Chocolate Chip Day!

Many are the ways to enjoy chocolate chips... in pancakes, scones, cookies (OF COURSE!), ice cream, oatmeal, pudding, and in cups.

Just by themselves or cooked into breakfast or dessert - it is a perfect delivery system for a perfect food - chocolate!

I am partial to semi-sweet chocolate chips.  Dark chocolate chips are very good.  Mini chocolate chips work best in scones.  At times, using a Hershey's Kiss as a chocolate chip in a peanut butter cookie is a great way to add the sweet taste of chocolate.

Left by themselves in a cup to be consumed a few at a time or by the handful - they can be the perfect light snack after dinner. That is assuming of course that you know when to stop.  I suggest stopping before you reach the bottom of the bag.

You know if something you're eating is missing something - the answer is usually chocolate chips.  A nice hot bowl of oatmeal is even better with some chips dropped in and blended to create a chocolatey flavor.  If you put too many in, then oatmeal ceases to be "good for you."  My suggestion is to put in 10 or fewer.

In my various excursions to restaurants, I've found that many really don't have a clue when it comes to chocolate chip pancakes.  Some drop them into the batter before flipping (my favorite style) and others just drop some between the pancakes in the stack with a few more on top and call it a day.  If they are made properly, a little butter is all it takes for a great sweet start to your day.

Chocolate chips are good in breads, a variety of cookies, and cakes.

The problem for us chocolate chip lovers comes when we see cookies that look like chocolate chip and the first bite reveals raisins inside.   Trust me, that's not a good surprise.  Such cookies should be clearly labeled - because if my mouth is anticipating chocolate chips and gets raisins it will not be happy.

Chocolate chip cookies were the first kind I ever tried to bake - way back when I was a kid.  They were good then, and I love them now. 

A big favorite lately is the Chocolate Chip Shortbread cookie - which creates a wonderful mix of flavor that I can't describe without using a very long word:  Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

If you don't have chocolate chip cookies at the ready at home, maybe you have time to grab some Chips Ahoy, or at least grab a bag of Nestle chocolate chips - rip it open and enjoy a cup.  It will make you feel better.