together 3 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, 1/4 cup of flour and pinch of salt. Toss sugar mixture with fruit and place fruit in an 8-inch square baking dish. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add cold butter cubes. Use your fingers (or pastry cutter) to break up the cold butter cubes into the flour mixture. Add oats and pecans; toss together until the butter bits are about the size of the oat flakes.

Pour oat mixture over the prepared fruit. Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until juices from the fruit bubble up around the sides of the pan. (Depending on how full the dish is, you may want to put a baking sheet underneath in case it bubbles over.)

Remove crumble from oven; allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Crumble is delicious served warm with vanilla ice cream. Crumble can we wrapped and refrigerated for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or wrapped in foil in a low oven.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

I'm sorry I left you hanging yesterday with promises of the best meatball I ever ate, but I was just so full I couldn't type another word.

The recipe for this particular spaghetti and meatballs is so easy anyone can do it, and even the pickiest eaters will cheer for joy when they take a bite. So why am I so smitten over this spaghetti and meatballs dish?

Because they're actually cupcakes with hazelnut chocolates and strawberry jam!

APRIL FOOLS!! 

Several months ago I bought a copy of Hello, Cupcake and vowed to make some of the treats nestled within the pages. Luckily for me, there's a whole chapter on cupcakes that "fool the eye." So did I fool you at all or at least make you do a double take with yesterday's post? Truth be told, I really, really dislike meatballs, but this version is definitely a keeper.

If you'd like to know how to make these, they're ridiculously easy. I'm sure you could take the more challenging road and make everything from scratch, but I'm trying to use up our pantry products as much as possible, and it just so happened that I had boxed cake mix and frosting just sitting there waiting to be used.

Spaghetti and Meatball Cupcakes

from Hello, Cupcake!

Ingredients:
10 vanilla cupcakes baked in white paper liners (I made a whole batch {two dozen} and only used 10 for the actual pasta platter)
16 ounces vanilla frosting
1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
3 drops yellow food coloring
11 hazelnut chocolates (Ferrero Rocher), unwrapped
3/4 cup strawberry preserves (low-sugar has the best color)
2 tablespoons grated white chocolate (I used coconut for the "cheese")

directions:
1. Tint vanilla frosting with cocoa powder and yellow food coloring; spread a thin layer on top of the cupcakes. Arrange cupcakes on a platter so they're touching.

2. Spoon remaining frosting in to a ziplock or pipping bag. Press out the excess air and seal the bag. Snip a 1/8-inch corner from the bag (or use a small icing tip). Pip frosting all over the cupcakes to make "spaghetti," piling it high and allowing some of noodles to hang over the edges.

3. Place hazelnut chocolates and the strawberry preserves in a medium bowl and toss to coat. Spoon some preserves on to of cupcakes. Place one chocolate on each cupcake. Top cupcakes with remaining preserves. Sprinkle with white chocolate (or coconut).

Brandy Truffles

I haven't made truffles in years, and I figured there would be no better time to make them then Valentines Day. I love the dark chocolate that goes into these and how rich and amazing they are once all the steps are completed. It will truly be hard to keep from eating them in the process. I'll admit it is a long process but so worth the wait. And the brandy makes them an extra special grown up treat. The perfect chocolatey dessert for a special evening.

Brandy Truffles
Recipe Courtesy of Alton Brown

Ingredients:
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate (finely chopped)
3 Tbsp butter (unsalted)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp light corn syrup
1/4- 1/2 cup brandy
8 oz semisweet chocolate
Cocoa powder, finely chopped nuts, dusting sugar, powdered sugar, etc. (for coating)

Directions:
Melt 10 oz of chocolate with 3 Tbsp of butter in a microwave safe mixing bowl for 30 seconds. Remove and stir, repeat one more time. Set aside.
Heat the heavy cream and corn syrup in a put over medium heat until just simmering. Remove from the heat and pour it over the chocolate and butter mixture. Let it sit for 2 minutes. Stir gently with a rubber spatula until it's melted and becomes smooth. Once it's creamy stir in the brandy. Pour the chocolate mixture into an 8 by 8 baking dish (I like using an 8 inch cake pan) refrigerate for 1 hour.

Remove the chocolate from the fridge and scoop it out with a melon baller onto a sheet. Place in the refrigerator for half an hour.

Put your coatings in separate pie pans or plates.

Heat 8 oz of chocolate over a double boiler until melted. You'll need to adjust the heat up and down until you achieve 90-92 degrees F. Try to not let it go over 94 degrees. You want the coating to have a nice snap to it and if you go past 94 degrees you wont get that snap in the chocolate. Adjust the heat to maintain the correct temperature.

Take the truffles out of the refrigerator and roll them into balls using the palms of your hands. I would definitely wear latex gloves at this point or else your hands will be covered in chocolate goo.

Dip an ice cream scoop or large spoon into the melted chocolate and roll it upside down to remove excess chocolate. If there is too much chocolate on the spoon it will make the coating process messier and they will take longer to set up. Place the truffles 1 at a time into the scoop/spoon and roll around until coated. Place the truffle in your coating of choice (I used chopped walnuts, red sugar sprinkles, cocoa powder, and white chocolate). Roll it around to coat then leave it in the coating for 10 to 15 seconds. Coat all the truffles and place them on a parchment lined sheet pan and allow them to set for at least 1 hour. Either in an airtight container in the fridge or in a cool dry place. Serve at room temperature.

Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies {Valentine's Day Edition}

I've been saving this recipe since December, because I thought it'd be a perfect Valentine's Day treat. I'm a huge sucker for cheesecake and red velvet, so combining the two just seemed like a match made in foodie heaven.

Well I'm here to tell you that these are just as delicious as I imagined. They're creamy, velvety, and melt in your mouth. It has a perfect amount of sweetness that keep your taste buds begging for "just one more bite," and before you know it, the whole batch is gone.

You can slice and serve them in bars or get a little fancy and break out your cookie cutter for a little fun. If you do use a cookie cutter, just think of all those leftover scraps you'll get to eat! I know this next part will be hard to follow, but these really taste best when they're completely cooled. They're going to smell amazing and you'll want to eat it as soon as the timer "dings," but after you have a nibble, let them cool and try it later. Trust me, these brownies become sinfully delicious when they're completely cooled.

Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

adapted from Baking Bites
makes around 24

Ingredients:
for brownies
1 cup butter
4-oz dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 cup sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 tsp red food coloring
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt

for cheesecake

24-oz cream cheese, room temperature

2/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly lightly grease a 9"x13" baking pan.

In a small, heatproof bowl, melt butter and chocolate together. Stir with a fork until very smooth. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and red food coloring. Add in the chocolate mixture and stir until smooth. Batter should be red. If a brighter red is desired, add an additional 1/2 tsp food coloring. Add flour and salt into the bowl and stir until everything is just combined and no streaks of dry ingredients remain.

Pour into prepared pan and spread into an even layer.

Prepare cheesecake mixture. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Drop in dollops onto prepared brownie batter. Gently swirl two batters with a butter knife. (Really get in there and and make the batters mingle!)

Bake for 40-45 minutes, until brownies and cheesecake are set. A knife inserted into the cheesecake mixture should come out clean and the edges will be lightly browned.

Cool in the pan completely before slicing and serving, either at room temperature or chilled.
Brownies can be refrigerated, covered, for several days.

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Now that my husband is back home safe and sound, we've actually been spending a lot of time in the kitchen baking and making things I've had on my "to-make" list for months. Things like homemade salsa, green chile stew, hummus, collard greens, eggnog, and coffee cake, to be more precise. Posting may be heavy for the next week or so, but it's only because I'm really enjoying all the things I'm making and need to share them.

I'm starting off with this coffee cake, because it's the kind of recipe that's perfect to make and then keep around the house all week long—if you can keep your temptation to eat the entire thing at bay, of course. I've had it for breakfast, for snacks, and for dessert, and it tastes better with each bite. The ingredient list and directions may seem a little long, but it was really easy to make —I don't make things unless they're easy. Plus, check out the ingredients, because I bet you already have everything on hand!

Cinnamon Coffee Cake 

adapted from Cooking Light and King Arthur Flour

(6 WW points+ for 1/12 slice)

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, divided
• Cooking spray
• 4.5  ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
• 1  ounce whole-wheat flour (about 1/4 cup)
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2  teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4  teaspoon salt
• 1/2  cup granulated sugar
• 1/2  cup packed brown sugar, divided
• 1/3  cup butter/margarine, softened (used Brummel and Brown)
• 2 large eggs
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1  (8-ounce) carton light sour cream

For Filling:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar, light or dark
• 1 tablespoons ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder (optional, used strictly for color, not flavor; leave it out if you like)

For topping:

• 2  tablespoons finely chopped walnuts, toasted
• 1/2  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1  tablespoon chilled butter, cut into small pieces (used Brummel and Brown)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Spread oats in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 6 minutes or until oats are barely fragrant and light brown.

3. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray; set aside.

4. Reserve 1/4 cup oats; set aside. Place remaining oats in food processor or blender; process 4 seconds or until finely ground. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine processed oats, flourr, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir with a whisk.

5. Make filling by mixing together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa powder (if used). Set aside.

6. Place granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 1/3 cup butter in a large bowl. Beat with hand mixer at medium speed for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. (Batter will be slightly lumpy because of oats.)

7. Spoon half the batter into prepared pan; spread evenly. Sprinkle filling evenly atop the batter. Spread remaining batter atop filling. Use a table knife to gently swirl the filling into the batter, as though you were making a marble cake. Don't combine filling and batter thoroughly; just swirl.

8. Combine remaining 1/4 cup oats, remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, nuts, and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter/margarine with a pastry blender or 2 knives until well blended. Sprinkle over batter evenly with nut mixture.

9. Bake at 350° for 38 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, top is golden, and cake begins to pull away from sides of pan. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes; remove from pan.

Plum Upside Down Cake

Even though there is nothing truly magical about upside down cakes, I feel there is. Something about putting it in the oven and it looks like a regular cake with regular batter, then flipping it out and SURPRISE there's fruit and color all over the top of it! When it's baking I try to forget what I whipped together so that it really does surprise me when I remove the pan. It's a wonderful idea and I urge everyone to make one and use any kind of fruit you'd like. I really think anything sauteed in butter then made as a topping on cake has the power to be life changing. This recipe was adapted from Real Simple and I lowered the fat and used whole wheat flour. Happy Baking :)


Ingredients:
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter plus extra for the pan (or low fat butter substitute- I use Brummel and Brown)
4 ripe plums cut into 8 wedges
6 Tbsp agave
3 Tbsp Brandy (optional)
2/3 cup granulated sugar (can substitute Splenda for lower cal)
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp ground flax seed
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 large egg
2/3 cup low fat sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch cake pan. Melt 1 Tbsp of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the plums and agave cook, tossing, until the plums become syrupy and softened. About 3 minutes. Near the end pour in about 3 Tbsp brandy and toss. Arrange the plums in the cake pan in a circle pattern, completely covering the pan. Spoon any pan juices over the top. Whisk together the flour, flax seed, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl beat 1/2 cup butter and 2/3 cup of sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, sour cream, and vanilla. Slowly add the flour mixture until incorporated.Pour the batter over the plums and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool for 15-20 minutes. Place a large plate over the cake pan and invert the cake onto the plate. Once cooled top with powdered sugar.

Coconut Macaroons

This past summer I tasted a coconut macaroon for the first time and my world got a little brighter. It was the first time I ever tasted something so perfectly sweet, crunchy, and soft at the same time—my taste buds rejoiced and I was hooked.

Tasting the little snowball-like treat was simply amazing and I promptly asked my friend for her recipe. She passed it along and I was shocked by how simple they were to make. In fact, they're so simple that coconut fans may even gobble them up before you can take them off your cookie sheet (I'm looking at you mom and grandma!) But have no fear, they're so easy that you can easily make more in no time at all. 

Coconut Macaroons 

makes about 25

Ingredients 
2 1/2 cups of sweetened coconut (shaved)
1/4 cup sugar
2 large egg whites (or 1/4 cup if you use egg whites from a container)
2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 325. Mix all ingredients together in small bowl. Use a regular table spoon to make small, one-inch mounds; place mounds on non-stick baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven; promptly move macaroons to a cooling rack and let cool for 10 minutes...or eat them straight away.