Sometimes You Feel Like a Nut!

The holiday season is officially here. Know how I know? I’m craving buckeyes. No, I’m not having fantasies about Ohio State football or planning to become an arborist. I simply can’t get enough of the candy. It’s part of the most wonderful time of the year!

Here’s where I launch into my explanation of what a buckeye is. If you’re not from what I’ll call “the Ohio Midwest” you probably have no idea what I’m rambling on about! Usually, I’m ranting in person and I have to remember a lot from my childhood (when all I really want folks to do is eat a piece of this lovely stuff).

Thanks to the Internet … ahhhh … we can get right to the good stuff!

Here are a few links for those who are interested in the whole buckeye thing!

• Aesclus Glabra – from Wikipedia
• The Buckeye Tree Site – who knew there was such a thing?
• The Ohio State Buckeyes – and don’t you dare forget the “THE” at the front of that thank you very much. (Did you read sarcasm there?)

Now … here is what I want you all to do. Stop reading and make a grocery list. There is no reason that we shouldn’t all gain weight together!

Make a batch of these right away.

2 sticks of a butter/margarine product (1 stick butter and 1 stick margarine works nicely)
2 cups of cheap peanut butter (crunchy or smooth – your call)
4 cups confectioners sugar

Mix all that together and chill for 2 hours. Roll into buckeye-sized balls (eh, about 3/4 inch in diameter). Stick a toothpick into each buckeye so that you’ll have a handle for dipping!

Melt 1 1/2 large packages of chocolate chips with a sliver of paraffin (paraffin isn’t absolutely necessary, but it makes the chocolate smoother).

Dip the newly formed, almost done buckeyes into this gooey mess leaving a small bit of peanut butter showing on top (it’ll look like a buckeye).

Place the newly dipped buckeyes on waxed paper so that the chocolate can harden.

Eat. Freeze some. Eat. Share some. Eat!

There are probably hundreds of recipes for buckeyes floating around out there, but this one came straight from the lady who introduced me to them some 30 years ago (ack, really?) so it’s the one I go with! She doesn’t even measure anymore!

Enjoy!!! Got milk?