Chocolate-Covered Pretzels Demonstration!

Hey my Delicious Chocolate Cuties! <3

Thanks for all of your comments on my last What Kat Ate. I’m really hoping that the blood tests that they took will help uncover what’s going on. I still have a huge bruise from where they stuck me with the needle (I would have thought it would have finally faded by now, but hopefully it will be completely gone in the next few days). I have an ophthalmology appointment this Tuesday and then another JRA appointment next Thursday, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed!

To celebrate Father’s Day, I thought I’d share with you one of my dad’s favorite treats. (He of course loves it with dark chocolate and almonds – that combination is his FAVORITE! But you can make them however you’d like.)

My Chocolate-Covered Pretzels!

Start by pouring your bags of chocolate chips into a glass bowl. Then follow the instructions on the back of the label to melt them. (I like to do it in the microwave ‘cuz I’m lazy like that. It pretty much just takes microwaving it for 30 seconds, then stirring, then another 30 seconds, and stir again. If it needs more time than that, do it in 15 second bursts. You don’t want to overheat the chocolate or it can start getting burnt and grainy.)

Lay out your pretzels and check to see how many in the bag are not broken. (It usually takes me more than one bag of pretzel rods to get 20 complete ones.)

Once the chocolate is smooth and creamy and luscious, dip the rod into the chocolate (or use a spoon to spoon the chocolate over and around the rod) until you get a nice coating. You don’t want it to be too thin or nothing will stick, but you also don’t want it too thick or the toppings will slip right off as the chocolate falls off.

Now get your toppings ready! I like using chopped pecans, almonds, or peanuts; shredded coconut; caramel bits; sprinkles; crushed Oreo cookies, chocolate chip cookies, or cinnamon toast crunch cereal; minced dried fruit; or even mini chocolate chips for true-in-the-blue chocoholics.

Roll the chocolate-covered pretzel rods in the toppings (or pour them on top if desired).

Make ‘em so they’re all covered in goodies.

Then lay them out on a sheet of wax paper to cool until completely hardened. To speed up this process, you can also lay the wax paper on a cookie sheet and stick the pretzels in the freezer if you don’t want to wait as long.

To do the drizzle: put a big handful of chocolate chips into a plastic baggie and microwave it on high for about 30 seconds. Massage, and only continue heating if it needs to in 10-15 second intervals, massaging in-between. Then cut a little piece from one of the bottom corners of the plastic baggie, hold the baggie as you would a piping bag for frosting, and make swirls along the body of the pretzels. You can have a lot of fun with this part. You can use different colors, make different shapes, patterns, etc.!

Then eat ‘em up! (Haha, of course don’t go overboard, but a treat now and again is good for ya! )

Chocolate-Covered Pretzels!

Ingredients

• 20 pretzel-rods
  
• 11oz-bag of your favorite chocolate chips*
  
• Toppings of choice. (See below for ideas!)**
  
• Drizzle: additional ½ cup chocolate chips, if desired
  
• Wax paper (for the pretzels to completely cool on)
  

Directions

Start by pouring your bags of chocolate chips into a glass bowl. Then follow the instructions on the back of the label to melt them. (I like to do it in the microwave ‘cuz I’m lazy like that. It pretty much just takes microwaving it for 30 seconds, then stirring, then another 30 seconds, and stir again. If it needs more time than that, do it in 15 second bursts. You don’t want to overheat the chocolate or it can start getting burnt and grainy.) Lay out your pretzels (and check to see how many in the bag are not broken. (It usually takes me more than one bag of pretzel rods to get 20 complete ones.)

Once the chocolate is smooth and creamy and luscious, dip the rod into the chocolate (or use a spoon to spoon the chocolate over and around the rod) until you get a nice coating. You don’t want it to be too thin or nothing will stick, but you also don’t want it too thick or the toppings will slip right off as the chocolate falls off.

Now get your toppings ready! I like using chopped pecans, almonds, or peanuts; shredded coconut; caramel bits; sprinkles; crushed Oreo cookies, chocolate chip cookies, or cinnamon toast crunch cereal; minced dried fruit; or even mini chocolate chips for true-in-the-blue chocoholics. Roll (or pour on) the toppings, and make sure they’re all covered in goodies. Then lay them out on a sheet of wax paper to cool until completely hardened. To speed up this process, you can also lay the wax paper on a cookie sheet and stick the pretzels in the freezer if you don’t want to wait as long.

To do the drizzle: put a big handful of chocolate chips into a plastic baggie and microwave it on high for about 30 seconds. Massage, and only continue heating if it needs to in 10-15 second intervals, massaging in-between. Then cut a little piece from one of the bottom corners of the plastic baggie, hold the baggie as you would a piping bag for frosting, and make swirls along the body of the pretzels. You can have a lot of fun with this part. You can use different colors, make different shapes, patterns, etc.!

Then eat ‘em up! (Haha. Of course don’t go overboard, but a treat now and again is good for ya!) 

Print This!

*You can also use peanut butter chips, butterscotch-flavored chips, or carob chips in addition to white chocolate, milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, or dark chocolate. Or try a combination of a few, like peanut butter and milk chocolate or butterscotch and white chocolate. Your choice.

** I like using chopped pecans, almonds, or peanuts; shredded coconut; caramel bits; sprinkles; crushed Oreo cookies, chocolate chip cookies, or cinnamon toast crunch cereal; minced dried fruit; or even mini chocolate chips for true-in-the-blue chocoholics as toppings for these kind of pretzels.

Whenever I make these for a fundraiser auction, they always go for about $30 dollars a pack of six; so now you get to join in on the fun and enjoy some for yourself!

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What is one of your favorite body-weight exercises? I really love planks. They kill me, but I’m getting stronger with them and can hold them longer.

Are you doing anything for Father’s Day? We’re just hanging out as a family today.

Have you ever made Chocolate-Covered Pretzels? Chocolate-Covered Marshmallows? Graham crackers? Strawberries? I love making the pretzel versions. And the marshmallows (though I’ve never liked marshmallows). I should try chocolate-covered Oreos someday.

xoxox,

Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis + Fundraiser + Workout

Hey my Scrumptious Chocolate Chips!

Thanks for all of your comments on my last post. I’ve really been having fun trying out my new watch and seeing if it will work for the AP test. So far so good!

Tonight is the Fundraiser for the Girl’s Camp I’m going to in June. We’ve been planning out the dinner, bake sell, and auction for months, and today is the day that it’s happening!

So, what am I bringing? I’m bringing:

Chocolate Covered Pretzels

I made about 45 and bagged 42 of them.

Some of them I dipped in white chocolate and sprinkled with pink sprinkles, other ones I dipped in milk chocolate, sprinkled with green sprinkles, and drizzled in white chocolate, …

…And other ones I dipped in milk chocolate and rolled in pecans/almonds and drizzled in both milk chocolate and white chocolate.

(And as it was National Pretzel Day yesterday, I’ll show you how I made these in my next post.)

Red Velvet Cookies with White Chocolate

This batch made a TON of cookies! I even have some that are not picture (there are at least 38 cookies in the picture; the batch made even more than what’s shown!).

I decided to do an alphabet theme since there would be a lot of families with little children there tonight. I know my little Sunbeams (3-year-olds) would like it.

And Swiss Chocolate Cupcakes frosted with a Homemade Chocolate Frosting.

I made about 31 of these – 24 for the auction and then a few I can give away.

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My right knee has been bothering me for the past couple weeks. It started a few weeks ago, when I remember feeling some pain after riding the bike (not during — afterwards). And to tell you the truth, I pretty much ignored it. I just thought it was something that would go away if given time.

But it didn’t.

And then, a few days ago, I noticed that my right knee was swollen. It’s two times the size of my left knee and very stiff (I can’t raise my leg higher than hip-level, and neither can I raise my leg in the back (as if doing a butt kick) higher than 90 degrees). I can still walk around, but I can’t walk around too much, as it can get painful by the end of the day. We asked my friend’s dad, who’s a Rheumatoid Arthritis doctor, if he could take a look at my knee and see what he thought. After he explained how the swelling occurs and stuff like that, he strongly advised me to not exercise for an entire week. He also suggested I take 600mg of Motrin (ibuprofen) 3 times a day to help with the pain and swelling.

About 5-6 years ago, I had some problems with my right knee, and they diagnosed me with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA). After sticking a needle in my knee twice (to remove the excess fluid), I really don’t want to have that happen again (as I don’t do too well with needles…). So I hope that the Motrin and rest does it, but I’ve been taking the Motrin since Tuesday and the swelling hasn’t really gone down; I think my parents will end up taking me to the hospital this next week. If they do, I’ll keep you posted!

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I knew I wouldn’t be sane not working out at ALL, so I put together this is the workout that works the Abs and Arms. I made sure that the exercises wouldn’t put any strain on my knee, and I have been doing for the past couple day and have really enjoyed it.

It takes me about 30 minutes, and my arms and abs feel SO good afterwards. It has been keeping me sane while I wait for my knee to heal.

(I’ve also put together a full body workout that I would do if I COULD use my knee — I’ll share it as soon as my knee gets better and I can try it out.)

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I’ve got to go (my parents are getting loaded up in the car with all the goodies my sister and I are bringing), so I’ll talk to you soon!

Out of curiosity, do you consider white chocolate as chocolate? I don’t know, since there’s no actual cocoa/cacao powder in it….

Do you prefer to work your arms, abs, or legs? I really like working my arms.

xoxox,