Buckeyes + Weekly Menu

Recently, at Foodbuzz, some gal pals participated in a “hometown” gift exchange. Not knowing what to bring from Ohio, I opted out of the exchange. Being the sweetie pies that they are, they all included me in the hometown exchange anyways (xoxo!). When I said, “I had no idea what to bring!” they responded almost in unison, “BUCKEYES!”

So that is what I made these for. And they traveled well, I hear…to California, Texas, and back to Illinois, making these a great gift option if you plan to send your gifts via parcel.

I am convinced that the best thing to come from the state of Ohio is their concept of the buckeye in dessert form. It’s no secret that I am not all too fond of Ohio, but these balls of peanut butter and chocolate goodness….well, they’re nothing short of stellar.

Similar to OSU Buckeye sports fans, buckeyes are kind of a pain in the you-know-where to make. And a fairly empty freezer is a must to tackle these, and really…who has a partially empty freezer? Exactly.

But on a weekend day, with nothing on the agenda, these just take some patience. There’s nothing difficult about them, I promise.

And after making buckeyes for Christmas last year, I suddenly became my father-in-law’s favorite (and only) daughter-in-law. The man loves buckeyes (Mr. P, too!). Therefore, these may be the magic ticket to holiday season bliss, or to earn brownie points amongst loved ones. It can’t hurt, right? 😉

What’s interesting is that from last year to this year, my same buckeye recipe lightened itself up. Last year, the recipe made 79 buckeyes. This year…115. You know what that means? About one-third less calories, fat, and sugar per buckeye delight. Maybe my hands shrunk? I dunno. But since I promise you won’t be able to stop at 1, do consider making them on the smaller side (about 1-inch diameter). The recipe will stretch farther and each sinful treat will be a little less sinful!

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Buckeyes from our friends Tiffany and Josh

6 cups powdered sugar
3 sticks + 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups all-natural creamy peanut butter
3 packages (36 oz) semisweet chocolate morsels*
3/4 block paraffin wax
115 toothpicks

Directions:

Mix powdered sugar, butter, and peanut butter together in a stand mixer. Chill in the freezer until solid enough to form into balls (about 30 minutes). If the balls are not smooth, place them on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and freeze for 15-20 minutes. Re-roll them to be smooth.

Melt chocolate and paraffin wax in a double boiler or glass bowl over a pot of soft boiling water until blended. Dip peanut butter balls in chocolate, using a toothpick, leaving a round eclipse at the top. Let dry on wax paper (I re-inserted them in the freezer on a wax paper-lined cookie sheet). Remove the toothpick and smooth peanut butter to cover the hole. Store in a covered container in the fridge. Yield: ~115 buckeyes. *Note: You will only use about 24 ounces of chocolate, but need the 36 ounces for dipping.

Nutrition Information (per buckeye): 116 calories; 7.9 g. fat; 0 mg. cholesterol; 31 mg. sodium; 11.1 g. carbohydrate; 0.83 g. fiber; 1.9 g. protein

Result: These are a pain to make, but everyone always LOVES them. Other than the very poor nutrition stats, what’s NOT to love about peanut butter, butter, chocolate, and sugar? Mmmm! Enjoy!

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I don’t have to teach Monday night so my meal plan is more complete than it has been in a long time! 😀

Weekly Menu: December 4th – 8th

• Sunday: Butternut Squash Ravioli with Kale Walnut Pesto
• Monday: Chicken and Goat Cheese Strudel with roasted brussel’s sprouts
• Tuesday: Lentil, Kielbasa, and Garlic Stew
• Wednesday: leftovers
• Thursday: Cajun Chicken Pasta

Lots of grading to get done, plus I need to grocery shop and workout before we’re off to 2 holiday parties tonight!

Have a great weekend!