Pat Panther's White Almond Bark

1 pound whole almonds

1 pound white almond bark candy pieces

1) Toast almonds at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, then cool.

2) Melt almond bark candy (in double boiler, if you have it) and stir in toasted nuts.

3) Pour mixture onto foil-lined cookie sheet—I use parchment paper—and flatten with a wooden spoon.

4) Let cool, then break into bite-sized serving pieces.

COOK'S NOTES:

* Don't make more than one batch at a  time. If you want more, make each batch individually.

* If you use a double boiler, be careful of hot water dripping! If you don't, melt the candy on a very low temperature, stirring constantly, and do not burn!

* The large Costco bag of almonds is 2 pounds.

* Almond bark candy pieces are a seasonal item so buy it when you can if you'll want it other times than at the holidays.

Pat's Coconut Bars

I asked my sister for her favorite Christmas treat recipes, and she told me, "I don't make any because Pat makes so much!" (Pat is her wonderful mother-in-law, a great cook and wonderful guest who brings treats along when she comes visiting! Dreamy!) This is my sister's favorite one, so I'm going to give it a whirl for Christmas Eve festivities tonight.

Combine in large stand mixer and beat until well blended (about 2 minutes):
1/2 C. soft butter
1/2 C. brown sugar, firmly packed
1 C. flour

Press above into a greased 8x12 pan. Bake at 325 for 20 minutes. (Do not brown!)

In a small mixing bowl, combine:
2 eggs, unbeaten
1/8 tsp. salt
1 C. brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 C. chopped nuts
1 C. shredded coconut

Pour this mixture onto pre-baked crust. Bake at 325 degrees for about 24 minutes or until brown.

Cool and cut into squares.