Chocolate Covered Tater Stix (4 ingredients!)

This is another one of those recipes that just happens to be gluten free without having to alter it. I LOVE these types of recipes because you can take them to a party and even those with a gluten allergy can enjoy them & they don't require any special ingredients. Of course if you announce that they are "gluten free" no one will touch them. For some reason Gluten Free has the stigma as being "nasty tasting". I want to prove that wrong.

This particular recipe was brought home by my youngest son, David. When he was about 6 years old, they had a party at school and a mom had brought these in for a treat. (That was in the days when parents still sent in homemade treats) Anyway, they were such a big hit with the kids that the mom sent home the recipe with each kid.

This is a really easy recipe and we make them pretty much every year at the holidays and sometimes just because we crave them. I like it because it doesn't require baking....it can be brutal when the temperature gets to 115 degrees in the summer here in Arizona! I refuse to turn on the oven when it is that hot! Yes, I know that it is a dry heat but honestly when it gets above 110 degrees...it is just HOT! Dry heat or not...it can be miserable!

Since we are going to visit some friends today, I am taking these as a treat for all of us. I know these are one of their favorites & I just happened to have all the ingredients + I didn't have to turn on the oven!

They are out of this world! (Geek alert!) I just couldn't pass up using some of my Trekkie stuff! I'm a geek...can't help it :)

Chocolate Covered Tater Stix:

• 1 bag (4 oz.) potato sticks (I found mine at Dollar General Store....just about the only little store that is available in the remote NW Arizona area where we go for some of our weekends to escape the heat!) I found them for $1/bag which I thought was a great deal. Just make sure you read the labels to make sure they don't contain gluten! I find these usually in the cracker section at the store...sometimes with the chips. Just ask your grocer if you can't find them.
• 1 (12 oz.) bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Trader Joe brand because that is what I already had in the cupboard but I honestly use whatever brand is on sale, I am not a chocolate snob most of the time! Just make sure they are gluten free! Some chocolate chips will use wheat flour to keep it from sticking to machines during processing. You can also use candy coating (also called almond bark). I find that when it is very humid, the candy coating (almond bark) will set up faster and stay firmer. You can find candy coating (almond bark) usually in the baking section of grocery stores or Hobby Lobby, Michael's, JoAnn Fabrics & Walmart.
• 1 cup (about 1/2 bag) of butterscotch baking chips (In a pinch I have used peanut butter chips instead and they work also but we personally prefer the butterscotch chips. Just don't tell my husband because he swears he doesn't like butterscotch and he really likes these treats. I sure don't want to ruin it for him! :)
• 1 heaping cup of dry roasted peanuts. I have tried peanuts that weren't dry roasted and I just didn't think they were as good. The flavor just isn't the same. If you prefer almonds or any other type of nut, I am sure it can be substituted. I love dry roasted peanuts so that is what I use.

DIRECTIONS: Melt the chocolate chips & butterscotch chips in a glass bowl in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth (Or you can cook in a double boiler on the stove until smooth). Dump the potato sticks and the peanuts into the melted chocolate. Stir well to try and coat most of the pieces so that you get that heavenly flavor on each piece. Drop onto wax paper. Let cool & they will set up. (If you want them to set up quicker, pop them into the refrigerator for a little while)

You can substitute white chocolate chips in place of the semi-sweet chocolate chips. My oldest son doesn't like semi-sweet or milk chocolate so if he is home for the holidays then I make a batch of white chocolate ones for him. You can also fancy them up & put colored sprinkles on them when they are still not set up yet OR you can drizzle melted white or dark (or colored) chocolate on them, etc. Be creative. I just like mine plain. Nothing fancy. I love the simplicity of the crunchy dry roasted nuts with the salty crunchy potato sticks and the bold taste of the semi-sweet chocolate with a hint of butterscotch. 

YUMMY!                 

I DARE YOU TO EAT JUST ONE! 

It is like potato chips...you can't eat just one! :)

These are out of this world! I am eating one as I type this blog and have to stop and keep licking my fingers so I don't get chocolate on my keyboard...but it is so worth it!

And these were enjoyed by our friends today and kid approved too! (As you can see Mia is enjoying her out of this world Chocolate Covered Tater Stix).

Enjoy!

Tanja

Gluten Free Casually