Whether you're planning to have a simple engagement party at your cousin's home or a girls' night in with some of your favorite friends, chocolate covered strawberries are a hit with almost any group.  Luckily they're pretty easy to make, too (even I can make these, and my culinary skills are seriously lacking).  Package a few in a cute box tied up with some pretty ribbon and voila!  You have an instant hostess gift, and a sweet break from the standard bottle of wine.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

You'll need:
* 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
* 3 ounces white chocolate, chopped
* 1 pound strawberries with stems (about 20), washed and dried very well

Put the semisweet and white chocolates into two separate heatproof medium bowls. Fill two medium saucepans with a couple inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat; set the bowls of chocolate over the water to melt. Stir until smooth. (Alternatively, melt the chocolates in a microwave at half power, for 1 minute, stir and then heat for another minute or until melted.)

Once the chocolates are melted and smooth, remove from the heat. Line a sheet pan with parchment or waxed paper. Holding the strawberry by the stem, dip the fruit into the dark chocolate, lift and twist slightly, letting any excess chocolate fall back into the bowl. Set strawberries on the parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries. Dip a fork in the white chocolate and drizzle the white chocolate over the dipped strawberries.

Set the strawberries aside until the chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.

Yum!



{recipe from the Food Network, photo via Sabellachan's flickr}