What's Cooking?! Toasted Coconut Caramel Cream Pies

Before I tell you this recipe, I have to apologize in advance that this pie will ruin your quest to be thin.  It will insure your jello jog, make you feel self conscious in your hanky pankys, and all in all destroy any shred of will power you might be trying to advance for Lent.

That being said...you will bite into a mouthful of this stuff and enjoy what I think a little slice of heaven must really be like.  I feel confident God will have this available for me in heaven.

Truth is though, I am not on a quest to be your Jillian Michaels. (Although I wouldn't mind looking like her!)  I am not your Paula Deen either.  But, I am just your friend who will on occasion share a recipe that will make your worst days better....and this recipe is just that!

I took a gazillion pictures today, which frankly I think is a little annoying, so you have to tell me yourselves if you like the picture thing or if you'd prefer I ditch it in favor of just a written recipe.  I do know that for many of you though, the pictures are what put a recipe within your reach and if that's the case, then it's worth it to me to keep taking pictures to make you know that gourmet-like cooking is completely within your reach!

So before I introduce you to this decadent treat, I have to tell you why I made it.

This may come as no surprise to you, but I am my neighborhood's official Welcome and Care Coordinator.  Basically when someone new moves in, I take them flowers, or pie, or dinner, or coordinate others to do it too!  I am the Welcome Wagon for our neighborhood and I am so excited about it!  And after a year of not having a single person to welcome around here, I have 2 in one week!  Oh joy!  So one of them I'm taking flowers to, and the other one I'm taking this pie.  And then I'll flip flop in a few days and do it again!  This is so up my alley I can't even tell you!

Anywho....here's the pie!

Toasted Coconut Caramel Cream Pies 
(makes 2)

1 can sweetened condensed milk                        1 bag coconut
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese                                     1 c. chopped pecans
1 16oz pkg Cool Whip                                        1 stick butter (1/2 c.)
2 deep dish pie crusts                                          Caramel Ice Cream Topping

Bake crusts as directed by package and set aside to cool.  Toast coconut on baking sheet in the oven...at about 350 degrees.  Takes about 20 minutes, but you need to check it and stir it around about every 4 minutes til browned.  Melt butter in large saucepan and brown pecans for about 5 minutes or so.  Add toasted coconut to nut/butter mixture and continue to brown some more...over about medium heat.  You will need to be almost constantly stirring this to make sure it doesn't burn. Set aside to cool.  Mix cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk well in electric beater til smooth.  Fold in cool whip.  Once everything is completely cooled, layer fluff mixture, coconut mix, and drizzle caramel topping 3 times in pie shells.  Refrigerate to set a few hours before serving.

I use these frozen crusts, but see how on the right I re-pinched the sides to keep it from looking so storebought.  So if I've given you these pies before know that I do love you enough to make homemade crust, but just don't do it here!

Above you can see the difference from plain coconut to toasted. Also, here's the butter and nuts to brown in a large saucepan!  This one is my favorite and it's by All-Clad.  A good all purpose pan is something every cook should have in my opinion!

Once the nuts begin to brown, add the coconut and continue to brown all together.  Keep stirring so you don't burn this yummy, crunchy mixture!  See the way it looks different from when you add it to when it's done?



Blend the cream cheese and condensed milk til smooth, and hand fold in the Cool Whip.

Make sure you don't forget to prick the pie crust with a fork or this giant bubble effect will happen! Oops!

Onc everything is cool, begin layering everything.  Do this 3 times til you're done!  Then Voila!  Yumminess after chilling!

Bon Appetit!!!

- Logan