No Bake Three Layer Chocolate Pudding Pie. Oh My!!

I swear I'm not a sugar addict, and I don't often have dessert around. But when the Hubby is coming home for the weekend after two weeks on a job, you gotta indulge. And this sexy piece of pie is certainly indulgent (and my own creation I might add).
Now you can always use the FF versions of many of the ingredients, but keep in mind that research shows that the occasional, moderate indulgence can keep you from swaying off your diet plan.
So lets get started on my Three Layer Chocolate Pudding Pie!

Non Edibles:
Spoons, knife, a mixing bowl, whisk, an electric mixer, and optional cutting board.

Edibles:
Pie crust
2 packages of chocolate pudding mix
2 cups of milk
5 strawberries
6 oz (about 2/3 cup) of cool whip
2 oz cream cheese

Directions:
The first layer is the chocolate goodness. Easy peasy, just mix two packages of pudding mix with the whisk according do the directions. Just reduce the amount of milk you use by about half. This makes the pudding a more pie filling like consistency. Add this first layer to your pie. It should be mostly full as this is the major portion of the dessert.
Next is the strawberries. Just slice 5 fresh and yummy berries and arrange evenly atop the chocolate.
Now for the coup de gras. The final layer that brings it all together. Rinse out your mixing bowl (or grab another) and blend the cool whip and cream cheese together. If the cool whip has been in the freezer, let it warm up a bit first. Take your time and let the topping get nice and whippy smooth. Add the topping to the pie. Of course you can make more than I did (I made a fairly thin layer) but keep the ratio the same for the ingredients. Too much cream cheese will make it too thick and not as whipped as you'd want.
Once its assembled, just let it set in the freezer and enjoy! Just not too much.

No baking involved! What could be better than that huh? And these aphrodisiac ingredients are perfect for impressing a date or, in my case, for a special evening with your spouse.
And as always, happy cooking!!

Sweet-n-Salty Chocolate Pretzels

Aaaah sweet and salty. An unlikely combination that, when done right, is a complex and delicious balance of flavor, reminiscent of snack time and theater fare. And one of my favorite movie time concessions are chocolate covered pretzles. Oh man I go crazy for these. So this week I bring my very easy chocolate covered pretzels that will surely leave your wallet and your stomach happier than anything you could buy at the concession stand. No complicated melting required! Just a microwave.
That's right, I said microwave.
Sacred yet? Well you shouldn't be. You don't have to slave over a melting pot of chocolate to create delicious treats that I promise will deliver. So...lights, camera, kitchen!

Non Edibles:

You'll need a microwave safe(!!!) bowl, spoon, wax paper, and a cookie sheet.

Edibles:

1 bag of chocolate chips (I prefer semi sweet, but they do offer dark and milk varieties)
1 bag of pretzels
2 tbs of coco powder
2 tbs of Crisco

Duh-rections:

First you'll add the chocolate chips into your bowl along with the Crisco (some evoo will work in a pinch) and toss in the microwave for about 45 seconds or until melted. It won't take long!
Once all the chocolate is sufficiently melted, add your coco powder. This is preferred though I always have Ovaltine in the pantry (the Hubby's favourite drink!) and works just as well. Do NOT add the powder beforehand. It WILL burn. I learned this the hard way.
Now that that's mixed, you can start covering your pretzels. There's many ways to do this; none are right, and all are messy. You can fold a few in the chocolate at at time with your spoon, dip one by one, spoon the chocolate, however. Just have fun! Place the generously coated pretzels on a wax paper covered cookie sheet and place in the fridge (or freezer) until nice and hard. You can finish with a drizzle of white icing if your feeling advanced. Just be sure the chocolate is cold when you add it, and that you return the pretzels to the cold so the icing sets.

And that's it! Sneak in your purse when you see your next flick and enjoy!!

Note: I have to give credit for this to my dear Lindsay Jacobs. First time I made (a similar version of) these was with her showing me how.