I first made these like six or seven years ago for a volunteer group meeting and as usual, someone said something not so nice.  My feelings were hurt.  So I didn't make them again.

But then I decided they sounded good.  I mean, I really liked them the first time.  So I gave them a go again.

This time I took them to a different volunteer group holiday party (my name is KK and I am a volunteer-aholic) and holy moly were they a hit.  They were ranting and raving like I had invented both chocolate and cherries. 

And so the chocolate covered cherries are alive and well again.  Woo hoo!

You must make them.  MUST.  It's not even a real recipe.  Exactly two ingredients.  Maybe three. 

Ready?

Chocolate Covered Cherries

Ingredients:
* 1 jar of maraschino cherries WITH stems
* some melting chocolate (not chocolate chips)
* a dab (like 1/4-1/2) tsp vegetable oil - optional








Directions:
* Drain juice out of maraschino cherries.  Save for drinks or another recipe.
* Once drained, lay cherries out in a single layer on top of paper towels.  Gently pat dry.  As dry as possible without smooshing them.
* Take a sauce pot and add a few inches of water.  Find another pot that fits over it without falling inside of it or the water touching it.  You just made yourself a double boiler- yay! 
* Add chocolate melts (and oil if you don't think they will melt well).  Bring water up to a boil.
* As your chocolate slowly starts to melt, watch it carefully and stir it with a spatula.
* Hold the stem of a cherry and dip it into the melted chocolate.  Gently tap the side of the bowl to remove excess. 
* Set to dry on a Silpat mat or parchment paper line cookie sheet.
* Once all the cherries are covered in chocolate, set the cookie sheet in the freezer to set up super quickly or the fridge for an hour or so. 
* I keep them refrigerated until I need them.  Or until I eat them.  Which is a need, right?




**Did you know that chocolate chips are not meant to melt?  Think about it.  You bake them at THREE HUNDRED FIFTY degrees.  And then don't lose their shape.  On purpose.  I have had occasional success melting them with the addition of oil/Crisco but then you risk them not getting hard.  So please make your life easier and just pick up the Hershey's chocolate melts that are in the same shelf as the chips.