A few years back I was in my early twenties.  I remember laughing… a lot.  Everything was funny.  

A handful of years ago I was in my mid twenties.  That’s when I discovered what a pain in the butt tax time was when I could no longer claim myself as a college student.  

These days I’m in my late twenties.  I’m not complaining.  No siree.  I know how treacherous tax time is and I still find myself laughing my fool head of… often.  Strangely… I still find it difficult to think of myself as an adult.  The thought of adulthood is daunting, even here in late twentyville.  

With this in mind, I’ve decided that I’ll be fully comfortable with adulthood when, and only when I:

-learn how to fold a fitted sheet.  

-don’t run screaming at the sight of a spider or anything with wings and dangling legs. 

and… 

-can figure out how not to sit in gum while wearing my favorite jeans…. or at least figure out how to get the dang gum out.

While I figure out this adulthood madness, please enjoy some macaroons.  I dipped them in chocolate.  Kosher chocolate.  I’m hardcore like that. 

These macaroons were a request from a friend that is celebrating Passover.  Coconut, sugar and chocolate?   Yes… sometimes I take requests.  

These magic coconut cookies are sweet, chewy and soft… like little chewy coconut clouds… the kind you want to shove into your face, four at a time, for dinner. I dipped these treats in kosher milk chocolate  Kosher milk chocolate has cows stamped on it.  Bonus.  

Chocolate Dipped Toasted Coconut Macaroons

     recipe from Alton Brown

     makes 32 to 40 cookies

     Print this Recipe!

4 large egg whites

pinch of salt

1/2 cup sugar

12 ounces sweetened shredded coconut, toasted

2  (3 ounce) kosher milk chocolate bars, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place coconut on a baking sheet, spread out evenly and place in the oven.  Return to the oven every five minutes to stir the browning coconut.  Once evenly browned, after about 15 minutes, remove the the oven and allow to cool.

In a mixer fitted with a whip attachment. whip egg whites and salt until they become white and begin to stiffen. Add sugar in 3 parts. Continue to whip until the egg whites are very stiff. Fold in toasted coconut.

On parchment lined cookie sheets, drop a teaspoon of the mixture leaving 1 to 2 inches around each cookie. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. The outside should be golden brown but the insides should still be moist.

Place chocolate chunks in a heatproof bowl.  Place bowl over a pan of simmering water so that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the simmering water.  Allow to melt.  Stir until loose and creamy.  Partially dip the macaroons in the chocolate then allow to cool and harden on a parchment lined sheet.  You can place the pan of chocolate dipped cookies in the refrigerator to speed up the hardening process.  

I’ve decided to have a very quiet and still weekend.

Today- more pictures than words.

I hope you all find a piece of peace this weekend.

These unassuming, simple and delicious meringues might be just your ticket to bliss.

Memaw’s Meringue Shells

Panache at Rose Hill

Print this recipe!

4 egg whites

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon vinegar

Beat whites until stiff; add other ingredients and beat until shiny and very stiff.  Draw circles on paper sacks and spread with a spoon or pipe with pastry tube within the confines of circles (I did my meringues free hand).  Bake in 225 degree oven until lightly browned, about 45 minutes.  Turn oven off, leaving the shells in the oven to completely cool.  May be cooked before hand and stored in an airtight container until ready to use.  Serve with fresh sliced strawberries and kiwis, or any fruit or berries you see fit.

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