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I used to live in Utah not so long ago. And for the first 6 (of my 7) years of my residence there, I thought I hated Utah, because I could not handle all of the snow every winter.
In retrospect, the school years weren’t so awful. I lived pretty close to campus, so the walk on the freshly shoveled sidewalks really wasn’t so bad if you wore the right shoes. And let’s face it… I always had the option to skip class if the weather was just that bad.
But the years that I worked at Enterprise………. I don’t even have the words for my utter loathing of Utah wintertime during that time. We’re talking tears, raging emotional fits, and downright temper-tantrums.
Why? Oh, because when you work at Enterprise (and I’m sure a great many other places) in Utah during the wintertime, there is no such thing as being warm or dry. It’s a never ending, day-after-day cycle of trudging out in the snow for customer after customer from 7am to 6pm. And there’s no such thing as driving to work and staying put for the day– you’re the first ones out on the roads, on the highway, going through twisty neighborhoods in poorly equipped cars during ice, snow, hail, and whatever else the sky throws at you. Forget the post-office, Enterprise employees will work through anything!
Anyway. There I was. Thinking that I hated Utah so much and dreaming of home in the South.
And then I had my baby and quit my job.
And all of a sudden wintertime turned into cuddles in bed until well after snowplows had come through, waiting until my car was good and warm and defrosted before hopping in, cozy hot chocolate dates with my working friends at Starbucks during their lunch breaks, and watching the snow fall from my window with a movie on in the background.
Pure bliss.
So it turns out that I don’t really hate Utah winters that much after all (although I still much prefer our milder Southern winters). Apparently I just hate having a full-time, outside-of-the-house job. Which makes meso grateful that I get to stay home and work. And that preschool doesn’t start until 9am. And that my daughter still cuddles with me in bed as we watch the falling snow and listen to the Frozen soundtrack…
I’m trying to keep those grateful thoughts in mind as this endless-frigging-winterrefuses to end. But seriously… It is March, right?! Tell me I’m not alone in thinking that thishas to be the longest winter EVER??
But instead of getting angry, I’ve decided to be productive: it’s time to post endless Spring-time desserts! Starting with MACAROONS! Is there a more epic spring-time dessert ingredient than coconut? If there is, I don’t know it.
….meh, okay. Maybe lemon. Lemon is pretty epic (and I’ve got loads of it coming your way soon).
But besides lemon– is there anything better than coconut to usher in some (hopefully) warmer weather?!
Macaroons are INSANELY easy to make and even easier to devour. I like mine dipped in chocolate and sprinkled on pistachios and almonds (because… you know… I have taste buds, sooooo…), but that’s totally optional if you’re looking for a simpler route. These are mixed and baked in under 30, and cooled and ready to eat in less than an hour.
They are the slightest bit golden brown crunchy on the outside and chewy delicious on the inside. If you’ve never made macaroons, don’t wait a second longer! Show winter who’s boss and grab a bag of coconut on your next trip to the store.
Products I used in the making…
Chocolate Dipped Macaroons
Yield: 12 (4-inch) or 24 (2-inch)
Ingredients
- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 14 ounce bag shredded sweetened coconut
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup melted chocolate for dipping or drizzling
- 1 cup chopped nuts or sprinkles to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 9x13 baking sheet with parchment or a silicone liner.
- In a large bowl, pour most* of the can of sweetened condensed milk in the bowl. Stir in the vanilla.
- Add the coconut and mix well.
- Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently mix the egg whites into the coconut mixture.
- Use a cookie scoop (with a release) to portion out mounds of the mixture onto the lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, checking around 20 minutes to prevent burning. Let cool completely before dipping in chocolate or serving.
Notes
*The original recipe calls for using 10.5 ounces of the sweetened condensed milk. I just poured the can "quickly" without scraping the sides or bottom, and it was a perfect amount.
Recipe Source: The Macaroon Bible by Dan Cohen
Don’t miss a bite!
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