Pecan and Coconut Bars

For those family members who attended their father's retirement party back in February would know that I was obsessed with a certain pecan and coconut bar that day. I believe I had at least 5 bars in the time we were there. I had hoped to get the recipe but discovered the baker who made them didn't like to give out her recipes. Which I can completely understand since I have a blue ribbon-winning frosted sugar cookie recipe I've yet to share with anyone to this day. So I was in search of the next best thing...a recipe I discovered on the back of a Western Family brand brown sugar bag. The bar I had at the retirement party was so ooey-gooey and caramelly and so full of yumminess. So I had high hopes when I tried these and to my disappointment the bars came out of the oven too dry and hard... as you can see from the picture. I don't know about you, but I often wonder if the recipes you find on the back of certain food items are actually tried and true, tested recipes. They gave the recipe "possession" as if it belonged to someone. But there is still hope for this recipe because the only thing I believe was wrong with the recipe was the baking time. I will include the time I think will make them more ooey-gooey. I also used fresh, grated coconut from a local health food store that's sugar-free. It's a much more natural product that I've come to appreciate. You may want to sprinkle over the top of the bars just about 5 mins. before they come out of the oven, those new Kraft Caramel bits. They will make them more caramelly. Bake the crust and while it's baking, hurry and make the topping so that you can immediately spread the topping on top of the crust without it cooling down. It's quicker and you'll have your dessert ready to go within 45 minutes.

Pecan and Coconut Bars

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.

Combine ingredients and press into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until light brown. Meanwhile...

Filling:
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teas. vanilla extract
3 tbls. flour
1 teas. baking powder
1/4 teas. baking soda
1 cup chopped pecans (gem size)
1 cup shredded coconut

Combine ingredients in medium sized bowl. Carefully spread filling over baked crust upon removing from the oven. Bake an additional 15-18 minutes. (Optional: add caramel bits at about 13 minutes and continue baking). Remove. Cool completely before cutting and serving.