First Amendment scholar Michael McConnell may have understated the case when he wrote that “the free exercise clause may well be the most philosophically interesting and distinctive feature of the American Constitution.” Continue Reading...

Chocolate Covered Strawberries are always impressive and well-loved‚ yet they’re super easy and fun to make! Serve these treats for birthdays‚ parties‚ or Valentine’s day. These Chocolate Covered Strawberries are the perfect sweet treat for Valentine’s Day. In This Article Why This Recipe Stands OutKey Recipe IngredientsSubstitutions And VariationsStep-By-Step Recipe InstructionsCommonly Asked QuestionsChocolate Covered Strawberries RecipeMore To Bake And Eat View more Why This Recipe Stands Out Fresh‚ juicy strawberries dipped in rich‚ velvety chocolate – it’s the perfect combo. We can’t get enough of these Chocolate Covered Strawberries. Here’s why: Extra Chocolate: These strawberries are dipped in semi-sweet chocolate and drizzled with white chocolate for double goodness. Easy: This is by far the easiest treat out of all of our chocolate dessert recipes. Fancy: Although Chocolate Covered Strawberries are super simple‚ they feel fancy at the same time. Valentine’s: Red‚ white‚ and chocolatey‚ these are the perfect Valentine’s Day treat. Healthy: As desserts go‚ Chocolate Covered Strawberries are definitely on the healthier side (especially if you dip them in dark chocolate). Fun to Make: Much like our Muddy Buddies recipe‚ chocolate dipped strawberries are super fun to make especially if you have kids around. Key Recipe Ingredients Strawberries – Strawberries are the star of this dish so make sure to use big‚ fresh strawberries (without any bruises) that are red all the way through. Semi-sweet Chocolate – We like using semi-sweet baking chocolate to get the best rich‚ silky texture and deep‚ chocolatey flavor. White Chocolate – White chocolate is drizzled on top of the dipped strawberries for a fancy look and double the chocolate. Substitutions And Variations One thing we love about Chocolate Covered Strawberries is how versatile they are. Check out our favorite twists on this classic treat: Chocolate: Feel free to switch up the kind of chocolate you use. Try dipping the strawberries in dark or white chocolate. You could even use colored candy melts for a bright‚ multicolored dessert. Nuts: Crush up almonds‚ pistachios‚ cashews‚ or peanuts and roll your chocolate dipped strawberries in them for added crunch. Other toppings: We also think toasted coconut‚ sprinkles‚ or our favorite salted caramel sauce would be amazing additions to this recipe. Fruits: Have extra chocolate left over? Dip whatever fruits you have on hand. Bananas‚ cherries‚ apple slices‚ and even pomegranate go amazingly with chocolate. Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions Wash and completely dry strawberries. If you do this ahead of time‚ you can air dry them. Melt chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan filled with simmering water until smooth and silky. A double broiler makes this job super easy. Dip the strawberries in the chocolate‚ and let them set in the fridge. Melt the white chocolate and drizzle over the strawberries. Enjoy! For full list of ingredients and instructions‚ see recipe card below. Commonly Asked Questions Can I freeze chocolate covered strawberries? Although you technically can freeze chocolate covered strawberries‚ we recommend staying away from the freezer for this one. When you freeze and thaw the strawberries they’ll let off moisture that will leave the chocolate a bit messy. How long do chocolate covered strawberries keep? Chocolate covered strawberries will be best in the fridge for up to 2 days. We recommend enjoying these right away. What is a double boiler? A double boiler uses steam to melt or cook food. It’s made up of two pieces. One pot is filled with water that is brought to a simmer. On top of this pot sits another pot or bowl that holds the food. Double boilers do a great job of melting chocolate without making it seize up. You can easily make your own by filling a pot with some water and setting a heat safe bowl on top of the pot so that it is sitting above (not touching) the water. Can I microwave my chocolate? Yes! Just heat the chocolate in 30 second increments and keep stirring it to make sure it doesn’t overcook and seize up. Can I fix seized chocolate? It depends. If your chocolate seizes‚ try mixing in one teaspoon of boiling water and stirring (adding more water until the mixture becomes smooth again). If you overcooked your chocolate‚ you can also try mixing in more un-melted chocolate to help it cool down. This isn’t foolproof‚ but it could save your chocolate. Check out this article from the Spruce Eats for more tips on saving seized chocolate. Why is the chocolate not sticking to my strawberries? If your chocolate won’t stick to the strawberries‚ it’s most likely due to one of two things. Either your strawberries still have a bit of water on them‚ or they were too cold when you started dipping. Make sure to let the strawberries come to room temperature before coating them. Print Chocolate Covered Strawberries Juicy‚ fresh strawberries dipped in chocolate not once‚ but twice! Chocolate dipped strawberries make a fun treat for the whole family. Course DessertCuisine AmericanDiet VegetarianMethod Assemble Prep Time 15 minutes minutesSet 30 minutes minutesTotal Time 45 minutes minutes Servings 6 Calories 374kcal Author Amy Dong EquipmentDouble Broiler Ingredients1 lb strawberries fresh and ripe10 oz semi-sweet chocolate chopped3-4 oz white chocolate chopped InstructionsWash and very gently dry the strawberries‚ keeping stems on.  Set aside to finish air drying.Set dark chocolate in a glass or metal bowl over saucepan of simmering water‚ bowl not touching water. Stir frequently until chocolate is smooth and just melted.  Don't over cook‚ so the chocolate doesn't seize up and thicken.  Remove from heat once melted.Carefully dip each strawberry in dark chocolate‚ twisting to cover completely with chocolate.  Set on parchment or wax paper on platter and put berries in fridge to set‚ about 30 min.Repeat melting process for white chocolate.  Using fork or toothpick‚ drizzle white chocolate over cooled chocolate strawberries.  Return to fridge for at least an hour. Serve chilled. Notes Make sure your strawberries are completely dry before dipping them. If they have any moisture on them the chocolate won’t stick well. We recommend using the double boiler method to melt the chocolate‚ but you can also microwave it in 30 second increments‚ stirring frequently until melted. Try drizzling on this 4-Ingredient Salted Caramel Sauce for an even fancier treat. If you enjoyed this recipe‚ please come back and give it a rating. We hearing from you!  Join our Free Recipe Club and get our newest‚ best recipes each week! NutritionCalories: 374kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 18mg | Potassium: 424mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 37IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 3mg More To Bake And Eat Fudgy Brownies – These are the best brownies you’ll ever taste. Made with fresh‚ simple ingredients‚ they beat boxed brownies every time! Double Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies – Chocolatey‚ chewy‚ and decadent‚ these double chocolate chip cookies are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. Potluck S’mores – These Potluck S’mores allow us to have our favorite campfire classic any time of year. They’re super easy to make and mess-free! Chocolate Kahlua Cake – Whoever said you can’t have it all was wrong and this cake proves it. Moist‚ tender chocolate cake with a kick of Kahlua comes together in just one hour! Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes – These fluffy‚ tender cupcakes boast double the chocolate with a chocolate zucchini cake and a rich‚ velvety ganache frosting. The post Chocolate Covered Strawberries appeared first on Chew Out Loud.

He re-defined the rules for Super Bowl performers in the process. Continue reading…