Chocolate Covered Fruit

• 2 cups Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 2 TBS of Vegetable Shortening
• Fruit (strawberries, bananas, grapes, apples, apricots)
• Walnuts or Almonds, crushed or chopped (optional)

Wash and dry the fruit very well.  Cut up apples and bananas.  In a double broiler melt the vegetable shortening, add the chocolate chips.  Stir until melted over low-medium heat.  Bring off the heat.  Dip fruit and set on wax paper to dry.  Chocolate will cool down within about 10-15 minutes, so you need to work fast.  You can reheat on the double broiler if needed.

Here's what you need:

Wash fruit and dry very well

Cut up bananas and apples, set aside

chop or crush walnuts or almonds

Make a double boiler, using two saucepans, fill the larger one with 1-2 inches of water, heat over low to medium heat.  Add 2 TBS of shortening.

Once the shortening is melted add the chocolate chips

Stir until melted

Remove from heat, wipe excess water off the bottom of pan, set on trivet or wooden cutting board.

Start dipping and place fruit on waxed paper

Add some crushed nuts if desired, they are especially good on the apples and bananas

Clean up the mess while you wait for the fruit to dry

Eat!

Store leftovers in the fridge or freeze.  Don't freeze the apples, but the bananas and grapes freeze nicely and make a great after school snack!