Baking Christmas Cookies

This is my Christmas cookie making day's. My daughter-in-law and I made three different kinds of cookies yesterday, we will make 3 more different kinds today. It was a lot of fun baking together. My daughter-in-law is fun and upbeat and of course I get the benifit of being with my Grandchildren all day.

I took one of my routes off each day so I could bake longer. I took Jack with me on my route so Jess could go Christmas shopping. We will do the same thing again today.
It was just a lot of fun!


Buckeyes Recipe

This candy is made with peanut butter, chocolate chips, and other ingredients. Allow about an hour for chilling time.
INGREDIENTS:

* 1 cup creamy peanut butter
* 4 ounces plus 3 tablespoons softened butter
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 3 1/2 to 4 cups confectioners sugar, about 1 pound
* 1/2 cup very fine graham cracker crumbs
* 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

PREPARATION:
With a wooden spoon or large mixer with paddle attachment, beat peanut butter, butter and vanilla until smooth. Slowly stir or beat in confectioners' sugar and graham cracker crumbs. Mixture will be dry, but will hold together when shaped into balls.

Shape mixture into 1-inch balls; place on wax paper lined cookie sheet and chill in freezer or until firm.

Melt chocolate chips over hot water. Spear a peanut butter ball with toothpick or dipping fork and dip ball into the chocolate to cover most of it. Place chocolate side down on cookie sheet. If desired, leave the top uncovered to resemble the Ohio buckeye nuts. If desired, drizzle more butter over the balls to fill in gaps made by toothpick or dipping fork. Refrigerate buckeyes for about 2 hours or longer, or until the chocolate is set. Store buckeyes tightly covered in refrigerator or freezer.

Makes about 5 dozen buckeye candies.