Coconut is a very versatile item. You can eat it plain out of the bag, you can bake with it. You can use it for Pesach, which is always great. You can always use it as a decorative item to enhance cupcakes, truffles or just about anything. Here are a few recipes. Enjoy!

Coconut Kisses

½ cup egg whites

¼ tsp. salt

2 ½ cups moist shredded coconut

1 ¼ cup sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

Beat egg whites until frothy. Then add sugar slowly. Continue beating with mixer until very stiff and glossy. Stir in salt, vanilla and coconut.

Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls, two inches apart on parchment paper on a cookie sheet.

Bake at 325 for 20 minutes or until set and lightly brown.

Coconut Chicken

1 14-ounce can coconut milk, divided

1 garlic clove minced

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 ½ lbs. chicken cutlets, cut into strips

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

1 cup Panko bread crumbs

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. ground pepper

½ cup flour

1 egg, beaten

½ cup mayonnaise

Directions:

Pour half the coconut milk, garlic, soy sauce and lime juice in a Ziplock bag and shake to combine the marinade. Place the chicken strips into the bag and shake to coat the chicken well. Refrigerate at least 3 hours. Reserve the rest of the coconut milk.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the shredded coconut in a food processor and pulse a few times until the coconut is ground into crumbs. Mix it with the Panko crumbs, salt and pepper and place in a bowl. Place the flour in another bowl and the egg into a third bowl. Shake off any excess marinade from the chicken strips and dip them into the flour to coat, then dip into the egg and finally into the coconut-crumb mixture. Place the strips onto the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the chicken in the oven for about 30 minutes. Mix the reserved coconut milk and mayonnaise in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Serve the sauce over the chicken strips or on the side for dipping.

Coconut Bars

1 stick margarine

1 ½ cups sugar

2 ¼ cups flour

4 tablespoons cornstarch

4 tsp. baking powder

½ cup coffee rich or soy milk

½ cup water

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. orange juice

Cream margarine and sugar. Add in the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, milk, water, vanilla and orange juice. Now beat four egg whites in a separate bowl and add into the first mixture. Put it in a 10×15-inch pan. Bake 350 for 20 minutes. Cool and freeze.

Cut into squares while frozen.

Make glaze: 1 ½ cups confectioners sugar

4 tablespoons margarine

4 tablespoons cocoa

Add boiling water to this until the consistency is on the thin side. Dip cake squares into the syrup and then dip in coconut

Freeze to set.

Gail Hochman has been a resident of Bergen County for over 30 years and has been blessed with many grandchildren.

By Gail Hochman