Gooey Coconut Dream Bars

GOOEY COCONUT DREAM BARS
From: "The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread"

I couldn't wait to share this recipe with you. I received this book in a giveaway over on Justin's Just Cook NYC blog. Having never been to New York, I have never heard of Amy's Bread. But after spending a few hours reading through this cookbook, and reading the stories about how she got started, and how she grew, about the people who come in her stores all the time, the people she works with that are like family. . .It just made me want to fly out to New York and check this place out!!

Maybe someday.

This recipe is unbelievably easy. And you just might have everything already in your house, which of course, makes it so much better. Even if you don't have the things, you'll spend less than $5 getting everything to make this dessert. Not too bad!

C'mon, go give it a try!

Gooey Coconut Dream Bars
altered a tiny bit from: The Sweeter Side Of Amy's Bread

• 2 packages of graham crackers
• 1 1/2 sticks melted butter
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 1/2 cans sweetened condensed milk

Crush the graham crackers and mix with the melted butter (I used a food processor--made it extremely easy!). Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit a 9x13 pan. Grease the pan, then place the parchment paper in. This is important, because it can be pretty sticky with the sweetened condensed milk! Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of the pan. You could probably press it a tiny bit up the side, to create a side crust. Mix together the coconut and the chocolate chips and spread over the crust. Make sure it gets everywhere! Then pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over everything. This doesn't pour every easily, I found it best to drizzle it, and use a small spoon to kind of spread the spots where there was a lot.
Bake in a 350deg preheated oven for about 30 minutes, turning the pan from front to back half way through. Let it cool COMPLETELY before you cut into it, and try to eat it. It will still be pretty gooey, and I can only imagine the mess it would be if it was still warm.

The only change I made from her recipe was the 2 packages graham crackers. Amy's recipe called for 20 crackers--3 cups. Each of my packages had 9 graham crackers, and they were my only two! Because of that, I think my crust was a little softer than it would be normally, since the butter was still the original amount. but it was wonderful anyway!

Oh yeah, and you'll probably want a BIG glass of milk after eating ONE of this, they're that rich.

Linked up at: Cookbook Sunday's @ Brenda's Canadian Kitchen