I Believe in Chocolate

Last week I had the joy of facilitating a summer camp for my school called Leadership Academy. We teach kids that "who you are is how you lead" and that there are many kinds of leaders. We teach them to find the qualities that they possess in order to be a good leader.

The culminating assignment for this week was a podcast called "This I Believe," a spinoff of the NPR bit. We asked students to write about what they believe. Naturally I believe in chocolate. Intrigued? Here is my podcast:

Ever since I can remember, in my house no other flavor of cake existed besides chocolate. My mother would bake chocolate cakes or brownies weekly for my siblings and me. My mother and I consuming the largest piece. Straight As, birthdays, or any other special occasion called for a trip to Sarris Ice Cream Parlour for a sundae. Chocolate of course. If there is one thing my mother and I have in common, it is chocolate. I believe in chocolate.

When I turned 16, I got a job in order to earn

some spending money. I didn’t want just any job. Folding jeans or waiting tables just wasn’t for me. If I had to spend 20 hours per week working, I figured, I might as well be working with chocolate. I began working at Sarris’ Candies scooping ice cream. I met fellow chocoholics and made good friends. I didn’t mind going to work every day because I got to work with people like me, and I got to eat all the chocolate ice cream I desired. For the next four years I was committed to hot fudge sundaes, chocolate assembly lines in the factory, and filling shelves full of chocolate goodies. This never felt like a job. They say, do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life. The way I look at it, I got paid to eat chocolate.

Chocolate has also allowed me to combine something else I love, writing. While applying to internships in college, I started my own blog to showcase some of my writing. I began a blog called Chocolate Emergency and still continue it today. Everywhere I go, I purchase a piece of chocolate from that region or a local bakery and blog about it. While this started out as an excuse to eat more chocolate and showcase my writing, it turned into a hobby. Now I have friends who buy me chocolate to taste and turn into a blog entry. (And I have another excuse to eat chocolate!) Not a bad deal. I was able to refine my craft of writing all while doing something I love to do - eat chocolate.

Obviously, my favorite food is chocolate. My second favorite food is anything covered in chocolate. Milk, white, dark, doesn’t matter. I don’t discriminate when it comes to eating chocolate. The more chocolate I eat, the happier I am. This correlation just makes sense to me. If I can find something I like and I’m good at, I’ll do more of that. There has to be a little bit of chocolate in everything I do.

Chocolate + Wine

I made an unexpected (although not unusual) chocolate purchase today. I fell for one of the oldest marketing tricks in the book. Albeit when it's chocolate, I'm not a hard sell. I stopped at the drug store to pick up a few birthday cards, and these were waiting for me next to the register.  

It seems I'm all about the chocolate pairings these days. Chocolate and wine? It's a no brainer! WIN! 

Ghirardelli's signature squares are no stranger to the chocolate drawer in my kitchen. My favorite would have to be the hazelnut in milk chocolate. Coming in a close second is the dark chocolate with raspberry filling. This delightful little dark treat, however, is infused with flavor instead of the gooey filling like the popular caramel or raspberry. It is solid dark chocolate (tastes like 50% cacao) infused with blackberry and grape flavors. It is not as tart as I expected, but it is a nice mix of bitter from the chocolate, sweet and tart from the fruit. 

When I opened the package, the first thing I smelled was the grape aroma. It seems that's what Ben smelled too because he made it awfully hard for me to take a nice picture. Too bad cats can't have chocolate; more for me! 

PB&J Choco

I always say that my favorite food is chocolate; my second favorite food is anything covered in chocolate. So naturally when I came across this PB&J chocolate bar, I had to try it. 

The combination is a staple in most kids' diets. They love to put the combo in between two slices of bread, so two pieces of chocolate should be an improvement right? I'm not a huge fan of Trader Joe's chocolate to begin with, and I couldn't get my taste buds as excited about this as I thought. 

A dry peanut butter sits below tart raspberry jelly. I might like this if it was simply the chocolate and peanut butter, or chocolate and raspberry; for some reason, this combo didn't work for me. I don't say this often but this just wasn't the chocolate bar for me. Worth a try? Yes. But I probably won't be bringing it home for round two. Who knows; maybe you will like it more than I did. Give it a shot. 1,000,000 kids can't be wrong, right? 

Chocolate Mousse

I'm going to a game night with some old friends tonight. Even as an adult I think it is fun to play games. Maybe even more than when I was a kid. Especially with old friends. I usually come home with a stomach ache from laughing so hard. I never get a stomach ache from eating too much (as if there were a such thing!). I offered to bring something sweet tonight. Naturally, I'll bring something chocolate. Here's what I've decided:

Chocolate Mousse  Really Easy and Delicious Chocolate Mousse. Listen, I'm not one of those crafty, expert chef, do-it-all bloggers. I'm a teacher, a dancer, and a chocoholic, okay. I like simple. 

The garnish I used here is a vanilla wafer. I will also add a strawberry for tonight I think. And Anthony suggests some chocolate sprinkles. I've crushed graham crackers to put in the bottom for a base. Here's the recipe.

1 package 5.9 oz Jello chocolate pudding mix

1.5 cups cold milk

1 package 8oz cool whip

Extra cool whip for the topping

strawberries

graham crackers

vanilla wafers

or any other garnish you'd like to add (hmmm raspberries maybe?!) 

Mix pudding mix and milk with a whisk for 2 minutes. Fold in the cool whip. Refrigerate. Crush up graham crackers and line the bottom of the serving dish. Add mousse, cool whip, garnish. Devour. 

P.S. It's okay to lick the spoon if you're done with it. ;) 

Chocolate for Breakfast - No Cook Overnight Oatmeal

It seems these days that if it's not a choco-peanut butter combination, I'm not interested. But seriously, name one thing that isn't better if you add peanut butter. 

I've found an excuse to have both chocolate and peanut butter for breakfast. You're welcome. Bonus: it's good for you. This recipe is beyond delicious. I'm always looking for something quick in the morning and am getting a bit tired of granola bars. 

This is something I can make the night before and just grab and go in the morning. I need all the free time I can get in the mornings since I tend to sleep in until the last possible moment. 

Seriously, the picture does not do it justice. I'm a chocoholic, not a photographer. Trust me on this one. 

You will need:

1/2 cup banana yogurt 

1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup rolled oats 

2 tablespoons peanut butter (or more if you're so inclined)

1 handful chocolate chips (okay a big handful, right?)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate over night or for at least 4 hours. 

Another possible addition I'm considering is almonds. Another recipe called for sliced bananas, but I found they get too mushy. What other additions could we consider?! Mmmm the possibilities! 

Red Velvet Cake Chocolate

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Happy New Year! 

This is the perfect time of year to indulge in a little a lot of chocolate. Being a teacher and known chocolate lover, I received many, many gifts of chocolate this year. For which I could not be more grateful. Especially right now during my late night chocolate emergency. 

One of the unique chocolate bars I received from a dear coworker was this delectable red velvet chocolate bar. 

Whenever I think of red velvet cake I usually think of weddings and that delicious cream cheese frosting. However, now my brain is on chocolate. 

This unassuming bar is quite incredible. No fancy design needed. The taste is what's important, and it certainly does not disappoint. It has the discernible taste of red velvet cake batter upon first taste. I am happy to report that the makers of this chocolate did not leave out the cream cheese frosting. Little white beads inside melt in your mouth just as the frosting would. To top it all off, chocolate. 

Genius creation from the folks at Market District. For you non-Burghers out there, Giant Eagle Market District is the grocery store in Pittsburgh and the surrounding areas. 

Thank you to my coworker and friend for the delicious gift. Enjoy your chocolate-covered holiday, all! 

Astor Chocolate in a Boston Tin

In honor of Boston's recent victory at the World Series, I'm going to blog about some chocolate in a Boston-inspired decorative tin! 

One of my teacher friends brought this back for me after a recent trip. Have I mentioned that I have great friends?

Astor Chocolate is actually based out of Lakewood, New Jersey, but it started in New York in 1950. Astor Chocolate makes a myriad of different chocolates. It's great for unique gifts (you know for others... or yourself). I'd actually like to own the chocolate chess set! 

To start, the aroma of chocolate when I opened the tin was incredibly enticing. The perfect smell of milk chocolate. The chocolate covering the delicious almonds is sweet, though a bit waxy. However, seeing as how I'm fishing into the tin again and again for more almonds, these certainly satisfy the chocolate emergency of this chocoholic. Now, what will I use this soon-to-be-empty tin for? 

Choco Peanut Butter Cookies - Gluten Free!

Once again I'm bringing another Pinterest recipe to life. And it's a Pinterest WIN! These cookies seemed easy to make - and I like easy. There are just 6 ingredients - all of which I had in the house. 

The hardest part about these cookies is that there is some waiting involved. The actual mixing of the ingredients and baking is quick and easy; however, after you make the dough, it needs to be refrigerated for 2 hours. When we're talking warm chocolate and peanut butter cookies, I have a hard time waiting. But they are worth the wait. I promise.

2 cups peanut butter (store-bought peanut butter is just fine; I used Jif)

2 cups brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

2 tablespoons vanilla

2 teaspoons baking soda

1.5 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Mix peanut butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a bowl until smooth. Add in the baking soda and stir well. Mix in chocolate chips.  The chocolate chips may not stick in very well; that's okay. 

Refrigerate dough for 2 hours. 

Roll dough into balls and separate onto a cookie sheet. 

Bake cookies for 10 minutes at 350. When you take them out of the oven, it is important to let them sit on the tray for 3-4 minutes before taking them off. This is hard to do because you will just want to take them off the tray and devour them. I tried to take the first one off too soon, and it was too gooey because it had not yet set. Let them set and they are perfect. 

Let them cool. Pour a glass of milk, and enjoy. 

Muddy Buddies

While I'm searching for a new chocolate to try this week, I'm satisfying my chocolate emergency on this beautiful Saturday with some Muddy Buddies. Happiness. 

Any suggestions of a new chocolate I should try, fellow chocoholics? 

For those of you here for my extra chocolatey recipe, here you are:

9 cups Rice Chex

2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

1 cup creamy peanut butter (Jif is my favorite)

1/2 cup butter

16 oz powdered sugar

Melt the butter, peanut butter and chocolate so it blends well together. (Do not cook the chocolate.) Pour over cereal and stir until coated evenly. Put about half the powdered sugar into a freezer bag. Add half of the cereal. Shake it up. Repeat with the remaining sugar and cereal. 

I like to separate the sugar into two steps (sometimes 3) because I find that it coats better. 

I also leave out the vanilla, because I've found it to make the cereal seem stale. I never miss it. 

Warning: this recipe is highly addictive and you'll be forced to lick your fingers. 

Wild Boar Chocolate Bars

Check out this cute little guy. 

He is the mascot for Hagensborg Chocolates Wild Boar chocolate bars. I picked up this bar at a chocolate shop in the Strip District. I originally thought I was getting my old-stand-by chocolate: Milk or dark bar with almonds (give or take a little sea salt.) However, why the pig? The almonds are toasted then sprinkled with olive oil, truffle, and salt. I am not typically a truffle fan, but you know my motto, "My favorite food is chocolate; my second favorite food is anything covered in chocolate." So naturally, I tried it. 

While I probably won't be selecting too many items with truffle salt, I am willing to eat more of this Italian chocolate to see if it's an acquired taste. 

Bonus: I love creative copywriting. The packaging claims, "Construction crews on the Tower of Pisa are said to have been distracted by the chocolate aromas in the town." An understandable mistake. (:

Chocolate for the Spirit

As if one chocolate booth at the Carmel, IN farmers' market weren't enough, I also picked up a chocolate bar from Julie Bolejack at Chocolate for the Spirit. Julie's chocolates have been featured on CNN, at Disneyland, and at the Kentucky Derby. Neat!

Julie's story is heartwarming. When life handed her lemons and a pink slip from her job at 55, Julie asked herself two questions: What dream have you deferred? What have you sacrificed while waiting for the right time? Her answer was simple: chocolate. For Julie (and myself) chocolate not only satisfies her taste buds, but also her spirit. Julie then launched Chocolate for the Spirit.

Here's the deliciously dark chocolate that I tried.

There are so many "good" chocolate labels out there, it's easy to get mixed up: organic, fair trade, free trade, local, all-natural, premium, sustainable, etc. Julie knows exactly where all of her chocolate comes from, pays above fair trade price, and has great relationships with her growers. That is something you don't see every day. 

Xchocol'art

Here is a company who is doing everything right. Xchocol'Art is a family-owned business who produces chocolates that are ranked among the best in the world.  Xchocol'Art uses only the finest organic and fair trade chocolate. The whole chocolate making process is completely transparent. Just check out their website to see how it's done.  Even their packaging is all made from recyclable materials.

I was recently in Carmel, IN to visit my brother and sister-in-law and their new baby. We went to the local farmers' market where I discovered this little gem. Joann was as sweet as could be and genuinely wanted me to try her chocolate. Here's what I tried:

 

I had to get caramels while in Carmel, Indiana, right? These little passion fruit caramels were divine! The passion fruit caramel was delightfully sweet and tangy and the perfect pairing with 60% dark chocolate. The whole piece is incredibly smooth and satisfying (although I did eat both myself - research for the post, people). The chocolate is good enough to be eaten solely by itself too. I'd LOVE to try more of this line. I like them on Facebook, and you should too! Perhaps the fact that it is organic and fair trade helps me to eat it with a clean conscience. Whatever the reason, I may not know art, but I know what I like. And I like Xchocol'Art. 

International Chocolate Day

As if you or I needed another reason to eat chocolate today, allow me to provide one. It's International Chocolate Day. According to the NCA (National Confectioners Association) September 13 is herby declared a chocolate holiday. After attempting to do a little research on the holiday for this post, I couldn't find much... then I thought, ehhh, who cares! It's a chocolate holiday. I think I know how I will be celebrating. Now is a good time to start a new tradition.

I have the best students ever. One of my students made me s'mores brownies. Another one brought me a dove chocolate bar. All because they know how much I love chocolate. Boy, do they know me or what! They all get As :)

Happy holidays.

The Earl of Chocolate?

Dr. Kate Lovemen, a lecturer at the University of Leicester's School of English, has discovered 350-year-old recipes collected by the Earl of Sandwich.  The recipes are for an iced chocolate beverage similar to what we would think of as a frozen mocha type drink. If you don't know your chocolate history, the earliest form of chocolate was consumed as a drink. Cacao beans were used as forms of payment, tributes to gods, and symbols of wealth. 

I had no idea that the Earl of Sandwich was a chocoholic until reading this article. Since freezing chocolate in the 17th century was somewhat of a process, some thought it to be unwholesome and could have negative health effects. The Earl's remedy? Drink hot chocolate a half hour after consuming cold chocolate! Genius! 

READ the rest of the article here. Warning: it may make you crave one of these:

Peanut Butter Cup Fudge

Like the rest of the world, I've been sucked into the Pinterest black hole and can't get out (not that I want to.) I've pinned everything from fuzzy kittens to classroom supplies. It's only right that I devote a board to Chocolate Emergency. However, I didn't want to be one of those people who pin 100 recipes on Pinterest and then never try anything. Therefore, this past week I made this simple yet scrumptious peanut butter cup fudge that I found on Pinterest. It's very easy and is the perfect combo of peanut butter and chocolate.

22 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (I used 18 regular sized cups and half a bag of the small ones)

3 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

1  14oz can of sweetened condensed milk

Line a 9x9 pan with foil. Place Reese's cups in rows to line the bottom of the pan. Melt the chocolate chips and condensed milk over low heat until it is blended together. Be sure not to cook the chocolate. Pour over the lined Reese's Cups. Crumble remaining peanut butter cups and sprinkle them on top of the fudge while it is still a little warm. Lightly press them into the fudge. Refrigerate until firm. 

Let me know what you think of this recipe. Enjoy. 

Back to School

I don't know why every year I am surprised that summer has come to an end. But, alas, I've been attending countless meetings this week in preparation for the maniacs kiddos to arrive on Monday. While it was (and still is) hard to wake up early in the morning, I am excited for another year. I feel refreshed and prepared.

This morning, just as I was preparing for lunch, one of my incoming students and her mother were in to tour the building and find her classrooms. Mom had thoughtfully bought the most glorious slice of triple chocolate layer cake for me, and one for each of my teammates, too. Her rationale was that "everything is better with chocolate." I have a feeling we'll get along just fine. If this is any indication of how my year will go, then I am optimistic. Although as with any other school year, I will have a stash of chocolate in my desk drawer for chocolate emergencies. 

Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for more chocolate recipes and mouth-watering photos! 

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Pop Tarts

Boy do these grocery stores know how to market products! I ran into the grocery store last week for only one thing. And well, we all know how that goes. The one thing I went in for was NOT Chocolate and Peanut Butter Pop Tarts but indeed, that's what I came out with. For that I have the woman behind me in line to thank. I was in line, resisting the urge to pick up the Pop Tarts when the woman behind me was just as blown away at the genius creation as I was. She, however, did not fight the urge, and when she asked if I saw them, she insisted I get a box too. Well there went my self-control. I had to have a box.

The chocolate graham cracker-like outside is soft and sweet. The chocolate icing on top is sweeter, and the peanut butter inside is the sweetest. The peanut butter could use a little bit more peanut. It is more of a buttery taste. However I really enjoyed these, and would recommend eating them warm, instead of right out of the package. I don't often eat Pop Tarts, but these are good. 

Tiramisu

Anthony and I celebrated our first anniversary at Lidia's restaurant tonight. This is where we had our first date almost 6 years ago! Oddly enough they sat us at the same table as our first date. Here's a pic of our dessert! I know it's not a lot of chocolate, but it was certainly delicious. 

A big THANK YOU to my sweet mother-in-law for surprising us and picking up the tab. ::love:: 

Annnd... We're Back!

Whew! Hello Chocolate Emergency! Where have you been for the last year and a half? Oh yeah! LIFE! Here's the quick top 10 list of the past year and a half in no particular order.

10. I am now a teacher! This is my dream job. I teach 7th grade English Language Arts. And I never thought I would say this, but I love middle schoolers! Huh! Who knew? This is also the perfect job because even though I am busier than I can imagine during the school year, I can blog during the summer.

9. I bought a new car! I bought a Honda CR-V, and her name is Charlotte. 

8. I am fostering kittens again. I've had 3 litters in the past year. My current litter is the smallest batch I've ever had. They are 3 weeks old. Meet Vinny:

7. As evidenced above, I am still an orange cat lover. Ben is now 4 years old! 

6. My good friend Yasmina and I just finished a 3 day fruit and veggie cleanse. I have not have chocolate for 3 days! Yoi! 

5. Anthony and I are taking our long-awaited honeymoon next month! Palm trees, here we come! 

4. Anthony took me to the Melting Pot for my birthday this year! Does he know me or what?! 

3. I made these:

2. Besides one small pipe bursting in the basement, our home is perfect. Anthony and I still love our little house in Brentwood.

1. Anthony and I got married!

More to come! 

Local Chocolate

Anthony and I recently bought our dream home near Pittsburgh. I was at a local grocery shop a few weeks ago and in the checkout lane they had candy made from a local chocolatier. Never one to pass up a new chocolate, I picked up a chocolate dipped Oreo from Esther's Homemade Candy.

It is America's favorite cookie dipped in a healthy amount of delicious milk chocolate. The chocolate is very smooth and melts in your mouth. This is definitely a chocolate I think could stand on its own in a bar. It doesn't need the oreo to be tasty.  Satisfies my chocolate emergency for sure.  And I'm proud to live in a community that makes delicious chocolate!