In preparation for Valentines Day next Wednesday, Overwhelmed with Joy’s Favorite Ingredients Friday recipe exchange is having a chocolate edition!! Click on the picture to check out other great chocolate recipes. Just for fun I’d like to add that chocolate does contain antioxidants and you can read about it’s health benefits here from the Baylor College of Medicine!

I actually have 2 recipes today and both are from my friend Kate. She is the best cook and baker!! She has been trying out recipes for a bridal shower she is planning and I often get to be one of the lucky tasters. So the first recipe for Chocolate Almond Cheesecake Bites is definately on her shower list! I was even able to snap a picture from a goodie plate she made for me.

Chocolate Almond Cheesecake Bites

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 cup chocolate cookie crumb (oreos)

¼ cup butter melted

Filling:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

¼ cup sour cream

¼ cup sugar

1 egg

¼ tsp almond extract

Coating 1:

2 1/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

3 Tblsp. Shortening

Coating 2:

2 ounces vanilla flavored candy coating (almond coating)

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Directions:

Crust: Heat oven to 300*. Cut 14 X 12 inch sheet of foil and line 8 inch square pan with foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray. In small bowl mix cookie crumbs and melted butter and press into the bottom of the pan.

Filling: In large bowl beat cream cheese, sour cream and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in egg and almond extract scraping bowl if necessary. Pour over crust. Bake 30-40 minutes or until edges are set. Center will be soft but will set when cool. Cool on cooling rack 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Coating: Meanwhile cover 2 cookie sheets with wax paper. Remove cheesecake from pan by lifting foil. Cut into 8 rows by 6 rows making 48 cheesecake bites. In 1 quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and shortening uncovered on medium for 3 minutes, stir, and microwave in 15 second intervals until smooth. Work with ½ the bites at a time. Keep the other half refrigerator. Dip individually by placing one bite on fork and dipping into the chocolate to coat. Place on wax paper to dry and repeat with the second half. Melt white chocolate in microwavable bowl with oil on high for 1 minute. Stir and microwave in 15 second intervals until smooth. Spoon into a small re-sealable plastic bag and cut a tiny hole in bag corner and pipe/drizzle melted coating over dipped bites. Store bites in refrigerator.

The second recipe I’m sharing is for White Chocolate Party Mix Surprise, the surprise is the bit of caramel, which I think is just wonderful. I ate myself a little sick on this the other day, but I’d do it again!!

White Chocolate Party Mix Surprise

Ingredients:

2½ cups Rice Chex

2 cups butter pretzel sticks

1 cup mixed nuts

½ bag Kraft caramels cut into 6 pieces each

1 bag (12 oz.) White Chocolate Chips

Directions:

Mix dry ingredients in large bowl. Melt white chocolate chips, pour over mixture, spread out on wax paper to dry.

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