The Mason Jar: Something Easy

I'm going to give you a recipe to keep on your fridge for those moments when you need something in a hurry. For instance, when your husband says to you, at 9pm, "Hey, I need you to make dessert for a work lunch tomorrow". Or when your inlaws call and say they're halfway to your house. Or when you need dessert but don't want to put forth the effort. I'm sure you know what I mean.

Also, this is pretty healthy. Whole wheat, not a lot of sugar, unsweetened coconut, dark chocolate. C'mon.

Chocolate Coconut Bars

Ingredients:
1 cup white whole wheat flour
pinch of salt
1/2 stick of butter at room temp [or microwaved until half melted...haha]
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 and lightly oil an 8x8 baking pan.
Whisk together the flour and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, stir together the butter and brown sugar until smooth and dreamy. Yes, I said dreamy. There are not many things better than sugar and butter. To the butter and sugar mixture, add the vanilla and egg. Then stir in the flour/salt. This will take some elbow grease, but just remind yourself that you don't have to wash your mixer. Slowly stir in the chocolate chips/chunks and coconut. Spread the mixture evenly into the pan and top with more coconut. Then just bake it for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool a little bit, and then cut it up in to whatever size bars you need!

That's what it looked like before it was baked. This recipe comes together in less than 10 minutes, bakes in about 30, and is ready to eat about 10 minutes after that. So all in all, pretty quick and easy. You could really play with the ingredients a lot. Swap the chocolate chips for butterscotch, throw in some nuts, leave out the coconut, add peanut butter...whatever you have will work with the basic structure. Play with your food!