Breakfast Club

I finished yet another master's class this week. Only two more to go! This class was a lot of work and it may have ruined the movie The Breakfast Club for me (we analyzed the different characters and their application to the theories of Carl Jung). It was relevant, but sometimes I just want a movie to be a movie. I did have fun texting quotes back and forth with colleagues and my husband. It's amazing how many people know quotes from that movie! Classic.

I went out for coffee with a colleague this week. It was great to talk about everything going on with the end of the school year and get a new perspective. It's always stressful getting everything done (finals, grading, PGPs, etc). We ended up talking for 2 hours, we were both shocked when we left!
I also found out that I will be teaching a new course at our school next year. I have to go for a one week training the last week of June. There was a possibility that I'd have to travel to Texas, but luckily the group is coming here. That week is going to be a busy, that's when we're closing! We've started looking for counter stools and thinking about new bathroom fixtures. So exciting!


Black-Bottom Coconut Bars
from Everyday Food at PBS.org

FOR CHOCOLATE BASE:

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
½ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

FOR COCONUT TOPPING:
2 large eggs
¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 package (7 ounces) sweetened shredded coconut; ½ cup reserved for sprinkling



For chocolate base: Preheat oven to 375°. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving a slight overhang; butter bottom and sides of foil (not overhang).

Place butter in a large microwave-safe bowl; melt in microwave. Add sugar and salt; whisk to combine. Whisk in egg, then cocoa and flour until smooth. Spread batter in prepared pan.

Bake just until sides begin to pull away from edges of pan, 10 to 15 minutes (do not over bake). Let cool slightly while preparing coconut topping. Keep oven on for topping.

For coconut topping: In a medium bowl, whisk eggs with sugar and vanilla. Gently mix in flour and coconut (except ½ cup reserved for sprinkling).

Drop mounds of mixture over chocolate base; spread and pat in gently and evenly with moistened fingers. Sprinkle with reserved ½ cup coconut.

Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Lift cake from pan, peel off foil, and cut into 24 bars. Store in an airtight container 3 to 4 days.