Chocolate Covered Strawberries – So Easy!

I recently served chocolate covered strawberries at a gathering at my home and they were (of course) a big hit, especially with the children. Most people tend to think of these treats as something reserved for romantic holidays and couple time, but why restrict yourself to that when you can eat these tasty treats more often? I think that many people may think chocolate covered strawberries are difficult to make and quite a hassle.  That is far from the truth. My children and I made two pints worth in no time at all and then watched as our guests all tried to devour them in record speed.  The kids went for these strawberries over the other snacks that I was serving.  These are easy to make and a perfect treat to mark the end of summer. In fact, this is a perfect recipe to let your children take the lead on (with supervision of course). The strawberries may not be as pretty if the kiddos make them, but they will still taste just as good.

Ingredients

• 1 pound strawberries, washed and patted dry, with green stems intact
• 8 ounces of chocolate chips (I prefer semi-sweet or dark)
• 1  tbsp vegetable shortening

 Directions

• Line a cookie sheet with wax paper.
• Wash your strawberries and pat dry with paper towels or let them air dry if you have time. Using wet strawberries will ruin your chocolate.
• Melt chocolate chips on low heat on the stove top while stirring often. Once melted, add the shortening and stir until combined. This can also be done in the microwave. Whichever way you do it, the key is low heat.
• Dip the strawberries one at a time by holding the stem. Give the strawberry a little swirl to coat it.
• Place dipped strawberry on waxed paper. Add any sprinkles or other embellishments while the chocolate is still warm.
• Leave on counter to harden. If you want them to be ready faster you can place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator to speed cooling.