Treats Complete

Baking is almost done--a few more batches tomorrow and I'll be finished. I've included two recipes that are easy to make, looke great, and taste wonderful.

Today it was Buckeyes, and since there was leftover dipping chocolate from that recipe, I dipped marshmallows and decorated them too. These might end up being an annual recipe--they're good (well, bad for you, I'm sure but good!).

Here's the recipe for Buckeyes. Talk about easy!

1 stick butter

1 box of powdered sugar

1 1/2 cups peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla

Mix these ingredients all together into a paste-like consistency. You will probably have to mix them with your hands. Roll into balls the size of shooter marbles.

Then melt 1 -12 oz package of chocolate chips with some paraffin (I didn't use much, but can't say exactly how much it was--maybe half of a stick? I've also made them without the paraffin, and I've used prepared dipping chocolate too) in a double boiler. When the chips and paraffin are melted, dip the balls into the chocolate with a toohpick, covering only the bottom half of each ball with chocolate.

Allow to dry on waxed paper. These are absolutely a favorite with my family.

Sugar cookies, home-baked but I cheated and used prepared dough. Hey, a woman only has so much time. Again, I had leftover chocolate, this time from the Chocolate-Covered Cherry cookies, so I used it as a filling and made star-shaped sandwich cookies with cherry-chocolate filling.

The date bars I made last week actually taste better a week later--which according to the old recipe I had, is how it's supposed to be. These are cookies made to keep for a while, or to send through the mail.

Peanut Butter Kisses and Yellow Plum Jam-Filled cookies, and cranberries ready to make Cranberry Bread. I made the Yellow Plum cookies last week with leftover crumb crust from the date bars, and I think I like these even better than the date bars. The white on them is powdered sugar--I tried it to see if I liked it, but decided I like them better without.

Peanut Butter Kisses

48 Hershey Kisses candies, unwrapped

1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Granulated sugar
Heat oven to 375°F.

Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended.

Add 1/3 cup sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy.

Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well.

Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie (the cookies will crack around the edges).

Remove from the cookie sheet to a wire rack. Makes about 48 cookies (and if it doesn't, you get to eat the unwrapped chocolates!)