Delicious Almond Joy Squares

I don’t know what is up with my girls and when they are between 9th and 10th grade. They are trying to figure out who they are and where they fit in, and what friends are the best fit for them at this time in their lives.

When Andie started her sophomore year in September, she told us that she didn’t have any friends and that she would hang out in the library at lunch every day. It’s kind of a joke in our family because we always make treats for family members to take, so they can make friends!

This is what I made for Andie to take to the drill team so that they would like her! Yes, my 15-year-old is dramatic and she always has more friends than she ever wants to admit to. That’s why we love her so much!

Almond Joy Squares

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1 (14 ounces) can sweeten condensed milk
1 (14 ounces) bag shredded coconut
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups slivered almonds
8-ounce bag of milk chocolate chips

Almond Joy Squares

Directions:

• Toast the almonds by spreading them onto a cookie sheet and baking on broil. You need to keep a close eye on them, so they don’t burn. I usually leave the oven door open so I can watch.
• Line a 9 x 13  baking pan with tin foil, make sure it hangs over the edges. Spray the foil with cooking spray. Now turn the oven to 350 degrees.
• Crust: Combine the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the flour and salt, but make sure not to over mix. Add 1 cup of cooled, toasted almonds, and fold into the mixture.
• Press crust into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 5 to 6 minutes.
• Filling: In a bowl, mix with a spoon the sweetened condensed milk, coconut and vanilla. Spoon the mixture over the crust, make sure to spread gently, so you don’t disturb the crust. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the coconut is golden brown.
• Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave-safe bowl by using short intervals of 30 seconds in the microwave, and stirring in between.
• Spread the melted chocolate over the baked coconut layer.
• Sprinkle the remaining almonds on top.
• Place bars in the fridge for about an hour or until the bars have hardened.
• Remove the dessert from the pan by pulling up on the foil, and you can easily remove the tin foil. Slice bars with a sharp knife.