Looking for some sugar this Valentine’s Day? Whether you are lucky in love or single and ready to mingle, chocolate-dipped delicacies are the romantic remedy for any sweet tooth.

The perfect celebratory sweet for this holiday, chocolate-dipped strawberries seem to have become the poster child of Valentine’s Day, and now you can count yourself in on this craze. Chocolate berries ordered from bakeries, online vendors and candy shops yield price tags that can make anyone wish they were single. But with a quick trip to the supermarket, you will be well on your way to impressing your hunk or honey. If you don’t have a significant other to feed the strawberries to, make a fun day out of chocolate-dipping with your friends.

And strawberries are just the beginning. Other natural treats such as sour green apples, frozen bananas, dried apricots and juicy orange slices also go well with cocoa — but why stop with fruit? Oreos, pretzels, marshmallows, Rice Krispies Treats, almonds, popcorn and even salty potato chips are perfect partners that Cupid would love to match with melted chocolate.

Last but not least, don’t forget about toppings and variety. These one-of-a-kind desserts can be dressed in dark, milk or white chocolate, and some extra sugar on top never hurts. Chopped nuts, sprinkles, chocolate chips, M&M’s, coconut flakes, bits of toffee and peanut butter morsels are just the beginning, so make sure to get creative and throw in everything but the kitchen sink. With an impressive presentation and a multitude of textures and flavors, chocolate-dipped goodies are the key to anyone’s heart.

Chocolate Dipped Anything
Ingredients:
6 ounces of semisweet chocolate chips
3 ounces of white chocolate or milk chocolate chips
1 pound of goodies (about 20 strawberries, a bag of pretzels, etc.)
Unlimited various toppings

Directions:
Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil or wax paper.
Pour the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl, and microwave until the chocolate is melted, stirring after every 20 to 30 seconds. When chocolate gets overheated, it thickens and becomes unworkable, so watch your chocolate carefully! Take it out of the microwave when there are still a few unmelted chips remaining, and stir until the final chips melt.
Dip away! (Hint: If dipping pretzel rods, hold rods by one end and dip in the chocolate leaving an inch or two uncovered. If dipping pretzel twists, drop the whole pretzel in the chocolate and submerge it slightly. Use a fork to pull the pretzel out of the chocolate. Shake the chocolate-dipped pretzels several times to remove excess chocolate, and place it on the prepared baking sheet.)
Sprinkle on toppings when the chocolate is still wet.
Place the goodies in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes or until the chocolate is set.
If desired, melt other types of chocolate and drizzle it over the goodies for more sweetness and a decorative look. Briefly return to the refrigerator to set the excess chocolate before serving.