"Just be sure your bowls and measuring cups are dry because one drop of water can ruin the chocolate's texture," she advised. "Also, chocolate can hold its shape even after it's melted, so stir it around before putting it back in the microwave."

Here are more of Westmoreland's tips for cooking with chocolate - including advice on how to make eye-catching garnishes. For some delicious chocolate-dessert recipes, visit http://www.goodhousekeeping.com.

MASTERING THE MELTDOWN

The easiest way to get chocolate all gooey is to microwave it. Because the chocolate isn't exposed to direct heat, it's less likely to scorch.

Good Housekeeping's tips for perfect results: Break chocolate into squares or pieces, and place in a glass measuring cup with an easy-to-grasp handle. On High power, chocolate melts in 45 seconds to 2 1/2 minutes. Times vary depending on your microwave oven and the type and amount of chocolate; white chocolate melts more quickly than milk or semisweet.

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

No longer just available in milk and dark varieties, types of chocolate have become as distinct as those of wine. Today, there are chocolates from boutique manufacturers with different percentages of cocoa butter and made in many countries.

All this fuss means more choices and better quality for chocoholics. But it also means that your favorite brownie recipe might not work as well if you decide to branch out from the old-fashioned varieties.

Gourmet brands of unsweetened chocolate can be used interchangeably with supermarket chocolate. Unsweetened chocolate (also called chocolate liquor when in its molten state) is simply ground cocoa beans, and the quality is reflected in the beans themselves.

Bittersweet and semisweet chocolate can vary greatly in their percentage of chocolate-liquor and sugar content but are used interchangeably in recipes.

Supermarket brands typically have about 50 percent chocolate liquor. Other brands offered by premium chocolate manufacturers can go as high as 70 percent, and therefore are lower in sugar and cocoa butter. This difference can affect the outcome of a recipe. To be safe when cooking or baking, use bittersweet or semisweet chocolate with no more than 60 percent chocolate liquor, if listed on the label.

FUN FLOURISHES

Want to add a dollop of chocolate to your dessert? Here are some no-brainer garnishes - recommended by Good Housekeeping - to dress up any sweet treat.

You can make simple curls by drawing the blade of a vegetable peeler along the side of a chocolate square to produce short, plump curls. Use a toothpick to transfer curls.

Create squiggles by spooning melted chocolate into a small, heavyweight plastic bag; cut the corner to make a one-sixteenth-inch-diameter hole. Squeeze chocolate in freehand squiggle designs onto waxed paper. Refrigerate until set, and then carefully lift the squiggle off the paper with a metal spatula and transfer to the dessert. Squiggles can also be squeezed directly onto desserts.

* On another matter: The Good Housekeeping Institute recommends three money-saving container gardening kits you can use from season to season. Get goof-proof foliage and blooms with Jackson & Perkins' Medallion Planter ($59.95) and Yellow Vase ($79.95) collections. Both come with preselected compatible assortments. Strapped for space? The EzGro Outdoor Hydroponic Kit ($59.95) lets you stack up to five pots on a vertical pole. The Gardens Alive! Organic Garden kit ($74.95) comes with seeds, compost, all-natural fertilizer and a 4-foot-by-4-foot fabric that lets you start your garden without clearing space first. Caveat: You'll need to buy wood (to build a frame) and dirt.