We don’t really live in a “neighborhood”, per se. We live on a street off a busy road that dead-ends into the lake. There are only a handful of houses on our street and only one neighbor has made an attempt to welcome us to the neighborhood. I’m pretty okay with this. Plus, no offense to them, but Mr. Prevention and I may be a bit more lively than our more “senior” neighbors. Except for this past Saturday. Watching Miracle in bed by 9:30pm? Don’t mind if I do.
On Sunday, I had just completed my holiday cookie tins and I made one up for our cute little neighbors that make attempts to be friendly. I snagged Mr. Prevention and we walked over there together to deliver the goodies. We chatted them up for just a few and headed back home. As we were approaching our house I could see a couple standing on our porch. Low and behold, it was another (elderly) neighbor couple bringing us holiday treats…welcoming us to the neighborhood! Crap. I didn’t make them a tin.
“Oh, were you checking out the lake?” they asked. I quickly responded with a white lie and we started to chat them up. As we fly an Illinois flag proudly, they naturally asked if we were Illini fans. As if Mr. Prevention’s Illini pull-over wasn’t a dead giveaway. They shared that they were from Indiana and they had met at Indiana University. The gentlemen went on to joke that we “don’t have to speak” during the college basketball season and of course I had to get in my go-to line, “…as long as you’re not a buckeye fan, we’re all good!” Too true. Too true.
When it comes to sports, I despise the buckeyes. Passionately. When it comes to the peanut butter and chocolate buckeyes, I love buckeyes. Passionately.
I recruited Mr. Prevention to help make a double batch of these babies last weekend. They’re a serious effort with all of the freezer rotations to get them looking half-way decent and not all stuck to your hands, but they’re soooo worth it! These have become a staple at our holiday goodie spread and I will forever remain my father-in-law’s favorite (and only) daughter-in-law so long as I continue making them each year!
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: A+++…and so unhealthy. That’s all I can say about buckeyes!
[/print_this]I sit for my Board Certification in Advanced Diabetes Management today…wish me luck!!
Be well,
GOOD LUCK Nicole!!!
How about I met with someone yesterday who was type 2 and on a pump, but no meds. I don’t think I’ve ever med a type 2 on insulin without oral meds. I was confused….needless to say. Diabetes is interesting me more and more as the years go by! We started DSME training yesterday and so far I love it.’Speaking of love, I WANT to make these buckeyes!! Coming from a TRUE Buckeye and all, these are my favorite holiday treat!
Author
Thanks, girl 🙂 So many type 2’s are only on insulin – you’ll see! Supposedly, metformin is a life-long drug effective-ness wise, but it has to be d/c’ed with any signs of renal insufficiency, so…it’s usually discontinued eventually. The sulfonyureas and thiaziadolidines are usually “outgrown” pretty quickly and the Amylin analogs and incretin memetics are so spendy they’re not common place. Diabetes is one complex disease, no doubt 🙁
One of my favorites! My friend from work made something similar to buckeyes, but added rice krispies- which cut into the density/calories. A new twist on an old favorite?
Author
I like it! Lord knows these could use a caloric make-over 😉
GOOD LUCK!!
How I wish we had nice old elderly neighbors. I’m pretty sure I’m 90 years old in my mind. Glad to see you do buckeyes right…with wax!
Author
Yes! Wax makes them prettier and easier to make!
Good luck!
ooo Bukceyes are my favorite and we ARE buckeye fans. Tisk Tisk! How did you live in Columbus!!
Author
I don’t know! And now that I live in Michigan, I’m still an Illini fan. Forever and always – ILL-INI!! 🙂
Good luck on your exam! I love making these but they can be time consuming. I invested in two Wilton Chocolate melters a couple years ago and it is fantastic. No more hot stove!!
Author
Thanks, Anna! I think a chocolate melter would be a mighty dangerous kitchen gadget to have around 😉
You should try making peanut butter cups. They’re like buckeyes, but a bit easier to make because they’re actually squares instead of balls so you just cover the peanut butter layer with a chocolate layer, refrigerate, and then cut.
I’ll e-mail you the recipe if you want it.
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Please!! 🙂
Good luck!
Author
Thank you! 🙂
Good luck! I still have yet to make buckeyes for my peanut-butter loving husband. Your recipe looks fantastic!
So. I’m from Ohio. Buckeyes are kind of a big deal–don’t worry, I’m not a fan. I’m sort of an anti-fan of all sports teams, largely because of people passionately hating each other over a sport…eh.
But 1 thing I am also a fan of? Buckeyes the candy! Yessssss!
Buckeyes are my absolute favorite!!!
Good luck today! That’s exciting!!
Every year I forget to make buckeyes, and every year I promise myself that next year I won’t forget. There is still time this year! Maybe I’ll make a batch this weekend!
We only have six houses on our street, kind of spread apart, not like in Oak Park where you can practically touch the house next to you. Tony loves it this way, I prefer to be neighborly and will talk to any neighbors any chance I get! 😀
Good luck today – I know you’ll do great!!
These are bringing back such memories – I want some buckeyes!