Macaroons

Ingredients:

5 egg whites
1 1/4 cups of sugar
2 lbs. sweetened coconut
1/2 tablespoon of vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place egg whites, salt, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of your electric mixer. Mix well for 1 minute, add coconut, mix until blended. Keeping your hands wet, form into golf ball-size mounds (or haystacks), pinching slightly so the macaroon holds.

Bake at 350 degrees, until the outside is golden brown -- about 20-25 minutes

Variations:

Chocolate dipped macaroons: Melt bittersweet, milk or semi-sweet chocolate over a double boiler. Dip the bottom of cooled macaroons and place on parchment-lined tray. Let cool and allow chocolate to harden.

To make nests: Just push down the center of the haystacks to form a nest. Bake at 350degrees until golden. After nests are cooled, you can fill them with little candy-coated chocolate eggs, lemon curd, raspberry jam or whatever you fancy. When using jam or curd, just melt to pouring consistency in the microwave and fill center of the cookie.

Almond joy macaroons: Follow directions for basic macaroon (for half of the above batch, add 1 t almond extract and 1/2 cup lightly toasted slivered almonds). Bake, cool, and drizzle with melted chocolate.

Macaroon thumbprints: Follow directions for basic macaroons. Once they are formed, press your thumb into the center to form a well where you will put lemon curd, raspberry and apricot preserves.