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.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread & Winter Punch

Tis the season of comfort foods! Fun fact: Did you know that when asked, men typically identify comfort foods as being steak, casseroles, and soup, and females pick chocolate dishes and ice cream? I suppose I see comfort foods as warm, hearty, and filling--broccoli and cheese casserole, potato soup, and, mmmm, fudge brownies.

It's ten degrees outside today, and as delicious as ice cream is, I think my comfort snack needs to be warmer...like a freshly baked chocolate dish! I again went to AllRecipes to find a good winter dessert recipe. Chocolate chip banana bread caught my eye for a few reasons. One, although I'm not a fan of banana bread, my boyfriend tends to avoid the supremely chocolate-heavy dishes I crave. And two, having never made banana bread, I felt it was just something an aspiring chef needed to do! Hey, vegans, this is a recipe that may be a little harder for you to adopt. It's got sour cream, butter, and buttermilk in it--but with all the vegan options out there, you should be able to find some supplements in your produce section.

The banana bread dish was pretty easy to make. Since it's not exactly "bread," and more of a "dessert," I just used my smallest casserole pan to make it in. A warning--make sure your bananas are room temperature. Since bananas spoil so quickly, I made the mistake of storing mine in the refrigerator, and mashing them was pretty much impossible. Fortunately, things still worked out for me. The chocolate chips really make the bread, because, honestly, I'm not bananas about bananas! It is such a warm, comforting dish, though--but incredibly filling. I had to eat it in small proportions.

The other recipe I wanted to share also comes from AllRecipes and complements chocolate chip banana bread deliciously: warm winter punch. This is the quickest and easiest recipe I've ever seen in my life, and it's quite tasty. A forewarning, though--trying to make it extra wintry, I doubled the amount of honey...and nearly dozed off drinking this! On the plus, though, that just made it a relaxing nonalcoholic mixture to have at the end of a stressful day! So don't let the "punch" title fool you--this is not a party drink by any means!

However, I can't think of two more flavorful and delicious recipes if you just want to curl up in your pajamas in front of the fireplace on a cold night. True chefs will appreciate these recipes because there's nothing bland about them--they are so tasty and unique, and will definitely warm you up on these bitter, snowy December nights.