A Month To Celebrate Chocolate

Has anyone ever made an official declaration that the month of February should be heralded as "Chocolate Month"? If not, I am here by dedicating myself to spreading the news....dipped in chocolate of course....that from this day forth, February will be called (at least on THIS blog), "The Official, World Wide, Month Of Chocolate". Now then, feel free to celebrate this delectable month in any way you choose. Dipped, sprinkled, sugared, syruped, carameled, strawberried, iced, pecaned, macadamiaed, pretzeled, graham crackered, hot, cold, liquid, dark, light, IN the dark...YOU decide. It is YOUR month my fellow chocolate lovers. Stand up and be counted! It is your sworn duty (Okay, so pretend I swore you in & it is all official like) to consume mass quantities of chocolate. After all, it IS for the betterment of society and mankind as a whole. Okay, so it is really just an excuse for me to satisfy my sweet tooth but hey....I am thinking about all of YOU too! Really I am...okay, stop rolling you eyes...I can SEE you...

"All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!"

~Lucy Van Pelt

Peanuts

A month of chocolate recipes and ideas...and so it begins...

~Chocolate French Toast ~ Here is a yummy, decadent French toast for a special occasion like Valentine's Day. If you're making this as part of a breakfast or brunch along with other dishes, you can keep the French toast warm in an oven set at 200°F while the rest of the meal is prepared. For a heart-healthier version, use 2% milk instead of cream and egg substitute in place of the eggs.

Total Time: 25 minutes.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup heavy cream

2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 loaf of egg, white, or brioche bread,

in 1/2-inch-thick slices

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Confectioners' sugar, for sprinkling

1. Place the cream and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until the chocolate is soft, about 1 minute. Stir to combine. Let cool.

2. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, vanilla and chocolate mixture. (The mixture may be made ahead to this point. Cover, and refrigerated overnight. Give it a good stir before using.) Soak the bread in the egg mixture for about 5 minutes, turning halfway through to coat well.

3. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Cook 2 or 3 slices of bread at a time, until the bread is toasted and firm. Sprinkle each slice generously with confectioners' sugar. Turn over, and cook until crisp. Serve warm.

Makes 6 servings