Years ago working the service desk at a local department store, I became friends with a regular shopper.

Hey, Mary Jane!

One thing I truly enjoyed about working in that area was that I was able to connect with people, no matter how mad they were at me because their refund didn’t go through or they forgot their coupon.

Quick public service announcement: please be nice to cashiers, clerks, servers and anyone else. They don’t make the rules.

I’d take my time with each person, giving them my undivided attention. A lot of us did. We were a pretty good team.

But Mary Jane has always gone down in the books as one of my favorites anytime I worked in retail.

Over the years we became friendly through customer service, and admittedly I was upset when we lost touch once I moved to another retail position at a different store out in Pennsylvania.

All of that changed around Thanksgiving 2024, though, oddly enough at the place where I met Mary Jane.

Down on my luck, I was doing some quick retail therapy when I looked up and saw Mary Jane’s angelic face.

“Mary Jane!?” I yelled in the store.

Immediately she knew, and her sweet daughter, Karen, was there to see it happen. We all hugged and laughed, and I am not too proud to admit when I got to my car I cried.

I met Mary Jane and Karen for a fantastic lunch not too long ago.

Some people in the world just renew your faith in humanity, and these two women embody that.

We caught up on what had happened not just in the last year, but overall the last 12 years or so.

Talking with them was a breath of fresh air.

I was insanely delighted when the topic of one of my favorite snacks came up: chocolate-covered potato chips.

These gals know what they are and like them, too. It’s kismet.

The first time I had chocolate-covered potato chips, I was a little kid. One of my mom’s friends had them with I think Pringles and included them in her Christmas cookie tray.

Although I don’t care for the “Once you pop, you can’t stop” variety, kettle chips are where it’s at.

Naturally, during the latest weather cold snap, I planned on a movie marathon (seven films between a Friday night and Sunday night), cozied up with my favorite blanket and adult-sized beanbag, and ate more chocolate-covered potato chips than I should have.

They’re fun, easy and pretty cheap — I mean cost-efficient.

Plus, Mary Jane likes them, so really, you already know they’re great.

Chocolate-

covered

potato chips

Ingredients

1 14-oz. bag of kettle-cooked potato chips

16 oz. chocolate almond bark (can be a little less), or any kind of melting chocolate

Directions

Pour chips in a large bowl.

Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.

Using a slow cooker, microwave or by stovetop (or double boiler if you’re fancy), slowly melt chocolate.

Carefully pour melted chocolate over chips.

Using a spatula, mix until chips are covered. Not all of them will be, and that’s OK.

Once chips are covered to your liking, dump onto the baking sheet and spread them out as best as you can.

Stick in the fridge for about 30 minutes so the chocolate sets.

Enjoy!

Share your favorite recipes and memories with Features Editor Ashley Fox at afox@tribtoday.com.