chocolate chips

It's still fresh enough for you to remember how "they" start playing Christmas music right after Thanksgiving, AKA way too early in the holiday season for the poor folks who work retail and have no choice but to have their ears filled with the stuff (for what feels like) ad vitam aeternam.

I say, let's show them what's what by making Christmas recipes right after Christmas instead of before or during. And this non-traditional stollen made without milk, eggs and candied fruit, but filled instead with fresh oranges, dried cranberries and chocolate chips is a great way to get started on this new revolution.

Recipe: Christmas Stollen

There were so many chocolate chips in the cookie dough (4 cups!) that I kind of doubted it would work...  It did and they tasted amazing!

Recipe: Chock-full of chocolate chip cookies

I love this warm scene of classic fall pumpkin bread studded with chocolate chips and topped with a sprinkle of buttery pecans. This wonderfully spiced quick bread is easy to make too.

"...it's sooooo goooo ooooo ooood!!!!" says Veronnica and I believe it!

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

A great cake, studded with chocolate chips, and an icing that won my heart!

Recipe: Brown sugar and chocolate chip pound cake with maple glaze

I adore these Ghirardelli chocolate chips. They're not-too-sweet and not-too-bitter, very smooth with a fine chocolate flavor, larger than average chips, and they melt in your mouth. I particularly love these in banana bread - they really bring things up a notch - and they're so wonderfully chocolaty that you don't need to use a lot. 

Now I haven't tried these Enjoy Life Semi Sweet Chocolate chips yet, but they come highly recommended. They are certified gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and nut-free so they're a  great choice for vegans or people with food allergies.

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