Buckeyes! (not the Ohio State kind)

The marriage of peanut butter and chocolate is one for the history books. They just belong together. Its natural and its beautiful. I know, they both wander about attaching themselves to someone else from time to time, but they always end up together.  It seems like a story line for Hollywood. But its not. Its more for me.  Because it makes me happy. 
Around here, OSU it doesn't mean Ohio State, and there is never any mention of a buckeye.  That doesn't mean that we don't value buckeyes or that we deny the good luck they bring. ok, I say luck, maybe more like happiness and joy.  These little bits of goodness are easy peasy, but a little time-consuming.  Your best bet is to make up the peanut butter mixture and grab the bowl and a tray, then plop yourself in front of the tv or grab some friends and start rolling it in to balls for the next hour or so. (ok, maybe not that long)  Here are the details:

Buckeye Balls
what you need: medium sized sauce pan, cookie sheet, mixing bowl, hand mixer or stand mixer, rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fork

1 1/2 Cups Peanut butter
1/2 Cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 Cups powdered sugar

6 ounces chocolate almond bark
2 tablespoons shortening


In a mixing bowl with a hand mixer, or in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, mix butter, peanut butter, vanilla together.  Add powdered sugar one cup at a time.  It gets sort of grainy looking, like wet sand.  That's when its ready.  Roll this mixture up in to balls, about one teaspoon at a time; set aside.
Over medium heat, melt the chocolate and shortening, stirring pretty much constantly with your spatula, but it only takes a few minutes.
Drop the peanut butter balls four or five at a time in to the chocolate mixture pulling them out with a fork one at a time.  Let excess chocolate drip off before placing them on a cookie sheet to cool.  This will make close to 8 dozen and you will eat them happily as you rest your hands from all of the peanut butter ball rolling you've just done. And you will be smiling as you slip in to a sugar coma.

toffee makes people smile

I make toffee every year at Christmas time.  I have never made toffee with tornado sirens singing in the back ground (usually its Frank Sinatra or Mariah Carey singing songs of Christmas time...) Yesterday, that all changed.  Tornados scare me a lot and I can typically only think about how many steps I am from the shelter in our garage when I hear that siren.  HOWEVER, yesterday, I had sugar and butter bubbling away on the stove, and there was no chance I was walking away.  We survived the twister in December, but I cant say so much for the toffee.  I was distracted by the panicked children and the fellow in the television spitting out locations and times for the impending storm and I pulled the sugar/butter goodness off too soon.  Don't be like me. No matter what else is going on-let it finish cooking. Your toffee eaters will thank you.  The picture here is of good toffee. Not the under-cooked kind.  Make this. Make people happy.

 

 

Toffee!!

what you need: 9x13 dish lined in foil, medium sauce pan, wooden spoon, candy thermometer (optional)

 

 

equal parts butter, sugar, chocolate chips -- I use 2 cups of each for this batch

 

the chopped nuts on top are optional, but I advise that you use them always.

 

In a medium sauce pan, over medium heat, melt the 2 cups (4 sticks) of butter.  Add 2 cups of sugar and stir often.  Let this cook WAY longer than you think you should (25-40 minutes... I know that's a lot of difference, it just takes longer sometimes. I don't know why.) The color will be a rich brown and will be just past the foaming like its going to take over the world stage.  If you are using a candy thermometer, let it get to 300 degrees.  Pour that lovely mixture in to a 9x13 pan and pour on 2 cups (1 bag) of semi-sweet chocolate chips as evenly as you can.  Use good chocolate, it makes a difference. Believe me, I know chocolate.  Top with chopped pecans. Use salted pecans if you want to be real fancy like me. (I'm so fancy)  Let this creation harden in the fridge for a few hours.  Break it up and deliver it to the people you love. Maybe even take it down to the group hiding out in your storm shelter, if you're feeling benevolent.



(she) mixes it with love and makes the world taste good

For whatever reason, December is the time when one can make buckets of candy and be loved and adored rather than chastised and snubbed.  Ok. maybe I have never been chastised or snubbed for making candy, but it seems so much more accepted this time of year.  My Christmas kitchen is always busy with cookies and candies of various shapes and sizes that make folks fall in love with me. Its not a bad gig, to tell you the truth. Should you choose to offer some of these treats to someone you adore, I have full confidence that you will achieve the same level of adoration.  Today, I begin with peppermint bark. There are few things I enjoy more than chocolate and peppermint.  (ok, I enjoy chocolate and most anything. so what.)  This easy peasy how-to will make you wonder why you haven't done this every year in Christmas Past.

 

Peppermint Bark

what you need: medium sized sauce pan, glass or ceramic bowl that will fit on the top of the sauce pan - or a double boiler, 1/2 sheet pan, wooden spoon or spatula, waxed or parchment paper

 

1 package white chocolate almond bark

1 1/2 Cup crushed peppermint candies (candy canes or discs)

2 squares milk chocolate almond bark

 

Place candy in a plastic bag and smash into 1/4-inch chunks or smaller. Melt the white chocolate in the double boiler or sauce pan/bowl over medium high heat, stirring pretty often to keep the heat distributed nicely.  When the white chocolate is completely melted and fluid, mix in 1 Cup of the peppermint pieces.  Pour mixture onto a cookie sheet layered with parchment or waxed paper-make sure that you have some over-hang to lift the candy out of the pan later. Melt the 2 squares of milk chocolate in the microwave (only about 10 seconds at a time, stirring to check the melted-ness every time).  Distribute the remaining candy pieces across the freshly poured bark and drizzle the milk chocolate over the top.  Place this beautiful confection in the refrigerator for 45 minutes or until completely cooled and firm.  As you remove the pieces, break them in to portions about 1 1/2 - 2 inches across - not overwhelmingly huge so that people feel terrible about eating 5 or 6 pieces.