May 15th - National Chocolate Chip Day

It can't get any better than this. National Chocolate Chip day on a Friday, sounds like a good start to a great weekend. Today is the day you have permission to raid your cabinet for that stash of left over Chocolate chips. Come on, you know you have looked at them several times thinking “oh, just a couple won’t hurt,” but you chose to leave them alone. If you actually chose to leave them alone, be very proud of yourself because let’s be honest, who really does that? Either way, today you can grab a handful of chocolate chips and enjoy them guilt free because today is chocolate chip day!

Did you know Chocolate chips were created in 1937 by a dietitian named Ruth Graves Wakefield. She added cut-up chunks of a semi-sweet Nestlé chocolate bar to a cookie recipe. The cookies were a huge success, and Wakefield reached an agreement with Nestlé to add her recipe to the chocolate bar's packaging in exchange for a lifetime supply of chocolate. - Wikepedia

Think about all the yummy ways you can celebrate chocolate chip day.

You can make chocolate chip cookies or visit the Nestle website and find a new chocolate chip recipe to try.

Have a chocolate chip party and invite family and friends over asking each one to bring over their favorite chocolate chip recipe. Make sure and have them bring a copy of the recipe over so you can swap recipes.

Enjoy a handful of chocolate chips and a glass of red wine.(adults only) They are both full of healthy antioxidants so you will be taking care of your body while celebrating National Chocolate Chip Day. You can give children a glass of milk instead of wine or grape juice which is full of antioxidants as well. If they are old enough, serve the milk or juice in a wine glass to make it extra special.

It is Friday night, so you might want to enjoy a movie at home. It would be a perfect night to watch Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

While making your favorite chocolate chip treat you can talk to your family about how The ancient Maya used cacao beans as money. Show them on a map where cacao is grown (most are located in Africa) and think about what it would be like today to use chocolate coins as real money.



One of my favorite chocolate chip recipe is Chocolate Chip Cheesecake.


EAGLE BRAND® Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups finely crushed cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour

Directions:
Heat oven to 300 degrees F. Combine cookie crumbs and butter; press firmly on bottom of ungreased 9-inch spring form pan or 13x9-inch baking pan. In large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. In small bowl, toss 1/2 cup chocolate chips with flour to coat; stir into cream cheese mixture. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup chips evenly over top. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until set. Cool. Chill. Garnish as desired. Refrigerate leftovers.