A First Try

SO... I like to try learning how to make new things. Thanksgiving is a good time to try to come up with a new fun idea for something to bring to the big family dinner. This year I decided I was going to learn how to make candy- or more specifically - peanut butter balls. Doesn't that sound yummy? Well anywho, on Wednesday night- instead of cleaning the house like I had been planning I decided to make an attempt on these deluctable treats. After getting confectioners' sugar everywhere and calling the ants that seem to be living under my stove, I made some candies. Note to self- it is always a good idea to put them in the fridge for a while before eating, otherwise the chocolate never seems to harden. I personally decided that they were a little too sweet for my taste, but then the little treats started to grow on me- either that or I just wanted sweets and didn't care that the things were ginormous sugar balls just waiting to cause cavitites. Here are some pictures of the finished product

Recipe:
1/4 cup butter ( I added 1/2 cup)
1.5 cups peanut butter ( I added 2 cups)
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon maple flavored extract ( I didn't add this)
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Combine the butter, peanut butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla and maple flavoring. Cream well and knead well.
2. Melt the chocolate chips over low heat ( this can be done by filling a pot with water and then placing another pot in that holding the chocolate chips- this is a fool proof way to not burn the choco chips). Roll the dough into 1 inch balls. Dip the balls into the melted chocolate chips ( toothpicks would be helpful here although I didn't have any).
3. Refridgerate overnight ( or at least for 15 minutes) on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.