GRANDMA'S BUCKEYE BALLS

One of my friends mentioned to me the other day that she was craving a treat that my husband makes during Christmas time. Since she is expecting baby #4, I knew I must be prompt (as did my husband - he wisely knows pregnancy cravings are nothing to mess with!!) I mistakenly thought I had posted the recipe already, but I guess I didn't!! So I guess this is a good way to come back after 7 months of maternity leave :^P hehe. This recipe was one that his grandmother used to make. We have had variations but frankly, these are the best. In our family recipe book, they are titled GRANDMA'S BUCKEYE BALLS. Enjoy!!

GRANDMA'S BUCKEYE BALLS
makes about 1 dozen
(in other words, I suggest at least doubling - we usually quadruple at Christmas)

1/2 cup oleo (aka - shortening)
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
16oz. confectionery sugar (that's about 2 cups), sifted
6 oz chocolate chips
2 TBS. Oleo (shortening/butter)
1/4 cake of parfine wax (canning isle)

To make the balls: Beat together 1/2 cup shortening, peanut butter, vanilla, and sugar in a bowl. Using a tablespoon or scoop, form into balls.


Using a tablespoon or scoop and your hands, form into balls.

Place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.

Making the chocolate: If you don't have a double boiler, like me, take a small pot - I like glass so I can see the water - and place a heat proof bowl on top. You can see mine in the following pictures. Put about 2 inches of water in the pot. You don't want it to touch the bowl, but you don't want your water to evaporate either. Place in the bowl of you "double boiler" the following: chocolate chips, 2 TBS. shortening OR butter, parfine wax (just a note here - the wax often comes in a large block made of 4 cakes - don't make the mistake we did the first time by putting a whole cake - 1/4 the whole block - into the chocolate. I think we ended up with hundreds of Buckeye Balls that year because we had to keep adding chocolate and making balls)

Heat water to low or medium low (back to low once the chocolate melts), stir. Be careful, the bowl might get hot.

When the chocolate is ready, place a toothpick in each peanut butter ball and dip into the chocolate. Twist around to cover. Oh and please don't mind my husband's thumb. These were taken last Christmas and he had shut his thumb in the car door - ouch - ironically while we were on our way into the hospital to check stuff out for our up-coming birth.



When all the peanut butter balls are chocolate coated, place in the refrigerator to chill - at least an hour. When ready to eat, gently twist the toothpick and it will come right out. So there you go, Grandma's Buckeye Balls. Enjoy!