Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Dana is much better at making chocolate covered strawberries, but I made some with my niece Emily when we were all visiting my parents. This is an easy recipe for kids to help with. And I'm thinking they were pretty good because they lasted only minutes once they were ready! When I'm doing them for adults I like to fancy them up a little with white chocolate stripes, but I just went with simple for the kids.

 

1 cup (6 oz.) milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate

Dana uses this kind

I usually just use chocolate chips

1 to 2 tsp. shortening or oil

1 pint fresh strawberries, with green tops left on

Earlier in the day, wash strawberries and drain on paper towels. It's important that the strawberries be absolutely dry when dipping in chocolate.  Place shortening or oil with chocolate chips in a bowl and microwave in 20-30 second bursts. You can also use a double broiler.
Hold strawberries by their green tops and swirl into the melted chocolate.  
 Place on waxed paper.
Refrigerate for up to 24 hours before serving.Enjoy!

If you want them a little fancier you can add a bit of white chocolate:

No-Bake Cookies

I LOVE these cookies! They are super fast and quite tasty. Chocolate peanut butter goodness! I also love that I can make them in the summer without making my kitchen feel like an oven.

 1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
4 Tbsp cocoa
1/2 cup peanut butter
3- 3 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
2 tsp. vanilla Add the first 4 ingredients in a saucepan.  Bring to a rolling boil, and boil for 1 minute.  Stir in the next 3 ingredients.   Drop onto wax/foil/parchment paper. Let cool until set.  Yep, it's that easy :-)

These are some of my favorite cookies!

Mom's Fudgy Brownies

 

• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1` teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter, melted
• 2-1/2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 1-3/4 cups chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 9x12" pan.

  

Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. 

 

With spoon or wire whisk stir together melted butter, sugar and vanilla in large bowl. 

 

Add eggs, stir until well blended. 

 

Stir in flour mixture, blending well. 

 

Stir in chocolate chips. 

Spread batter in prepared pan (it's a very thick batter). 

  

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. 

 

Cut into bars. Enjoy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream

While in Washington I got an ice cream maker and put it to use as soon as we got home. This was the first batch of ice cream I made, and it turned out great! It was inspired by Tillamook's chocolate peanut butter. It's a chocolate ice cream with peanut butter swirled into it. It's one of my favorite flavors!

 1 cup whole milk1/2 cup granulated sugar8 oz your favorite chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet, but use whatever you like)2 cups heavy cream, well chilled1 teaspoon vanilla extract1/2 cup peanut butter (give or take... it depends on how peanut butter-y you want it)  Heat the milk until it is just bubbling around the edges.  In a blender or food processor pulse to process the sugar and the chocolate until very finely chopped.   Add the hot milk; process until well blended and smooth.  Transfer to a medium bowl and let the chocolate mixture cool completely (I put it in the fridge).  Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla to taste. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or longer.   Pour mixture into ice cream machine and churn for 25-30 minutes.   Once done, take out mixture and swirl peanut butter throughout ice cream. Place in freezer for a few hours to harden. Enjoy!