Congo Bars...sort of.

Memorial Day marks the beginning of BBQs, picnics, and any occasion you can think of to get people together and have lots of food. For our annual camping trip friends and I have decided to host a potluck on the campgrounds this year. So, I decided to give Congo Bars a try. This tasty treat was introduced to me through my step-mom, Lisa, whose (add Southern accent here) Granny down in South Carolina used to make them for her and Lisa would bring them back for us to try. I didn't quite know what they consisted of but they were deeelish!

For my attempt I used a recipe found on Treat A Week, but doubled it so I'd have plenty to bring to work the next day and on the camping trip. I also changed a few things along the way, using rum extract instead of coconut (because I didn't have coconut), and sprinkling untoasted coconut on top 1/2 way through baking. Well, they didn't turn out perfect.

The coconut on top started to toast too fast and smelled like it was burning, so I had to take the bars out before they were entirely cooked. They edges came out good, but the middles were doughy and kind of raw. I was disappointed and thought they were ruined. But I made a bold move and put a plate of the middle pieces out in the kitchen at work this morning with a sign:

To my surprise, they were all gone by lunchtime!! I guess my experiment was a success afterall. But next time...no extra coconut. I want them to bake all the way through!

These pictures were taken with my camera phone. The quality isn't great, but it does the trick and its faster than uploading from my Canon Elph.