Buckeyes!

Adventures in holiday "baking", round two.

Round two is again not a true baking recipe. But, it is one that my mother made every year around the holidays. Christmas is not complete without them. These peanut butter chocolate balls are called buckeyes because they look just like the nuts that grow on trees. So close that I remember trying to eat one that fell out of my grandparents' buckeye tree when I was a kid. It was not even close to as good as these puppies.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. peanut butter

1 c. butter, softened

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

6 c. powdered sugar

4 c. semisweet chocolate chips OR 16 oz. semisweet baking chocolate squares

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar. The dough will look dry. Towards the end I always end up using my hands to make sure everything is mixed together.

Roll dough in to 1 in. balls and place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet.

Press a toothpick into the top of each ball and chill in freezer about 30 minutes, until firm.

Melt chocolate in double broiler or microwave, sitrring every 10-15 seconds, until smooth.

Dip frozen peanut butter balls in chocolate holding on to toothpick. Leave a portion of peanut butter showing at the top. Put back on cookie sheet and refridgerate until chocolate is firm.

Store in refridgerator or freezer.