Buckeyes

Being that I am an currently an Ohio resident and also currently an OSU Buckeye....I decided that it was only appropriate that I make my first batch of edible buckeyes. For those of you that don't know, Ohio is the Buckeye state. The Buckeye is the state tree and it drops Buckeye nuts that look something like this:

In addition, Brutus is the mascot of the Ohio State Buckeyes:

We do love our buckeyes :) Anyways, the buckeye candy is essentially a peanut butter ball dipped in chocolate in such a manner that it resembles a buckeye nut.

I used this recipe but after searching the web, all buckeye recipes appear to be about the same. Super easy, no baking involved. Here's what you need:

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 cups powdered sugar
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
toothpicks

Here's what you do:

In a large bowl, mix the peanut butter, butter and vanilla extract.  (I forgot to add the vanilla here so I put it in next)

Stir well to fully incorporate.

Add two cups of the powdered sugar. Mix well. Check the consistency of your dough (you are aiming for slightly more firm than play dough). Add more powdered sugar as needed. (I only used 2 cups)

 

 

Roll the peanut butter dough into ¾ inch balls. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat.

Place a toothpick about ½ way into each peanut butter ball. Freeze for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

*Warning, it may be necessary to rearrange your whole freezer to get them to fit in there:

Pour the chocolate chips in a microwave safe dish. Cook until fully melted, stirring often. Remove the peanut butter balls from the freezer. One at a time, dip one ball about 2/3 of the way into the chocolate. Place back on the cookie sheet. (Work carefully but quickly because as the balls warm up, the toothpicks will start coming out while you are dipping! Dip the ball and move your hand in a circle while holding the toothpick to help the chocolate cover enough of the peanut butter. Gently wipe some of the excess chocolate off the bottom using the side of the bowl before you set each one back down.)

Remove the toothpicks. Dip your finger in water and gently press each Buckeye where the toothpick was extracted. This will smooth the hole and make it disappear.(Just a LITTLE BIT of water!)

I put mine in the fridge to help the chocolate set when done.

Some of these tasty little nuggets are leaving me tomorrow and are on their way to some very special friends of mine :)

Bet you wish it was you, don't you?!

In other news, dinner tonight came from a little blue box:

 *Side note, I don't eat this very often anymore and didn't even know they had changed the box until I pulled it out of the pantry! I momentarily thought I had somehow procured a box of mac and cheese from 1980. weird. anyways....

Today I also had a particularly rough day...but when I came home and sat down in the kitchen to have some peppermint tea, I had a little revelation.

Have you ever stopped to notice how many positive words are connected with this time of the year?

Those are just a sampling  from the decorations around my house...it cheered me up a bit to stop and think of the wonderful holiday season that is upon us and all that I have to be grateful for.

Enjoy!
--Lindsay--

P.S...be sure to stay tuned this month! Starting in a few days, you will be treated to a daily little series that I like to call "The dreaded Christmas card photo". It will take you on a journey through all the years my sister and I moaned and groaned while my mom snapped hundreds of photos of us in an attempt to get one that was agreeable enough to all three of us to go in the Christmas cards each year :)