Peanut Butter Balls

Well you all guessed that Mark was making cookies in my last post.

Pretty close but not quite.

He was making my most requested treat during the holidays and my most dreaded to make ~ peanut butter balls.

Over the years we have come to an agreement. I whip up the peanut butter mixture and roll them into all the little balls but then he has to help with dipping each one into the chocolate and that is what he was doing in the photo.

These are oh so good but such a pain in the rear to make so our agreement works well, or so I think. :)

Peanut Butter Balls

3 lbs. powdered sugar

4 cups peanut butter

1 lb. butter

2 (12 oz.) bags of chocolate chips

24 tsp. vegetable oil (or less)

Mix peanut butter & butter till creamed well.

Add powdered sugar slowly.

Roll into tsp. size balls and place on a wax paper-lined cookie sheet.

In a double boiler, melt chocolate chips and oil.

**See note at end on double boiler & oil amounts**

When chocolate is melted, plop a few balls into it and make sure all sides are coated then remove it with spoons. (Try to let the excess chocolate drip off before placing back on a wax paper-lined sheet.

Let set a bit till chocolate hardens and then package and store in refrigerator.

I received this recipe many years ago from my aunt and since that time I have made these using a few different methods.

Let me start with the oil amount. I choose to use chocolate chips as opposed to dipping chocolate just because it's what I usually have on hand. The recipe actually calls for 1 tsp. oil for every ounce of chips but I prefer to use less oil than that so I just kinda guess when adding it. I just add enough to make the mixture smooth and dippable *if that's even a word*.

Next, if you don't have a double boiler don't worry. Just use 2 pans that will sit on top of each other like I do. Fill the bottom pan with an inch or so of water and then place the second pan on top and fill it with your chocolate mixture. Turn stove on low to medium and stir till the chocolate mixes.

Some other tips that have worked for me are:

#1. Sometimes I place the balls in the freezer for just a bit before I begin to dip them in the chocolate.

#2. Once dipped I place the whole cookie sheet of peanut butter balls in the freezer to get good and hard. ( Plus if I left them in the refrigerator they would be all gone before Christmas!)

#3. If I do make these up ahead of time then I just package them and place them in the freezer till Christmas rolls around. If I make them close to Christmas then I just refrigerate them.

Hope I have explained the process well and didn't make it seem too complicated but I wanted to give you the recipe as well as a few hints that I have used over the years.

It's time to wake the kids up and get our day started so I will catch you all

later.