Chocolate Covered "Chewy" Peanut Butter Cookies

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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

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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

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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. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Popcorn

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Popcorn is good by itself but even better when it's turned into gourmet heaven. That's exactly what I did to a batch of fresh made on the stove popcorn the other night. Afterwards, the night was complete because what else is there after eating popcorn that's part milk chocolate and part chunky peanut butter? On second thought there could be a good movie to go with it but that's besides the point.

Ingredients:

• 12 cups of popped popcorn (stove top is recommended, I used a hand crank popcorn pot)
• 2 tablespoons of Kernel Season's Kettle Corn mix 
• 8 ounces of milk chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup of light corn syrup
• 2 cups of brown sugar 
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups of chunky peanut butter
• dash of salt 

Pop about 12 cups of popped popcorn but before it pops add about 2 tablespoons of Kernel Season's Kettle Corn mix to give the popcorn an extra coating so it holds up better.

In a large pot combine 2 cups of brown sugar, 3/4 cups of corn syrup, and 2 sticks of unsalted butter.

Bring the brown sugar, light corn syrup, and sticks of butter to a boil for about 3 minutes (above) and when it's about 2 minutes into boiling add 8 ounces of milk chocolate chips  (below).

The chocolate chips are enveloped into a sweet gooey vortex of goodness.

Stir the mix a little when the chocolate chips are almost completely melted.

After the mix has boiled for about 3 minutes in all, take it off the heat and stir until smooth.

In a large pyrex bowl or dish pour the boiled chocolate mix onto the popcorn. This process takes a little time but it's important to toss until all the popcorn kernels are evenly coated with the chocolate and bake in the oven at 300 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes. Afterwards, add a dash of salt to the mix for taste. You're now baked chocolate popcorn mix should look like the image above after all this. Let this mix cool for about 30 minutes.

Melt 1 1/2 cups of chunky peanut butter the microwave until it's smooth and able to be poured.

Pour the chunky peanut butter over the popcorn and repeat the whole tossing process until the peanut butter evenly coats all the popcorn just like you did with the chocolate. Let it sit for over an hour in the refrigerator to ensure maximum goodness.

When you're finally able to taste your chocolate peanut butter popcorn creation you'll know that the time you put into it was well worth it. Worth it because this popcorn is just as good as any popcorn you could get at a gourmet popcorn shop. Trust me, I love frequenting those places and would do so over and over but I'm thankful that I'm able to create gourmet popcorn at home that is comparable.

Although, don't take my word it. Try this chocolate recipe at home and it's safe to say that you'll find yourself enjoying the caramelized taste of the chocolate, combined with the smoothness of the peanut butter, mixed with the nuttiness of the chunky, and the crunchy of the popcorn.

Coffee Infused Homemade Chocolate Syrup

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I love chocolate syrup.  I love it in milk, on top of ice cream, straight out of the bottle... oh the possibilities are endless!  I hate that it is hard to find without undesirable added ingredients (i.e. high fructose corn syrup.)  When I do find those that don't contain what I don't want it to have in it, it costs way to much.  Up until recently, I'd never even thought of making it myself.  But it is possible, and every bit as delicious!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Handful of whole coffee beans

Steps:

In a medium to large sauce pan wisk together the cocoa powder, water, sugar, vanilla and salt over medium-low.

When everything is combined, add the whole coffee beans.

Wisk constantly.

Allow mixture to boil for a minute or two, then remove it from the heat.

Pour the chocolate into a bowl, and place it in the refrigerator.  At this point the mixture will be quite thin, it will thicken some as it cools.

Allow the syrup to cool completely.

Once cool, remove the coffee beans with a spoon.

Transfer the syrup into a bottle (I poured mine into a nice olive oil bottle) and store it in the fridge.

Mmmm.... wonderful, rich, homemade syrup without the unwanted added junk.

Pour the syrup

Eggnog Cake Balls

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Cake balls has truly been this year's baking craze, and with good reason; they're delicious, they're cute, and they're delicious.  How awesome would it make you look if you brought a tray of these to your next Christmas party!?!  

I have made my regular boring ol' vanilla cake into a festive eggnog cake, perfect for the season!  Then I dipped each ball of confectionary goodness into milk chocolate, and sprinkled with fun decorations.  Cake balls are not difficult to make, but they do take some time and patience.

Ingredients:

• 1 box vanilla cake mix
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 1 can (16 oz-- you could always use homemade if you'd like) vanilla frosting
• 2 12 ounce bags of milk chocolate chips
• festive sprinkles 
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Steps:

Make your cake according to the directions.

Add the nutmeg, ginger, and vanilla to the cake batter (this is what turns it into an eggnog cake.)

Make sure that you spray the pan well for easy removal of the cake.

Notice all the flecks of flavor in there!

When the cake is done baking, allow the cake to cool for 5-10 minutes, then turn it out onto a cooling rack, and let the cake cool completely.

When the cake has cooled, break the cake up into large pieces using your (clean) hands, and place the pieces into a bowl.

Using your fingers, gently crumble the cake into small uniformed crumbs.

When the cake has been completely crumbled, add about half of the can of frosting to the bowl.

Using your hands (or a spoon if you would like, because this is quite messy--however, I found it easier to do this by hand) mix the frosting with the cake.

The mixture should resemble dough.

If the cake and frosting is too crumbly, add more frosting until you get the right consistancy.

Using a Cookie Scoop put a small ball of 'dough' into the palm of your hand.  Roll the ball into a quarter-sized ball of deliciousness, and resist popping it into your mouth.  Place the rolled ball onto a cookie sheet. 

Repeat this process until all of the cake and frosting mixture has been used up (this should make about 60 cake balls.)

Place the tray into the refrigerator overnight.  Cover the tray with a kitchen towel.

When the cake balls have chilled out overnight, they are ready for their pretty outer layer.

Over a double boiler, melt your chocolate.  

I like to only work with 1/2 a bag of chocolate chips at a time.  For each 1/2 a bag, add 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil.  

When the chocolate is nice and smooth, remove it from the heat.

Take a few (no more than 4 or 5) of the cake balls out of the fridge, and place them on a small plate lined with wax paper.

Using a spoon and a fork drop 1 cake ball into the melted chocolate.

With the spoon, cover the ball completely with chocolate.

When the ball is covered, scoop the ball out of the chocolate using the fork.

With the spoon, gently tap the fork to get the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl.

Place the covered ball onto the wax paper and sprinkle with decorations.

Repeat with the remaining 3 balls.

Place the plate in the freezer for 10 minutes, or until the chocolate coating has hardened.

When the chocolate has set, transfer the bite-sized drops of yummy back onto the cookie sheet in the fridge.

When all of the balls have been dipped and decorated, they are ready to make their debut at your next party!

If you don't plan on eating them immediately, store them in your refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to a week.

If you wish, you could make a bunch of cake balls and store them in the freezer for up to a month.

Homemade Butter-Fingers

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Do you have left over candy corn from halloween?  I know I do.  At a loss as to what to do with it?  Well, whatever you do don't toss it.  Make this yummy version of a classic candy instead.  That's right, you can make butter-fingers right from your own kitchen in a matter of minutes!

What you will need:

• 1 cup candy corn (I had a cup of the autumn mix left from when I made chocolate covered candy corn)
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 graham cracker sheet, crumbled
• 1/2 cup bitter-sweet chocolate chips

How to make butter-fingers:

Grease a cake pan with a generous amount of cooking spray.

Spray the inside of a microwave safe bowl generously with cooking spray.

Pour the candy corn into the bowl.

Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir.

Repeat the cycle of heating for 30 seconds then stirring until the candy has melted.

For me, this took 3 times.

Be careful not to over heat the candy.

It should be slightly puffy when it is ready.

When the candy is melted, immediately add the graham cracker crumbles and the peanut butter.

Stir until completely combined.

Pour the candy mixture out into the cake pan.

Using a spoon, press the candy into a sheet that is about 1/4" thick.

In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips for 30 seconds, remove and stir, then heat for an additional 40-45 seconds or until chocolate has melted.

Pour the chocolate over the candy sheet, and evenly spread to cover the candy.

Place the cake pan into the refrigerator and allow the chocolate to set.

This took about 20 minutes.

Once chilled, peel the candy sheet from the cake pan, and cut into bite-sized pieces using a pizza cutter.

Yum!  Homemade butter-fingers from you left over candy corn.  

Chocolate Covered Graham Crackers

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Such a wonderful treat: light and crisp graham crackers covered in rich bitter-sweet chocolate.  This is a great afternoon pick-up, or bed-time snack enjoyed with a tall glass of cold milk!  

To make this treat you will need.

• 1/2 cup bitter-sweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Baking Chips and these are what I would recommend)
• 3 graham cracker sheets

Steps:

Using either a double boiler or a heat-resistant glass bowl placed on top of a simmering pot of water, melt your chocolate until smooth.

When the chocolate has melted, remove the bowl from the pot of water.

Break the graham cracker sheets into four small rectangles.

One by one, dip each of the crackers into the chocolate, press down lightly to make sure that the chocolate completely coves side that is facing down.

Using a fork, flip the graham cracker over.

Lift the covered graham cracker out of the chocolate, and transfer to a wax paper lined plate.

I used my fork to create a pretty design in the chocolate by moving my fork in a circular motion lightly over the top of the chocolate coved cracker.

Put the plate with your dipped grahams on it in the fridge, and wait (I know, its the hardest part when chocolate is involved) until the chocolate has set.

What a delightful little snack to share (or not.)

What a Spooktacular Treat: Chocolate Covered Candy Corn

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What's super-sweet, tastes like a s'more, and is yellow and orange in the center?  Candy corn covered in chocolate then sprinkled with little graham cracker crumbles.  What a unique Halloween (or anytime) treat!

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of candy corn (I chose to use the autumn mix, I like those little pumpkins... I know that they taste just like regular candy corn, but somehow I like them better.)
• 2 cups bittersweet chocolate
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6 crush graham cracker sheets

Steps:

Place the chocolate chips and the unsalted butter into a double boiler (if you don't have a Double Boiler, you can make one by placing a heat-safe bowl over a pot of simmering water)

While the chocolate is melting, crush the graham crackers.  To do this, place the crackers into a zip lock bag.  With a Rolling Pin crush the graham crackers into tiny pieces.

When the chocolate has melted, place a few pieces of candy corn into the chocolate.

Use a fork to fully submerge the candy.

Lift the candy corn one piece at a time from the chocolate.

Place the chocolate covered candies onto a wax paper lined cookie sheet.

Sprinkle the dipped candy corn with the graham cracker crumbles.

When all of the candy has been dipped and sprinkled, place the cookie sheet into the refrigerator and allow to cool for at least one hour.

Peel the cooled candy from the wax paper.

You can either devour them right on the spot, or place in a air-tight container kept in the fridge until you plan on eating these delightful little morsels of yumminess.

Chocolate Covered Potato Chips

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Salty, sweet, and crunchy... everything a great snack should be.  This special indulgence includes crunchy potato chips covered in luxurious chocolate.

Ingredients:

• 1 bag ridged potato chips
• 1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Steps:

In a Double Boiler (or a heat-safe glass bowl on top of a pot of simmering water) melt the chocolate chips, stirring occasionally.

  

When the chocolate has melted, remove the bowl from the heat.

One at a time, lay a chip into the melted chocolate, and press down slightly (make sure that your hands are clean.)

With your fingers (or a spoon), cover the rest of the chip with chocolate, making sure that it gets into all the crevices.

Remove the covered chip from the chocolate, and using your fingers, gently remove the excess chocolate.

Place the covered chips on a plate (or cookie sheet) lined with wax paper.

Place the chips in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to allow the chocolate to harden.

Simple as that!  What a delicious sweet treat that is a great addition to your movie night.