There is something y’all should know about me:
I HEART COCONUT.
Like in a may-jor way. I love coconut lotions, coconut candles, coconut soaps, coconut shampoos, sunscreens that smell like coconuts and I love love love baking with coconut. So much so that I have deemed chocolate and coconut only the best pair since Sonny and Cher and tequila and limes and sand and sea. You get the drift. Coconut and chocolate – a match made in Heaven.
Aunt Robbie shared this most delicious recipe with me the weekend of our Water For Elephants soiree. It screams Summer. I wish I would have taken a picture of these magnificent little morsels when I baked them, but, alas, they were devoured before I could even remember to grab my Nikon. Just trust me. Would I ever lead you astray? These would be oh-so-fun for a 4th of July picnic extravaganza this weekend.
Aunt Robbie’s Chewy Mounds Bars
Ingredients:
1 (19.8 oz) Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix
3 T. veggie oil
1 tsp. vanilla (for good measure)
1 c. sweetened condensed milk (I believe Eagle Brand comes in 14 oz. cans – feel free to spoon whatever is left of that sweet nectar of the gods right into your mouth)
14 miniature (aka: “fun size”) dark chocolate Mounds bars
¾ c. chopped natural almonds – toasted for extra yumminess
Directions:
Prepare brownie mix according to package directions, but reduce the veggie oil to 3 tablespoons and add 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
Pour batter into a lightly greased 13x9 inch pan. (Believe you me—these won’t last long – use an aluminum pan. No one will be looking at your dish after all. Their eyes will be honed in on these bars.)
Pour Eagle Brand over the batter.
Sprinkle with chopped Mounds and almonds.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 38 minutes. Cool completely in a pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars. And remember: sharing is caring. Try not to piggy them all.
NOW, another little tidbit about TLC:
I HATE MILK.
Well, I hate drinking it. I gag. I pour it over my cereal. But drain it out of the spoon. (I never said I was normal.) While many of you might enjoy washing these delightful little treats down with a nice, cold glass of leche – I’m opting to go a completely different, yet 100% refreshing, route:
SUN TEA!
Who remembers sun tea? I think it was popular when I was younger – right, ELC? In fact, we had a special “sun tea jar.” It actually had the words “sun tea” painted on it. Mom used to make this quite often. I remember she would set it outside next to our garage. It tastes bright and light and happy – just like the sun! I had completely forgotten about it until ELC mentioned making it one afternoon a couple of months ago. We have since set out to find the perfect “jar.” We think we must have sold the original in a garage sale. Or perhaps it’s still packed away in a box in the Barn. ELC, if you ever comes across it, fair warning: I’m stealing it. Right now we’re both using Mason-type jars Mom found at her local Wally World. It’s important that it has a lid that screws on so it can “hold” the tea bag strings. I hate when the tea bags sink to the bottom. Don’t you?
Here’s our recipe:
ELC and TLC’s FABULOUS Sun Tea
1 ½ quarts water
4 large tea bags (we’re currently using Luzianne Decaf “ for iced tea” – not that it matters)
1 lemon cut into about 5 slices (the sun almost “bakes” the lemon)
5 bags of Splenda (you could use sugar – but our wacky diet is tres fun {NOT!} and doesn’t allow the real thing)
Add the water, tea bags, and lemons to a jar. Set out in the sun for roughly an hour (you can increase/decrease the time based on your “strength” preference). Once it’s been “sunned,” bring inside and pour into a pretty pitcher. Add the Splenda and stir.
Four words: OUT OF THIS WORLD.
Happy early 4th, Y’all! GO AMERICA
image via ELC
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