Almond Joy Cookie Bars

There are a few reasons why I love to make these specific cookies.  One and foremost, is because of my new passion, toasted coconut.  I am in love with it.  And I want it all of the time, basically on everything sweet from here on out.  I would have to call it my taste of the season for now.  There is probably a white layered coconut cake coming soon out of this current shear obsession, but anyways back to this recipe.  Two and because I am an overly practical person, is the fact that it makes so many cookies, and because they are nice and thick, they go further.  What can I say, I'm a stretcher of just about anything, including and maybe most particularly food.  And third, because no one else in the house is as crazy about coconut as I currently am.  So, basically in other words, they are all mine.

2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp. of baking soda
1 tsp. of salt
1 cup of real un-salted butter (melted)
3/4 cup of sugar
3/4 cup of light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. of real vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. of almond extract
2 eggs (at room temperature)
2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup of sliced almonds
2/3 cup of shredded baking coconut

-Preheat your oven to 350*.  In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and the salt; set to the side.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract and the eggs.  Working in small batches, stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture, making sure to completely combine each addition before adding in the next.  Then stir in the chocolate chips and the almonds.  Spread this out evenly in a greased 9x13" baking pan and sprinkle the top with the coconut shavings.  Bake for 25 minutes (making sure not to let the edges become too dark).  Let stand and cool completely before cutting.  Makes 30 or more cookie bars.  Enjoy!