Chocolate covered Peanut Butter Balls

This recipe is for my chocolate covered peanut butter filled balls. I have been making these during the Holidays for a treat around 20 years now.

They are very rich, so making them into small ball rather than larger egg version is great.


Chocolate covered Peanut butter ball or eggs


1 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 pd confectioners sugar ( little less than 2/3 cup)
1 1/2 melted butter
1 tsp vanilla (optional)

Cream together and chill well. Line baking sheets with wax paper or if you have a preference to something else that's fine. Make into balls or eggs place on lined baking sheets and chill again. Until ready to dip.

Melt coating chocolate either in double boiler or my favorite method is the microwave. Put chocolate in microwave and keep checking it , every 15 - 20 seconds at first until you get the feel for it. stir it in a whipping motion with fork. It wont take long.

Once chocolate is ready take your well chilled peanut butter and insert a toothpick I into them, and dip into chocolate. Don't worry about the mark on top where you pull out the toothpick. A little dab of chocolate will cover that right up. sit it on your wax paper lined baking sheet and let sit a while the chocolate will harden back up.


if you are using chocolate chips and which I do frequently and they turn out fine. They do give melting direction on the bag. Under dipping fruit it tells you, Make sure to add 1 tbsp of vegetable shortening (not oil) to every 6 oz of chips. If you don't add some shortening the chocolate is to thick and clumpy.

Date and Nut Pinwheel cookies

This is my favorite cookie recipe. I was my great grandmothers recipe that she made for us every year. But when she was no longer able to get around her kitchen any more she passed it on to us. So I thought I would share if any one is interested in trying. This is a very old recipe.


For the filling:

2 1/4 cup chopped dates
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 cup walnuts chopped ( be sure to use black walnuts)

( My husband has nut allergies so I use imitation walnut flavoring and they turn out great)

Cook this for 10 minutes and set aside

***

For dough :

1 cup shortening
2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla (not part of original recipe, I added, because I like the vanilla flavor)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
4 cup flour
3 eggs ( well beaten)

colored sugar

Cream together shortening, brown sugar, vanilla, then add salt, baking soda and flour, add well beaten eggs, and mix well. You may need to add more flour.

Chill dough well. Overnight or so at least. divide dough, And on a lightly floured surface or if you prefer , which I do , roll between 2 layers of wax paper or plastic wrap, maybe 1/4" thick. Roll out one part at a time keep the other part chilling . Spread a thin to moderate layer of filling on dough then roll up in a log. Put the log in wax paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate. Repeat this process until all used up.

Slice thin Sprinkle or dip the cookie top in colored sugar and bake at 350 until done about 15 minutes. when the cookie is a light golden brown. Depending on your oven you may have to adjust your temperature up or down.

makes around 10 dozen

The rolls can be stored in the refrigerate for up to a week. You can also wrap them up and store in freezer. They store very well. As dough or cookies.