Chocolate'll Shut Her Up

Chocolate. Need I say more? It is my drug of choice. It's the single thing I REALLY indulge in. The only downside is that Chocolate definitely does not help with my current cholesterol situation. I eat A LOT of the stuff, but I also exercise quite a bit, so I do not recommend the following treats if you're a total couch potato (you know what i mean... just eat in "moderation" - whatever the heck moderation means. I certainly wouldn't know, because there is no moderation when it comes to Chocolate & I).

My FAVORITE tasty Chocolate treats (in no particular order):

Applebee's Triple Chocolate Meltdown

Who knows how many servings are on this plate - but who cares? (At least it has 3 grams of FIBER.) Eat it all anyway. And be careful - the hot fudge inside the cake is scorching. Make sure to eat a little icecream and a little cake on each spoonful to prevent tongue torch. Best if eaten after a long, stressful day @ work.

Cold Stone Creamery Chocolate Devotion ("Love it" size)

Who doesn't love chocolate ice cream, chocolate chips, and a brownie all mixed up into one glob of Heaven? I love this on a Saturday afternoon.

Starbucks Hot Chocolate (Size "Tall", or "small")

I only get a small in this drink - it warms me up! And makes me happy. I especially like it when strolling through the mall during the Holiday Season. Go ahead, get the whipped cream. And it's not the same without the whole milk.

m&m's Dark Chocolate (Plain)

When a man and a woman get married, they often times discover little things about one another that are gross. I'm pretty sure that when I sit on the couch and devour a large bag of Dark Chocolate m&ms by the handfuls, I disgust Todd to no end. It could be the position i sit in, all curled up and hunched over my bag of candy, or the crunchy, nasty sounds I make when I chomp on a handful. I think the whole scene is probably pretty nasty, but it's one of my favorite ways to unload after a long, monotonous day at the office. m&ms are especially good on evenings when I don't have much to say. I just keep my mouth full :)

York Peppermint Patties

I love these, and love that you can eat your weight in them and not feel too guilty about it. I love to grab a regular size PP (LOL) at the checkout after grocery shopping. The mini sized ones are great for after lunch/after dinner... they don't really do much for my mood, but they do take care of the chocolate craving. And a little mint after eating is always good for digestion, too.

MY TRUFFLES

Anyone who's had my chocolate truffles at Christmastime knows... they are amazing. And i could sit and eat them for hours, only I know it really would kill me. They are best when chilled, and I just LOVE the way the outer chocolate shell cracks when you bite in! They're super cute/attractive when put inside mini cupcake/muffin wrappers and placed inside a decorative tin (great gift idea!)The absolute best thing about them? They're super easy to make (trust me - I don't make anything unless it's EASY):

1 pack Oreos (use all but 8 or 9 cookies)

2 boxes (8 squares ea.) Baker's Semi-sweet melting chocolate

1 pkg (8 oz) Phili Cream Cheese

Toss Oreos in the blender and crush until fine; mix crushed Oreos with cream cheese in a large mixing bowl (this takes a while to stir, but don't give up! Mix until everything is a nice big ball of mush. DO NOT USE BLENDER! It messes up the texture.)

Melt chocolate in the Microwave - only melt around 8 squares each time. I like to use a small to medium sized ceramic bowl (like Fiestaware), it heats more evenly. Take chocolate out a few times, and stir several times to promote melting. Do not cook the chocolate!

Roll Oreo/cream cheese mixture into 1" balls (or use one of those nifty cookie-dough scoops, like this one from Crate&Barrel: http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=744&f=10578 )

Dip into melted chocolate, and coat entirely. Place on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper, sprinkle on some pretty decorative sugars and other fun thingies, then place in the fridge until the chocolate coating sets - the colder they are, the better they are! They literally melt in your mouth but are extremely rich, so eat with caution. Makes an ungodly amount (typically around 45 truffles.)

I like to play with the recipe a little - sometimes, I'll substitute chocolate oreos with Golden (vanilla) oreos, and use White (vanilla) chips instead of melting chocolate for those who aren't addicted to chocolate. Or, use different flavors of melting chocolate for the outer coating. DO NOT put food coloring in melted white chocolate. It completely destroys the texture and hardening abilities of the chocolate!

So, are you hungry yet?

Sorry If i ruined anyone's diet today!!!