White Chocolate Fruit Dip

Happy Mother's Day to the old moms, new moms, soon-to-be moms, to those that love like a mom, and to those who wish they could be!

I have nothing profound to say about this recipe. It was passed on from a friend many years ago as a semi-sweet chocolate fruit dip and I altered it (go figure). I'm not sure what it is about recipes, it's a compulsion of mine to change at least one thing!

Don't get me wrong, the original version is off the chain! It is amazing with strawberries or bananas or graham crackers. I'm not sure that there's anything you couldn't dip in there! But, I'm not so much of a traditional chocolate girl. Gasp! I know! I don't hyperventilate when there are brownies in the building. I like chocolate, but it's not my fave. Give me savory any day!

I've found lately that white chocolate is a little more my speed. It's funny, Aunt Romaine cannot eat dark or milk chocolate but white chocolate does not make her sick. I was curious, so I did some research! White chocolate consists of cocoa butter, sugar, milk solids and salt. It does not contain cocoa solids. During the manufacturing process, the dark-colored solids of the cacao bean are separated from its fatty content. In traditional chocolates, the cocoa solids are added back in. Some people have a sensitivity or allergy to the cocoa solids and liqueur!

I changed this recipe from semi-sweet chocolate to white chocolate. Also instead of dipping it as usual, today I treated it as a sauce and served it drizzled over strawberry shortcake! I planned to try amaretto flavoring in place of the vanilla but I couldn't find it at our small local store. You could substitute strawberry fluff and make a pink fruity version. Wait, I just had a great idea...add some cinnamon chips with the white chocolate for a yummy twist! It would be so good drizzled over zucchini bread or pears!

1 Bag White Chocolate Chips
1 Small Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 Cup Milk
1 tsp Vanilla
1 Jar Marshmallow Fluff (7 oz)

Mix all but the fluff until combined using a Double Boiler (I improvise and place a glass bowl over a large saucepan with boiling water. Do not allow bowl to touch boiling water.) Continue whisking until the chips are dissolved. Add in the fluff and continue whisking until smooth. Store at room temperature for best consistency. This makes it a perfect picnic or camping snack because it doesn't hurt to let it sit out! Serve with strawberries, bananas, graham crackers, etc. Bananas are my favorite!

Individual Apple Crisp

First, let me say that I can take no credit for this dessert. Except for the part where I don't measure anything and use way too much sugar and butter! I owe it all to Iowa Girl Eats. I may have a food crush on her. Her version is only 250 calories. If you'd prefer that better-for-you version or if you would like some actual measurements, I won't be offended if you want to leave and make IGE's Individual Toffee Apple Crisp recipe instead. It can be found here... http://iowagirleats.com/tag/apple-crisp/

For all of you who stuck around, there's butter. And brown sugar. And very little measuring and a whole lot of dumping! We snack on these a lot at our house. I guess the diet-friendly part is that when it's all, it's all. That's very York County of me, I know.

Here goes!

1 Apple
Half a spoonful of Flour, Sugar & Cinnamon (equal parts)
Brown Sugar
Quick Oats
Cold Butter
Toffee Bits

Preheat oven to 375*. Spray a small individual-sized baking dish with cooking spray. Peel and dice the apple into the baking dish. Toss with flour, sugar and cinnamon.

Next I get all lazy on this recipe. You "should" mix and combine and do the right thing by the remaining ingredients (including flour). I don't.

Here's what I do! Sprinkle some toffee bits over the apple pieces. I make sure there will be at least a few bits in each bite. Very scientific, I know! Next, sprinkle with the quick oats until the top is just covered and there's oats in the little nooks. Brown sugar, sigh. I crumble brown sugar over the top of the oats. It must cover the oats! Okay, next is the butter. It must be cold. I use a sharp knife and make extremely thin shavings until I've covered all of the brown sugar. My goal is to keep it to 1 tablespoon but it never happens. If you want diet food you're in the wrong neighborhood!

Bake for 20 minutes. Then I broil on low (about 6" from the broiler) to get a little crunch on the brown sugar. Do this for about 5 minutes. Do. Not. Walk. Away. You do not want to burn this wonderful caramelly crunchy sweet goodness! You'll know it's ready when the edges are bubbly and it makes a tapping sound when you tap it with a spoon.

We eat this from oven mitts. It's too good to wait, and that's just how we roll ~ renegades!