I had some coconut that had been sitting in my pantry for a while. I don't usually make things with coconut because most people I know don't like the texture. Over the weekend, however, I found a very simple recipe for coconut macaroons and decided I'd try it.

I was amazed by how simple, yet flavorful, the cookies were. My sister, Britt, is a staunch hater of all things coconut, but I persuaded her to try a cookie and — surprise — she loved it. She even took a small bag of them home.

So if you have coconut taking up space in your pantry, try this recipe. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

You'll need the following:

• Parchment paper to line the cookie sheets
• 2/3 c. all-purpose flour
• 5½ c. flaked coconut (approximately one 14-oz. bag)
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, stir together the coconut, flour and salt. Next, add the vanilla and stir. When well-blended, add the sweetened condensed milk. You can use a stand mixer or your hands for this part. After you've mixed in the milk, use an ice cream scoop to drop spoonfuls of dough onto the cookie sheets. The cookies should be golf ball-sized. Bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes or until the coconut is toasted. Remove, let cool and enjoy!