Here are some terrific Chocolate Dipping Tips (and an easy recipe) if you want to create Valentine’s Day enchantment!

What to Dip

Fresh Fruit:

• Make sure it’s fresh and ripe. Even the richest chocolate can’t hide the sour taste of an unripe, mid-winter strawberry.
• Remove the fruit from the fridge about 10 minutes before dipping in order to take the chill off and prevent the chocolate coating from cracking.
• The fruit needs to be absolutely dry and free of moisture before dipping.

Nuts:

• Whole or halved nuts work best, but sliced almonds, or pecan pieces are great, too. Put them in small clumps on a parchment  paper-lined baking sheet and spoon on the melted chocolate.
• If you’re buying a large bag of nuts from a big-box store, taste them as soon as you’ve purchased them. If they taste stale, take them back!

Other Dip-ables:

• Pretzels, potato chips and other salty junk food can bring a delicious balance to the sweetness of the chocolate. If you’re buying these in a super-sized quantity, make sure they are fresh!
• Bacon! Thick cut bacon works best. Fry it until very crispy. Cool completely before dipping.
• Marshmallows and cookies.
• Dried fruit. Apricots, pineapple and apples are addictive.
• Zucchini. I’m not kidding. Slice fresh zucchini sticks and dip them in powdered sugar… then into chocolate. Amazing.

Chocolate Dipping Tips:

• Water or moisture in your chocolate will cause it to “seize.” This means it will get hard, crumbly and grainy.
• Chocolate that gets too hot will also seize. That’s why you need to melt chocolate slowly and at the lowest possible heat until smooth.
• If chocolate seizes, blend in 1 tablespoon shortening for every 4-ounces of chocolate and stir constantly until the chocolate is smooth again.
• Chocolate bars and squares are best for melting. They put additives in chocolate chips so the chips will keep their shape. You want the best and purest chocolate you can afford with only these ingredients: cocoa beans, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin (an emulsifier) and vanilla.
• Chocolate should be warm (not hot!) and have a thin consistency so it gently coats what you’re dipping. If it’s too cool it will be thick and ugly.
•  Use a potato masher to dip fruit, pretzels or cookies in hot melted chocolate.
• Don’t waste the last bit of chocolate in the pan! Spoon the remaining chocolate into a plastic re-sealable bag and seal. Snip off a tiny piece from the bottom corner and drizzle it over anything still left to dip!
• Cool your dipped items on a tray lined with parchment paper.
• After coating the goodies, tightly wrap the chocolate and store it in a cool, dry place. You can also refrigerate for up to 2-days.

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Yasmine asks: What is mincemeat pie? Can a vegetarian eat it? Does anyone eat it anymore?

I always eyed mincemeat pies suspiciously when I was a kid. Was it a pie made of meat? Why was it so dark and weird looking? Why wasn’t anyone else taking a piece?

Then, one Christmas, I ate a mincemeat tart at a fabulous hotel in London. The tart was brimming with brandy infused apples, dried fruit, sugar, nuts and lots and lots of spices. The mincemeat was dense and sweet and tasted, well, very British.

But what is mincemeat?

The English (who have a deep history with this recipe), traditionally mix finely chopped beef (minced-meat), beef suet, dried fruit, nuts, candied peel and loads of cloves, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg and bake it into a tart or a pie.

But, Yasmine, most of the mincemeat pies or tarts you’ll find in the supermarket or bakery today leave the meat out. Same with newer recipes. Instead of beef suet, vegetable shortening is substituted. Bourbon or rum is also a popular replacement for the brandy.

And just in case you’re considering making mincemeat pie (with or without meat) the mincemeat mixture needs to be prepared well in advance so the fruit can soften and the deep, rich flavors have a chance to develop.

Top your holiday desserts with this bit of sweet enchantment: Candy Cane Whipped Cream.

There’s nothing like homemade whipped cream. Seriously.

The billowing clouds of cream go with just about everything. Serve it sweetened as a topping or as a filling for pies and cakes. A small dollop of savory whipped cream in a soup richly elevates the flavor.

But, for the holidays, this Candy Cane Whipped Cream recipe is all about fun. Be careful not to over whip it, or the cream will become curdled-looking and grainy. A really cold mixing bowl and beaters help. Also, make sure you pulverize the candy cane because you don’t want a sharp shard ruining the fun.

You can refrigerate Candy Cane Whipped Cream for about eight hours, but otherwise it doesn’t store very well. If you have any leftover, serve it with hot chocolate or stir it into your coffee. You can also use it as a dip for Christmas cookies.

But please don’t do what I did (grab a spoon and eat it out of the mixing bowl). That is definitely NOT enchanting (but pretty delicious)!

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This festive Fragrant Fruit Salad just looks like the holidays, don’t you agree? And, even better, it’s healthy!

It’s not just the luscious mangos and papayas or the juicy citrus fruit that makes this so perfect for the season. The unique jamaica flower vinaigrette brightens the flavors while adding a dramatic bit of color… and the candied pecans give it just the right amount of crunch.

I wrote this recipe for my friends at Right@Home, the bilingual website that has it all, including new holiday recipes, cleaning and organizing tips, decorating ideas and craft projects for you and the kids. Oh, and don’t forget about the website’s special offers!

This is the perfect salad to bring to a party. Just place the fruit, vinaigrette, lettuce and candied pecans in separate Ziploc® Brand Bags, to make it easy to carry, then toss them together when you arrive!

Make sure you sign up for Right@Home email alerts with the registration link so you’re always in the know… all year long! Click here to sign up!

Salad Ingredients

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Fragrant Fruit Salad

prep: 30 minutes
cook: 10 minutes
serves: 12 to 14

Blended Jamaica Vinaigrette

for the vinaigrette you’ll need…
4 ounces dried jamaica flowers, crushed*
2 cloves garlic
⅓ cup red wine vinegar
⅓ cup lime juice
2 teaspoons sugar (or more to taste)
½ teaspoon salt
1½ cups canola oil or vegetable oil
*jamaica flowers, also known as hibiscus, can be found in Latin American and Caribbean supermarkets and bodegas.

for the picante pecans you’ll need…
1 egg white
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 cups pecans (use 1 cup for the salad and serve the rest as a snack)

for the fruit salad you’ll need…
12 cups spinach, mixed greens or your favorite lettuce
2 cups fresh papaya, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups fresh mango, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups grapefruit, peeled, pith removed, seeded and sectioned
2 cups navel oranges, peeled, pith removed and sectioned
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 cup dried cranberries or pomegranate seeds (optional)
kiwi, clementines, tangerines, Mandarin oranges can also be used

let’s get to it…
Vinaigrette:
Place the crushed jamica flowers in a blender and pulse into a fine powder, about 10 seconds. Add the garlic, red wine vinegar, lime juice, sugar and salt and blend, about 20 seconds.
Blend on the lowest possible speed and add the oil until completely blended and emulsified, about 30 seconds. (This vinaigrette can be made the day before… the flavors intensify! Remember to refrigerate.)

Pecans:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
Beat the egg white until stiff; stir in brown sugar and cayenne pepper.
Add pecans and stir until coated. Spread on cookie sheet and bake until brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

Fruit Salad:
Place washed spinach, mixed greens or lettuce into a large serving bowl. Add papaya, mango, grapefruit, oranges and red onion. Toss gently to mix.
Drizzle vinaigrette on salad and toss gently. Top with Picante Pecans and cranberries or pomegranate seeds, if using.

cooking know how: Slice the fruit and prepare the vinaigrette and pecans the day before you plan to serve the salad and store in separate Ziploc® Brand Bags. Everything will stay fresh, and you’ll have an easy time putting the salad together right before the meal!

Also, the seasoned pecans make a great snack for everyone to enjoy while you’re making the salad or afterward. Sprinkle over ice cream for dessert.