Traders Joe's Mini Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

I don't know about you but I just can't get enough of the deliciousness of a chocolate peanut butter combo. Just like when I used to buy Reese's Pieces all the time and I had to stop because they were extremely addictive. For some reason, I was really never into buying peanut butter cups, maybe because I like having a plethora of tiny morsels to munch away on all day. I'm glad to report that problem is now solved! I ran into these mini morsels of peanut butter cup awesomeness on my recent excursion into Trader Joe territory.

How did they fare? Better than I could of ever imagined! Just like those addicting Reese Pieces of my past, I might have to tear myself away from this addiction sooner or later. That's because I can definitely see myself returning to Trader Joe's again and again for my fix of these. I probably don't need to explain to you why they are so addicting, all you have to do is look at the description on the package and be instantly hooked. In other words, they were exactly as described. Once popped into my mouth, they were tiny morsels of creamy chocolate and peanut butter that just explodes with said flavor in a eager mouth. If you're lucky enough to have a Trader's Joe's nearby and get a chance to try these, you'll see that once you have one, just one teeny morsel, you'll be popping them left and right so that's fair warning to you! 

Chocolate Covered "Chewy" Peanut Butter Cookies

I've always loved chewy peanut butter cookies, it's one of my favorite guilty sweet pleasures. I guess there's just something about peanut butter because just eating it out of the jar is good by itself. However, for some reason when you mix it with chocolate, it becomes a sweet lovers dream come true. Take for instance, the chocolate covered peanut butter popcorn I made awhile back. It was perfection in a bowl! Seriously, words can't tell you delicious that was but I digress. I wish I could tell you how good these chocolate covered chewy peanut butter cookies are but you're just going to have to try them for yourself.

Chocolate Covered Onion Rings

Don't say it. I already know what you're thinking. How did you come with up this crazy idea for chocolate covered onion rings? To make a long story short, while eating out at a local pancake restaurant my wife got chocolate covered pancakes and I got a burger with a side of onion rings. After polishing off my burger, I noticed she had leftover chocolate that had pooled on her breakfast plate. Taking a onion ring like the foodie I am, I dipped it into the chocolate to see how it would taste. The rest as they say, was "history". The thought and idea formed for chocolate covered onion rings and only two days later you are now a witness to it on this extremely crazy post. 

Ingredients for making Chocolate Covered Onion Rings:

• 1 large sweet yellow onion
• 6 ounces of Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Chips (for making the melted chocolate)
• 1/2 cup of tapioca flour
• 1 1/2 cups of :  
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup of milk 
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• oil for frying: canola, peanut, or safflower oil is the best
• wax paper for drying chocolate covered onion rings 

Steps:

You're going to want to have the onion rings prepared by cutting it into semi thick rings as above.

Steps for making the onion ring batter:

Scramble 1 egg in a medium sized bowl

To this now scrambled egg add 1/4 of vegetable oil and throughly mix together as above

After this, add the 1 1/2 of Glutino Gluten Free Pantry Pizza Crust Mix (as referenced in picture link in the ingredient list) along with 1 teaspoon of baking powder & 1 cup of milk to the egg & oil mixture. It should look like the picture above after mixed. Note: this is your wet batter

In a separate medium sized bowl pour 1 cup of tapioca flour as above and mix in 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Note: this is your dry batter.

Steps for coating the onion rings in your now prepared batter:

Start with taking your sliced onion rings and dipping them into the prepared wet batter, making sure it's completely covered.

Take the onion rings completely covered in wet batter and dip into the prepared dry batter mixture. Should look the above after you're done.

Fry onion rings for 2 to 3 minutes in a deep fryer with your cooking oil and place on a dry towel.

Steps for melting the chocolate chips:

Add 6 oz of chocolate chips to a Double Boiler and after the chips are warm and melted like above, take 1 fried onion ring at a time and carefully coat in the melted chocolate. 

Take 1 fried onion ring at a time and carefully coat in the melted chocolate. 

As each onion ring is completely covered in chocolate, place on wax paper that's on a large cookie sheet and finally place in the fridge for at least a good 2 to 3 hours so the chocolate can completely dry. After this, you have your finished product!

How is the finished product of chocolate covered onion rings? Very interesting and awesome tasting to say the least. I can't quite describe how these taste because there is nothing to compare them to. Maybe if had ever gone to a fondue restaurant, I would of had something to compare them to. Which gets me to thinking! I need to fondue it up one of these days because I can see it being quite the experience with having made and tested chocolate covered onion rings. These definitely come highly recommended especially if you're a fan of chocolate and onion rings.

Chocolate Covered Goldfish

I have a confession to make, I've been chocolate covered crazy lately! If they don't sell it in stores chocolate covered, I will make it at home chocolate covered. That's why I went ahead and took upon myself to make my goldfish chocolate covered. It was well worth it, as they had that chocolaty crunch to them that was satisfying to my chocolate tooth. I would definitely make these again and snack on them while watching my favorite movie. 

Ingredients:

• 1 to 2 cups of goldfish
• 2 cups Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (for making the melted chocolate)

Steps:

Add 1 cup of chocolate chips to a Double Boiler and melt the chips (as above).

¥ou'd be smiling too if you were added to chocolate.

Pour 1 cup of Goldfish into your now melted chocolate and completely mix together until the Goldfish are completely covered in chocolate.

Line a cookie tray with wax paper and lay out the chocolate covered Goldfish and then place the tray in the fridge and allow to dry for at least 1 hour. 

Review of World Market: White Chocolate Bark With Banana Bar

Ever since I started this chocolate journey, I've been on a "let's try the oddest chocolate combinations kick". There's just something intriguing about mixing chocolate with different ingredients that when given some time, I'd like to try my hand at in the kitchen as I've done before on this blog & others. For example check out my chocolate covered onion rings experiment that I deemed to crazy for this blog. I digress, for now I'll have to settle on reviewing this white chocolate bar with banana chips bar. Oh poor me, it's a tough job but someone has to do it!

I have to be honest, it took me awhile before I actually bit into this bar. It just didn't get my chocolate appetite going when I brought it home like I thought it would. Alas, when I finally did try it, after a couple weeks of sitting in my pantry, I was very regretful that I didn't try it sooner. It put some kind of chocolate guilt over me, maybe it's the power of the chocolate. Yes, I can see how it could of been that... the powerful taste of the combination of banana chips and white chocolate together that said, "you should of tried me sooner". For that I am sorry but I'm not sorry for saying what I'm about to say about said chocolate bar, while it was good, it just didn't satisfy my chocolate craving. Although, I know without a shadow of doubt that everybody's chocolate tastes are different and that if you are a big fan of white chocolate (which I can't say I am) then you'd absolutely love this bar! Keeping that in mind, you need to try track down the nearest World Market and get you one!

What is my final verdict for World Market's White Chocolate Bark With Banana bar? I'd have to say while I wasn't a huge fan of the taste like I said before, it's something that's inspired me enough to want to try and make my own white, milk, or maybe even dark banana chip chocolate bar so be looking for my next post to be exactly that! I do ask for your help fellow chocolate addicts, please comment and tell me what kind of chocolate you think I should try with the banana chip bar I plan to make and if there is other special ingredients I should add to it! It should be a fun chocolate experiment. I'll be waiting on some responses before I actually do this so again, please comment.