Chocolate Mint Pound Cake

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 2/3 cups (10 ounces) Hershey's Mint
    Chocolate Chips, divided
3 to 4 drops green food color (optional)
Mint Chocolate Chip Glaze

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

Beat butter, cream cheese and sugar in medium bowl until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla extract; beat well. Stir in flour and baking powder; stir in 1 cup mint chocolate chips (reserving the remainder for glaze) and green food color, if desired. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until cake pulls away from sides of pan. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Prepare Mint Chocolate Chip glaze. Spread over top of cake, allowing glaze to run down sides. Cool completely. Yields about 10 servings.

Mint Chocolate Chip Glaze:
Place remaining 2/3 cup mint chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons shortening (do not use butter, margarine, spread or oil). Microwave at HIGH (100%) for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred.