The Farm Chicks' "Chocolate Dipped Anything"

Look at THIS!!!!



Could you just die?!? I could - and I'd die happy!!

I found this recipe on The Farm Chicks' blog and I smiled.

I might have even giggled... just a bit. :)

I couldn't post it here fast enough.

So break out your "anything" and get it chocolate dipped! Then call a friend or your sweet kids or your even sweeter hubby/wife and SHARE. Mmmmmmm!!!

The Farm Chicks' "Chocolate Dipped Anything"
It's always good to have a back-up dessert option for those times friends stop by or you just want to create a wonderful treat in no time flat. Chocolate Dipped Anything is a favorite of mine. I know, I had you at chocolate, right? And to make it even better, why not sprinkle it up? With sprinkles, of course.

Here's all you need:

Chocolate Chips

Vegetable Oil

Fruit or cookies for dipping

Combine chocolate chips and oil together in a small vessel such as a small measuring cup or bowl. (Something that is a bit more narrow than a standard cereal bowl, yet large enough for you to dip into, as this makes the chocolate go further). I use about 1/2 teaspoon of oil to 1 cup of chocolate chips.

Microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until oil and chocolate are combined and the mixture is melted and smooth.

Dip fruit/cookies into the chocolate, followed by a dip into a bowl of sprinkles (you can skip the sprinkles if you'd prefer) and place onto a sheet of tin foil or waxed paper.






Allow to sit and harden (you can speed this up by placing them in the fridge for about 15 minutes). Once chocolate has set, transfer to a serving platter and serve.

Tips:

I like to do serve a mixture of dipped, un-dipped, some sprinkled, and some not, so there are choices for everyone's tastes.

Tiny bunches of grapes are a favorite of mine for dipping, and are an unexpected twist to the traditional strawberry.

I prefer to use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but milk chocolate and white chocolate are delicious too.

Make sure fruit is completely dry before dipping. Water and chocolate don't mix, and the water will make the chocolate become instantly lumpy and unusable.

I always keep large jars of different sprinkles on hand.


Everything below the recipe title & the gorgeous picture at the beginning come directly from The Farm Chicks
The silly rambling above the recipe title - all me.

Strawberry (Fruit) Picnic Pies

Aren't these cute?!? They remind me of those pre-packaged, processed but strangely delicious Hostess pies I used to eat when I was young.

This recipe comes from The Farm Chicks. Check out her blog - she's adorable & her decor ideas, recipes, & thoughts are always great!

I'm quite sure these will be MUCH better than the ones I ate - better tasting & better for you!

I can't wait to give these a try. With all the fresh berries in season, these should be a regular on our summer menu.

I bet you can try these with peaches or nectarines or even apples... I'll have to try 'em & let you know.

Enjoy!

Picnic Pies

Crust:
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2 cups cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg
1/2 cup cold water

Combine the flour and graham cracker crumbs in a large bowl. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles course meal. Whisk the egg and water together and mix into the flour mixture until just combined. Transfer to a clean work surface and gently press to form a dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, press into a disk shape, and chill for at least one hour.

While dough chills, prepare Strawberry Pie Filling.

Strawberry Pie Filling:
4 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered (cut into eighths if the berries are huge)
1 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all ingredients into a medium bowl and stir together until flour and sugar are mixed in. Set Pie Filling aside. Line two large baking sheets with foil or parchment and lightly grease.

Roll out dough onto a floured work surface and roll out to a 1/8" thickness. Use a cereal bowl for a guide, and trace with a knife.

Repeat until the dough is all used up. (Should make about 16-18 dough circles). Divide pie filling evenly between the dough circles, folding and pressing each one closed as you go. Press edges with a fork and prick center for steam to escape. Place the pies on the baking sheets.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and filling is oozing out from steam holes. Remove pies immediately to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely. (They will harden up as they cool to room temperature).

Notes:

These pies will ooze filling as they cook, as the strawberries are very juicy. If you prefer a less juicy/messy pie, don't use all of the juice from the filling mixture when filling the pies.

Your baking sheets will look somewhat - a lot juicy when you remove the pies from the oven. Don't worry, this is normal. Just make sure to remove the pies while they're hot so the filling doesn't stick to the foil/parchment.

I definitely recommend using foil or parchment, rather than placing these directly on the baking sheet. this way, you won't have a huge clean-up when you're done!

Picnic Pies are rustic and don't need to be perfect. They're meant to be enjoyed!