German Chocolate Coconut Bars

If you like German chocolate cake, you might like these bar cookies that were created, it seems, with the original cake in mind. They also resemble the old Magic Cookie Bars using sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips on a cookie base. Whichever the case might be, they are a very easy cookie to make and very tasty. They are especially good served with a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream. This recipe comes from an old Taste of Home Cooking School Recipe Collection Magazine. A friend and I use to love to go to Taste of Home's Cooking School presentations every fall. I have many fond memories of those times with Judy years ago in Modesto. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 pkg. (18-1/4 oz.) German chocolate cake mix
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1-1/3 cups flaked sweetened coconut, divided
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided

1. Pour cake mix into a large bowl; cut in butter and 1 lightly beaten egg with a pastry blender until crumbly. Press onto bottom of an ungreased 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan.
2. Combine sweetened condensed milk, remaining egg and vanilla in a medium bowl; beat until well combined.
3. Stir in 1 cup coconut, nuts and 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Spread mixture evenly over base. Sprinkle with remaining coconut and chocolate chips. Lightly press down.
4. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-32 minutes or until center is almost set. Center will firm when cool. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Yield: 24 bars
266 calories each
1.7 gms. fiber if using semisweet chocolate chips of good quality