Coconut Macaroons and College News!

Hello everyone! Finals week is finally over, so I can take a breather! I also have some amazing news to share with you all. I was recently accepted into Washington University in St. Louis! It has always been my dream college, and I am VERY excited for the next four years. To celebrate, I decided to make coconut macaroons. This is honestly one of my favorite desserts, and this simple recipe is perfect for the holiday season. The macaroons were so good that they disappeared in no time courtesy of my family!

Ingredients
1 14 oz package of sweetened coconut flakes
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 pinch of salt
4 egg whites
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional for dipping at the end)

Procedure
1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Separate your egg yolks from your egg whites.
3. Beat the egg whites in an electric mixer until they are firm. Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites while they're mixing.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the coconut flakes, condensed milk, and vanilla extract.
5. Fold the egg whites into your mixture, and make sure everything is mixed together.
6. Line a flat baking pan with parchment paper.
7. Roll the mixture into balls and make sure they are placed at least one inch apart on your baking pan.
8. Bake it for 20-25 minutes or until the top begins to turn a golden brown.

Now for the optional part: melt your chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring it until it gets smooth. You can dip your coconut macaroons in it, or dip clementine pieces into it!

Voila! You have a delicious dessert perfect for the holiday season!
Enjoy!
-Sema