Samoa Cookie Bark

CORNY ALERT: I’m going to talk about my boyfriend, Jessie.

He’s the greatest, just so you know.

I also want to take this opportunity for a disclaimer: jealousy may happen. No, really. Also, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the position for Awesomest Boyfriend Ever has been taken by mine. Soo… you may want to reconsider thinking that yours is the best, because… he’s not. Sorry.

That aside, Jessie and I celebrated our five-month anniversary yesterday.

Don’t scoff. I know you’re scoffing.

The people who scoff at celebrating monthly anniversaries are the people who never have success in relationships and will forever be unhappy.

It’s true.

Why save celebrating for major milestones, like 6 months and yearlies when you could celebrate every month?

Those are milestones themselves, proving you two haven’t killed each other. That’s always an excellent thing to celebrate, don’t you think?

So haters: shut it. I don’t wanna see your eye-rolling, pathetic laughter or secret judging. I know it’s only a mere defense mechanism due to your overwhelming jealousy of me and my boyfriend’s scathing hotness and radiating awesomeness, but please, refrain.

I met Jessie (of all places) on Facebook. Therefore, I feel I owe everything to Facebook for my eternal happiness with my significant other. I mean, we are that Facebook couple: the ones who ‘like’ each other’s statuses, who post pictures of each other doing cool things, and write lovey-dovey messages (okay, I write the lovey-dovey messages) on each other’s walls. It’s quite sickening to the untrained eye, but to us, we’re just excited about each other–nothing to be ashamed of.

Plus, my parents like him–a major feat in itself.

It’s totally meant to be.

So what did two hip, young head-over-heels kids do for their anniversary? Why, what any young-love couple would.

We went to abandoned cemeteries to take pictures.

We had a $12 dinner at a step-above Taco Bell-esque restaurant.

We Cheers!’d to our relationship with fruity snow cones at a local shaved ice truck.

And we played Crazy 8s at his house over a Corona. I won (I am reigning champ, after all, and wasn’t about to let him win, even if he is super cute).

Okay, so our anniversary wasn’t celebrated like most would with extra primping, dinner-and-a-movie, and overly romantic/cheesy stuff like teddy bears and Barry White music.

But it was celebrated exactly how I wanted: with the guy I adore, doing things we love, being our complete casual, easy-going selves.

Which obviously included cemetery hunting and getting giddy over finding a dead raccoon.

We’re weird, we’re whimsical, we’re fun people. I’m sorry I made you so jealous.

But I’ll make it up to you with something delicious that you can have: Samoa Cookie Bars. Ooohhhhhh yeaaaaaaahhh <– (Barry White voice.)

Samoas are my favorite, as you should know. Jessie likes them, too. So I decided some more after-event celebration should happen with some additional awesome things. Especially additional awesome edible things.

Samoa Cookie Bars *from Cookies and Cups Samoa Bark recipe –check out Shelly’s stuff ’cause she rocks!

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, plus 2 ounces for drizzle (I used Baker’s chocolate)
35-40 shortbread cookies
3 cups shredded coconut
1 14oz pkg caramels, unwrapped
2 Tablespoons water

1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Prepare 12 ounces of chocolate according to package directions (I microwaved in 30 second intervals, then stirred until melted, but you can use a double boiler if you prefer). Spread chocolate in an even layer on the foil to your desired thickness; I did mine thinnish. Immediately press shortbread cookies onto melted chocolate, covering it in an even layer. Pop in the freezer until hardened and solid and chocolate has set, about 20 minutes. You want to make sure your shortbread/chocolate layer is good and solid so your bark stays together (like me and Jessie–sorry).
2. Now prepare your filling. Toast your coconut in a pan over low-heat until nice and toasty. Watch it, though, since coconut toasts fast and you don’t want it to burn. While coconut is toasting, unwrap your caramels and melt them in 30-second intervals with the 2 T water until smooth and melted. Stir toasted coconut into caramel sauce, and spread evenly over your shortbread bark layer.
3. Melt remaining 2 ounces of chocolate and drizzle over the caramel… because obviously, it’s a must.
4. I popped my bark back into the freezer to set the drizzled chocolate, but please eat this bark at room temperature–the caramel hardens quickly, and the last thing I need is a lawsuit for broken incisors. Store airtight.

These are sinfully delicious, but then again, you are reading on the website The Domestic Rebel. I don’t promote non-rebellious things like salads and juice cleanses.

Enjoy these, they rock!

& Happy Anniversary, Jessie! Thanks for being a great graveyard companion and taste tester 🙂

xo, Hayley