Jackson Free Press

1. Melt a pot of chocolate and dip your favorite snacks into it: graham crackers, marshmallows, pound cake, strawberries or whole frozen bananas. Dried fruit and nuts, like peanuts and almonds, work well, too.

2. Shave bits of chocolate into plain yogurt with a cheese grater or knife to sweeten a healthy snack.

3. Whittle a thick bar of chocolate into a sculpture with a pocketknife. Consume the shavings. If the finished piece isn't recognizable, call it abstract art.

4. Make a chocolatini with chocolate liqueur and vodka, or spike chocolate milk and call it an "after-school special."

5. Buy metal candy molds and make fun-shaped chocolates to give as gifts. Simply pour melted chocolate into the molds, then freeze and empty them.

6. Experiment with body chocolate. 'Nuff said.

7. Get creative with chocolate chips. Put them in pancakes or make trail mix by combining them with nuts and dried fruit.

8. Black out your front teeth with chocolate syrup and surprise your partner with a toothless grin.

9. Use chocolate malt and cacao nibs to brew your own chocolate porter. Or just buy a bottle.

10. Host a chocolate dessert party and ask your friends to each bring their favorite variety to share: truffles, gelato, German chocolate cake and so on.

11. Make easy chocolate sauce by melting water, butter and chocolate chips in a saucepan. Pour it over vanilla ice cream, or refrigerate it to make a
thick chocolate mousse.

12. Use unsweetened cocoa and chili powder to make savory Mexican mole (moh-lay) sauce to go over chicken or pork.

13. Make s'mores on the kitchen stove. You can (carefully) toast marshmallows next to a gas or even an electric burner, then sandwich them between graham crackers and a piece of chocolate.

14. If you're having trouble making a tough decision, just eat chocolate. It promotes alertness and blood flow, which enhances brain function. Your answer may suddenly become clear.