Chocolate covered everything

Valentine's Day is fast approaching and if you are still stumped on what to do for whoever it is that you want to do something for just cover something in chocolate and tada! All done.

What you may need:

• Strawberries, Graham crackers, marshmallows, heart shaped strawberry favored peeps, or her/his favorite cookies
• Chocolate
• and possibly sprinkles

How simple is that?

First you need to melt the chocolate. You can do this one of three ways:

1. Microwave, place chocolate in bowl and microwave for about 20 -30 second increments stirring in between. Watch the chocolate carefully and do not burn b/c thats no way to show someone you like/love them. Unless you are being mean and want them to eat burnt chocolate. If meanness is the case, exit this web page, turn off the computer and go get a hobby. Anyway, I usually only microwave when I have a small batch of chocolate to melt, it takes to long to get it all melted for me. 

2. Double boiler. Place a pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil, place a bowl or another pan over the water but make sure it is not touching the water and turn down the heat to low. Add chocolate and stir as it begins to melt. I don't really like this method because I find it hard to keep the temperature consistent and my chocolate always separates or starts to gets hard fast (insert inappropriate "that's what she said" joke here). 

3. A crock pot. Just plug in the crock pot, and add the chocolate and stir as it begins to melt. I have a mini crock pot that I bought just for melting chocolate.  It keeps an even temp and it super easy. I love it.

Line a cookie sheet with wax or parchment. I had to use aluminum foil because it was all I had, so use that if you want instead.  Melt your chocolate. Grab what ever it is that you are going to be dipping and dip it. Very gently shake to remove excess chocolate and lay on the cookie sheet to cool and harden. 

If you want to add sprinkles do so now while the chocolate is still wet. If you want to add some fancy white chocolate squiggles (is that the right term? squiggles?) just melt some white chocolate, dip a fork in it and wildly fling it over what ever you want. Preferably the food you just dipped and not children, animals or walls. 

Once they are harden you can arrange thing in a pretty bowl like the one below. Or you could get some mini cupcake liners and arrange then beautifully on a plate and you date/lover/friend/whatever will be swoon and be mighty impressed.

See how pretty in the bowl? Please also note the blue arrow in the in upper left corner and the sleeping dog. This has nothing to do with anything but I thought you should see.