Christmastime brings back a lot of memories, some good, some sad, and everything in between. When the kids were young, it was so much fun to watch them wake up and run to the tree to find what Santa had brought them. Our two boys were 28 months apart and they were a handful to deal with at times (a lot of times). One year we had no packages under the tree when they woke up and Santa had left them a bag of switches. You should have seen the look on their faces. I don’t know if they had flashbacks of their past year adventures and troubles or not; probably not. We did have a few items in their stockings. One was excited to see what was in his and the other one had his lips poked out a mile. In other words, one was grateful he got anything! Soon they realized there was another tree in the house and they took off running. I’m not sure if the message or point we were trying to make was successful for very long but I can assure you they have never forgotten it.
I have always loved to bake goodies for the holidays. Unfortunately, the older I get the harder it is to get it done. Making a list, going to the grocery store, unloading, putting the items up in the pantry, making plans to prepare, get ingredients, make the treat, wash dishes and then eat.
Whew, does that make you tired? But all that effort is so worth it when you observe how much happiness your loved ones show when they devour what you’ve made! So the moral of the story is to take that time to share the love of cooking with your family. My grands tell me it tastes better if Granna makes it! Their gratitude puts a smile on my face!
The Peanut Butter Balls are so good! I assure you they will disappear fast!
Merry Christmas!
Pam
Peanut Butter Balls
1 (24 oz.) jar of peanut butter (about 2 cups)
3 1⁄2 to 4 cups powdered sugar
2 sticks of salted butter or margarine, softened
Melting chocolate wafers or chocolate almond bark
In a mixing bowl, combine peanut butter and margarine or ( salted butter). Mix until well combined. Add powdered sugar and mix well. If they are too sticky, add more powdered sugar. Roll the mixture into balls and place on wax or parchment paper. Place in the freezer until they harden. Remove the peanut butter balls from freezer. Prepare the melting chocolate, either in the microwave or in a double-boiler on the stove (follow directions on package). Dip balls in the chocolate and place back on wax paper. Place them back in the freezer or refrigerator until cold. Keep in refrigerator.
* I used half of a 48-oz. jar. I mixed the peanut butter and margarine with a spatula and then when I added the powdered sugar, I used my hands.
