5 Star Bars

A word to the wise: don't come here expecting to find any bursting-with-fruit-explosions type of recipes. Not that berries and fruit are BAD, but they have their place, and here is not one of them. This is all about the manufactured sugar....none of that natural stuff. I mean, really...is it necessary??

I think growing up with not a lot made me so much more creative than I imagined. We never lacked for food, but there was no cream cheese, no toffee bits, and **le sigh**, no sweetened condensed milk in my mom's baking pantry. Just good ole flour, molasses and gelatinous pustules (aka:raisins). I think because of that, I go to the extreme with the baking now.

There are no holds barred when I shop for baking goods. I like them all, and in large quantities. Chocolate chips?? Why, yes, I'll take 10 bags or so, thanks. Did you say there was a sale on Eagle Brand milk?? Allrighty, then, we'll need another cart. I am just like that. I like to be able to go to the pantry and pretty much have the ingredients on hand for any recipe. Yes, it is a problem. But a tasty problem.

So, on that note, this recipe's name says it all. A good friend made this one year for our annual Christmas Cookie exchange, and it won first place. No easy task, I tell you. There is some stiff competition amongst my friends. A title well deserved in this case.

Prep time is minutes, so just a thought here. Maybe take some of the coconut and throw a few bits in your hair. At least make it LOOK like you were slaving!

5 Star Bars
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2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 can of Sweetened Condensed Milk (mmmm)
1/4 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix above ingredients together (mixture will be VERY thick) in large bowl. Pat into 8 x 8 greased pan. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Let cool.

Melt 1 bag of milk chocolate chips with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a bowl in microwave. Pour over cooled squares. When chocolate hardens to room temp, score into squares, then cut through. Keep in fridge.