No-bake Chocolate Bark

GROCERY LIST:

1 pound dark chocolate, finely chopped

1/4 cup almonds, lightly chopped

1/4 cup candied ginger, chopped

1/4 cup pistachios, shelled

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup dried figs, chopped

1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped

2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare a half-sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Place three-fourths of the dark chocolate in a microwave safe glass bowl.

3. Microwave chocolate on high for 30 seconds, remove bowl and stir chocolate.

4. Place chocolate back in the microwave for 30 seconds intervals until the chocolate is melted.

5. Remove the bowl from the microwave and add the remaining one-fourth of chocolate into the melted chocolate and stir until fully melted.

6. Pour chocolate onto prepared sheet pan and spread until even in thickness.

7. Sprinkle dried fruit and nuts all over chocolate (add as much or as little as you like).

8. Allow the chocolate to cool and harden at room temperature or refrigerate if you want the chocolate to set up quicker.

9. Once the chocolate is cooled, crack the bark into medium size pieces.

10. Keep in an airtight container or package up for gifts.

While you were sleeping, they were hard at work

When the night grows dark and the moon glows bright, most of us cuddle between the sheets. But for some, the day begins when everyone else is asleep. They say it never feels quite normal staying up all night, but their jobs in police stations and hospitals require them to keep vampire hours.