Recipe: Coconut macaroons

Now is the time of year when I look at that half package of sweetened, shredded coconut in the refrigerator and think, "I really need to get rid of that."

Every Christmas, I make a seven layer bar recipe that calls for half a package of coconut. Every November, I throw out the bag of coconut that's been shoved toward the back of the refrigerator and get a new one.

This year, I decided, would be different. On Easter weekend, I pulled out the bag and followed the amazingly easy recipe for coconut macaroons - a favorite of mine, which makes it all the more crazy that I have not done this before. With melting chocolate also leftover from Christmas, I dipped a few in chocolate as well.

1 tsp. almond extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix together all of the ingredients. I found it easiest to just do this with my hands. Mold the batter into small balls - about 1 tablespoon per ball. Place on a greased and lightly floured cookie sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

I halved the recipe, but accidently put in the full 1 teaspoon of almond extract - it was delicious!

To dip in chocolate, just follow the instructions on a bag of melting chocolate.

So good!