#1361 - Cream Cheese Strawberries

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 quart refrigerated fresh strawberries (wash carefully--DO NOT remove stems; berries should be very cold)
1 - 3oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1/4 cup white sugar
whole milk
1 bag Nestle's MINI semi-sweet chocolate chips

Line a cookie sheet with wax paper--set aside. Carefully wash strawberries with COLD water, leave the stems on, and pat them dry with a paper towel. In a mixer add cream cheese and white sugar--beat on high until very smooth (make sure you scrape the sides of the mixing bowl). Once smooth, start adding one teaspoon of milk at a time and beating the cream cheese mixture on high. Continue adding milk until the mixture is thin enough to use for dipping. Do a test strawberry--you should be able to dip it and have it stick well to the berry. In a separate bowl pour in some of the mini chocolate chips. Hold the stem of each strawberry, dip the berry in the cream cheese mixture, then quickly roll the berry in the mini chocolate chips and place the completed berry sideways on the wax paper. If you don't like a lot of chocolate chips, just dip the bottom end of the berry in the chocolate chips rather than rolling it. Work quickly--once all berries are finished, refrigerate the whole tray. Keep refrigerated a few hours before serving so they are nice and cold. Not recommended to freeze them.