Sunday, January 2, 2011

Three Chocolate-Dipped Musts


I'm a chocoholic. It's undeniable, and everyone who knows me knows about my addiction. I won't apologize for it, and I will advocate that you deserve some delicious chocolate goodies tonight for dessert as well!

Dipping normal foods in chocolate is an awesome bridge for those weird members of society who claim they're "not really into sweets"--like Ty, my boyfriend, who actually has converted to chocoholism after dating me. I believe for dessert-hungry diners, there are three major chocolate-dipped snacks worth trying, and I'm counting them down in this entry!

(3.) Grains: Rice Krispies or Pretzels
The first time we went to The Melting Pot and saw Rice Krispies treats as a dipper for our chocolate fondue, we were surprised; Ty was even a little turned off. But I tried it, and, woo, it was awesome! For a Christmas party a couple of weeks ago, I made chocolate-covered pretzels after seeing them on AllRecipes, and it was a rich after-dinner snack and a welcomed accompaniment to everyone's cocktails. Ty and I finished the leftovers after breakfast on Christmas day.

(2.) Fruits: Strawberries or Bananas
Okay, honestly, chocolate-covered strawberries are my favorite, with bananas dipped in chocolate fondue coming in a close second. But let's face it, chocolate is also good over raspberries, cherries, apples, blueberries, and oranges. Chocolate-dipped fruit is irresistible, and it makes a delicious gift or sweet gesture for Valentine's Day, anniversaries, birthdays, or holiday-themed parties. I took that blurry cell phone pic at the top of this entry after making this snack from AllRecipes.

(1.) Peanut Butter
What did you think was going to be number one...marshmallows? Caramel? Gummy worms? All honorable mentions, but think about it...Reese's will never go out of business because they recognize the priceless combo of peanut butter and chocolate. My favorite recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook: Celebrating the Promise, a limited edition of the famous and beloved collection of recipes in celebration of breast cancer awareness. I made the "Peanut Butter Balls" featured in this book today, and they were excellent. Ty couldn't help but to indulge, and we were both extremely pleased. I didn't have the chocolate-favored candy coating the recipe asked for, so I melted a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips in about half a cup of milk on the stove. Probably because of the large amount of milk I used, this chocolate would just not harden, even after I put it in the refrigerator for about ten minutes. But that's okay, because the soft nature of these peanut butter balls is one reason they're so scrumptious! If you want stiffer peanut butter balls, mix in a fourth cup of Rice Krispies to give them some sturdy texture.

Chocolate-dipped goodies are delicious, impossible to turn down, and so easy to make. There's no reason anyone with a stove or fondue pot can't be enjoying savory chocolate dishes at home every night.

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