Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

This has been and always will be my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe.  Back in college, my friend Anya and I would make these and watch American Idol!  Every time I make these I think of her and Jordin Sparks.  I've made these so many times I can type up the recipe without even looking!

The original recipe doesn't call for coconut but my husband and I (okay really just me) are on a coconut streak so I threw some in the batter.  It just makes them that much more delicious.

Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

This recipe is adapted from Betty Crocker.
1 cup of butter
3/4 cup of brown sugar
3/4 cup of white sugar
2 1/4 cups of flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups of chocolate chips
1 cup of shredded coconut

Directions:

1.  Cream butter and sugars until fluffy.
2.  Add egg and vanilla and mix until just combined.
3.  Add flour, baking soda, and salt.  Mix until dough forms.
4.  Stir in chocolate chips and coconut.
5.  Roll dough into balls and place two inches apart on a flat baking sheet.  Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.  (8 minutes for small cookies, 10 minutes for bigger cookies).

You know that time during the day when no one is climbing on you, drooling on you, screaming for you?  Yeah, nap time.  It's nap time.  And all that's standing in between me and that stack of cookies is my camera.
  

I try just to eat one.  But then I eat two.

And sometimes...three.

Or the whole stack.

Okay, not the whole stack.  See the others hiding back there?  I'm saving those for bedtime.

Key Lime Coconut Bars

It may be September, but summer isn't over yet!  Not only is the high topping off at 106 today but I have far too many key limes for it to be over!  I have all sorts of ways to use up these babies starting with these delicious Key Lime Coconut Bars!  With a consistency of a light and fluffy brownie paired with the delicate flavors of the glaze and crunch from the coconut these bars are sure to please everyone.

I have never used key limes before and I learned a few things.  I've always wondered how they were different from regular limes and now I know:
1.  They have seeds
2.  Those suckers are juicy!
3.  The juice is much sweeter than a regular lime.

Now I'm willing to admit that it could have just been this particular batch of limes but since it's the only experience I've had I'm gonna run with what I know until I discover otherwise. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup key lime juice
1 teaspoon key lime zest
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
4 eggs

Glaze:
1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon key lime juice
2 tablespoons canned coconut milk
1 cup toasted coconut

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350
1.  Zest and juice about 13 key limes, use 1/3 cup for batter and 1 tablespoon for glaze.
2.  Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.  Then add eggs, zest and lime juice.  Mix until blended, stopping to scrape down the sides.
3.  Add flour and salt and mix until combined.  The consistency should be that of brownie batter.
4.  Pour into 9x13 cake pan and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  The edges should be lightly browned.
5.  Make glaze by combining the powdered sugar, lime juice and coconut milk in a bowl.
6.  To make toasted coconut, put 1 cup of coconut in a skillet on top of stove over medium heat.  Stir frequently to keep coconut from burning.  When the coconut is all lightly browned, turn off the stove and put the coconut on a paper towel to cool and crisp.  If you leave it in the pan, it'll continue to cook and burn, so don't!
7.  When the bars have cooled, pour glaze on the bars and spread evenly.  Sprinkle with toasted coconut.  Cover and put in refrigerator until time to serve.

Serve chilled and with a smile on your face.

Coconut Cupcakes

This was one experiment gone right.  Very, very right. 
My husband came home saying those magic words again, "honey, we have a potluck on Saturday."  No problem.  Except these may not make it to the actual potluck.  The texture of the cupcake is like that of a pound cake but is airy like an angel food cake.  I'm not sure I can come up with words to describe just how great these are.

Let's be honest, your cupcake falls over too after you take a bite.  Photo-opp!

Ingredients:

1 box of white cake mix
1 cup of canned coconut milk
3 eggs
1/3 cup of oil
1 teaspoon of almond extract

For the frosting:
8 ounces of cream cheese (room temp)
2 sticks of butter (room temp)
5 cups of powdered sugar
4 tablespoons of canned coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon of almond extract
3/4 cup toasted coconut for garnish

Directions:

1.  Preheat over to 350 degrees and line a cupcake pan with cupcake wrappers.  (the cuter the better)
2.  Combine cake mix, coconut milk, eggs, oil and extract and mix on low until combined.
3.  Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop out batter and spoon into cupcake pan.  Equal scoops, please!
4.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
5. While cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting.  Combine cream cheese and butter and whip with coconut milk.  (I use my whisk on my Kitchenaid mixer, not the paddle) add extract then slowly add powdered sugar until it's all combined.  Turn on high to whip for 45-60 seconds.  Toast the coconut by putting 3/4 cup of coconut in a skillet on the stove over medium high heat.  Stir frequently for 5-6 minutes or until coconut is toasty brown.  (you can also do this in your oven on a baking sheet)
7.  I used a frosting bag and cut a one inch hole in the bottom (ziploc bag would work well too).  Pipe the frosting on the cupcakes.  As you squeeze the frosting bag, push down, then pull up to create the large fluffy clouds.  Top with toasted coconut.

I did not refer to any other recipe while making these cupcakes.