valentine choco

I was inspired this year by a Pillsbury Chocolate Lovers cookbook that I got from my friend Kim in Saitama. (Kim, arigato!) The little book had a recipe for tropical chocolate drops that incorporated melted chocolate and coconut, pineapple, and chopped banana chips. I wasn't really enthused about the combo (and I knew hubby wouldn't be, either - he's not a big coconut guy), so I just made up my own, using the format of the recipe.

It's pretty simple: You just melt chocolate, add whatever fillings you like, stir it up, drop it by teaspoonsful onto wax paper, and fridge it for about 30 minutes. I was surprised how easily they just pop right off after that. Easy!

I made four batches using Meiji Black (our Japanese choco of choice - it's got a really rich flavor). One batch had chopped dried cranberries, one had chopped dried pineapple (from Muji - not covered in sugar, just a nice tropical pineappley flavor), and for the next two, I used Kim's wonderful zingy candied ginger (that I chopped) and addictive candied yuzu peel (I also chopped this).

I went a little crazy and used a stationery box that I decorated and made little compartments for:
The top:
Hubby has been kind enough to share with me and our favorites are definitely the ginger and the yuzu. YUM.

And I got some gorgeous red tulips - be very jealous! I've got the best hubster in the whole stinkin' world and I get to hang out with him every day - abundance in every way. I'm so bountifully blessed. (And he shares the chocolate - pure marital bliss.)