Bourbon Balls

Happy Valentine's Day to you!  How am I celebrating?  Hubby and I went out Saturday of last week and celebrated.  No gifts this year.  Well, that was our intent.  Then he reminded me that I didn't make bourbon balls for Christmas and I did have the mixture in the pantry!  The funny thing is, I don't normally make a small batch.  The original recipe makes about 100!  So, I did it!  I measured out the ingredients to my bourbon balls!  I think I have it down to a much smaller amount.  You get to be my guinea pigs!

I've been promising for a while that I'd post this and I do my best to keep my promises!

Bourbon Balls...mmmm

So, please let me start by saying way in advance, that I don't make mine like most recipes I've read.  They will tell you to soak the pecans in bourbon overnight.  Uhm, no.  I soak mine much longer, but that flavor will really be up to you, so soak away!

To make the pecan base, do the following:

Take one cup chopped pecans and place in a non-stick skillet on low heat and slowly toast.  You can do this in the oven, too.  Be careful not to burn them! Once they're toasted, place them in a glass container with a lid and pour 1 cup bourbon over them while they're still warm.  The heat has opened the skin up on the pecan and this allows the bourbon to soak into it.

Bourbon balls....I'm making about 100 here!

What kind of bourbon(s)?  That's up to you.  I use a blend and no, I won't disclose it.  Sorry.  My signature flavor took a while to find and I'm a little protective of it. That being said, place the lid on them and place them in a dry, cool place.  I have to hide mine from hubby sometimes.  He thinks they're great snacks.

This makes me want to do a tongue twister about butter.  Do you know the one I mean?

When they're ready to your preference, you'll need the following:

1 stick of butter, softened to room temperature
1 lb (3 3/4 cups) powdered sugar
Bourbon/pecan mixture (should use about 3/4 of it)
3/4 cup whole pecans
18 oz. chocolate chips or melting wafers
Wax paper

Again, I use chocolate chips and I blend mine between semi-sweet, bittersweet and milk chocolate, using the last one sparingly.  I like a dark, dark chocolate, but not quite sugar-free.

Now this is where I'm probably going to really stray from the other recipes out there.  Beat your butter with an electric mixer and add your powdered sugar. Very slowly add your bourbon/pecan mixture.  If it's too wet, add a little more powdered sugar.  I usually add the pecans only first and the liquid from the soaking mixture as a last resort because trust me, these babies will stand you on your head!

Uhm, not kid safe. 

The caption above?  Please be mindful when sharing this lovely concoction!  A few years ago I sold these at a craft fair and I labeled them "for adults only" but folks were sending their kids to get them for them and they were getting eaten before reaching mom and dad.  There were some very happy kids there!  So, you've been warned.

Your mixture should be like a thick frosting.  Too thick to spread or pipe.  Taste it if you must.  A story for another time...I've never tasted my own bourbon balls!  No lie!  Hubby taste tests mine for me.

Just perfect!

Place plastic wrap over this beautiful mixture and put it in the fridge for about 30 minutes.  You want the butter to have time to firm up.  When you remove it, get ready to work quickly.  Using a small scoop (mine's .375 oz.), fill scoop full and release into a second bowl. Once you've gone through the mixture, place it back in the fridge for another 30 minutes.

♪...I'm in heaven...♫

While the bourbon ball mixture is firming in the fridge, melt your chocolate. Place a pan of water on the stove and bring to a simmer.  Lower the heat.  (Here's what I recommend doing versus what I do!  Only melt your chocolate about 1/3 at a time.  That way when the inevitable happens and you get the mixture in it, you don't have to throw out all of the chocolate.  Do I do this?  Not always.  Now, back to your regularly scheduled program.)  In a glass or metal bowl that's bigger than the pan, place your chocolate chips and set it on top of the pan of water.  DO NOT allow the water to boil or steam as it can burn your chocolate and you get to start over.  Not that I've ever done this!

Let it melt very slowly.  Once it's melted, remove mixture from fridge and working very quickly drop a ball into the chocolate and using a fork, dip them as quickly as possible and without getting the mixture into the chocolate more than necessary as it can cause it to seize!

As soon as they're covered, remove them from the chocolate and on to a piece of wax paper and place a whole pecan on top of it.

Depending on how well you followed directions and/or how much of the filling you've eaten, you should have about 32 bourbon balls when it's all said and done. Is it worth the effort?  The recipients of these lovely confections seem to think so!  Don't be surprised when you suddenly have more friends than you previously thought!  

Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies

I love these.  I'm not kidding.  Like I'd marry them if I weren't already married and one could marry an inanimate object kind of love!  Okay, maybe not that far, but they're yummy and oh so rich!  Eating more than one is a problem for me-unless you have a glass of cold milk with it!

I haven't figured out how to lower the sugar in them by much, but can I just say that they're loaded with yummy, protein-laden peanut butter, fiber-filled oats, milk...that's kinda healthy, right?  Ha ha!  Who am I kidding?!  Enjoy in moderation.  Please.

Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies

I've only shared this recipe a few times.  I had a recipe that my sister used and her no bakes always turned out just right.  Kind of soft, but firm, oats were chewy but not crunchy and it had just the right blend of flavors. You know the kind that you cook for just a minute?  I tried and tried and tried to get this recipe to work for me and it never did! So, I did what any smart woman does and I created my own!

Can you see the pockets of layered goodness?

I love making fudge for gifts, holidays, etc. and when I created a fudge recipe that worked, I just pulled the base items and cooking times in for this recipe.  The result is a mostly-firm, chewy cookie, melts in your mouth, is delicious and a little secret...if it gets too firm for you, you can pop it in the microwave for a few seconds and voila!  Good as new!

I tend to make mine in bar form since they're headed out the door, but you can drop them onto wax paper or a silpat just the same!

You'll need:

Large, heavy bottomed pot
9x13x2 baking dish, buttered/sprayed/greased
Timer
Spatula
1 1/2-2  cups creamy peanut butter
3 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cups milk
1 3/4-2 cups quick cook oats
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter
1/4 tsp. salt

In a large, heavy bottomed pot and on medium-low heat, place milk and butter and melt.  Do not allow this to boil.  Once the butter has melted, add sugar and stir.  Once the sugar has dissolved, add salt and bring temperature up to medium heat and watch for a boil.  Once the mixture comes to a rolling boil, set your timer for 1:42.  Yes, you're reading it right.  One minute, forty-two seconds. Stir the mixture the whole time it boils to keep the sugar from scorching.  You don't want to burn this and have to start over.  There's no fun in that.

This is hubby's favorite part!

As soon as the timer goes off, remove mixture from pan and add vanilla.  Fair warning!  Most vanilla extract has some alcohol content in it and it may create a chemical reaction when hitting the boiling mixture.  Stir the vanilla in and add your oats.  Why?  You want them to get a minute or so to "cook" so that they're not quite done but not crunchy, either.  Add two cups if you want super thick cookies.  1 3/4 if you want them softer and less thick.

Stir them well and start by adding a cup of peanut butter.  If the mixture sticks to the spoon in clumps, don't add more peanut butter.  If it's thin, add the additional amount.  Mix well and either pour into a greased/buttered/baking sprayed 9x13x2 pan and if you can resist them, allow them to cool.  OR, you can drop them by spoonful onto wax paper or silpats and have actual cookies.

This particular pan came out rather firm!

They don't normally make it that far in my house.  I have to hide them just to get them to the cooling stage.

NOTE:

• You can use natural peanut butter in this.  Or crunchy!  The natural peanut butter has more oil and you'll get a really smooth texture from it.  It's yummy!  It's usually less sweet so you'll get a savory cookie!
• Butter:  do not substitute margarine for butter!  It has a high water content that changes the recipe.  Not good!
• Milk:  I use whole milk.  I've used evaporated, 1%, 2% without any issues.  Low-fat evaporated doesn't do so well.
• Vanilla:  I make my own vanilla.  Yes, I'll share the recipe.  Not today.  Mine is made with a bourbon base and may have something to do with the texture of my cookies being a little different than those of someone who'd use a traditional vanilla extract.  It's okay.  They're good, no matter how you slice them!
• Oats:  use quick cook!  The whole oats take a long time to cook and don't work in this recipe!  If you like a really thick, almost brittle cookie, you can add another cup of oats and cut back on the peanut butter to 3/4 cup.  It's a much lighter flavored cookie and definitely crunchier than the original recipe!
• Want chocolate peanut butter no bakes?  Add 1/4 cup Hershey's (or your favorite brand) cocoa powder to the sugar and add to butter/milk mixture as noted.  

Tell me what you think!  How'd your recipe turn out?

Peanut Butter Pie

I'm having a Homer Simpson moment where I can imagine this luscious, thick, creamy, delectable peanut butter pie and find that drool is dripping off my chin.
Okay, I retract the last part.  Eeewww.  This pie, though.  Mmmm!

Peanut Butter Pie

This is one of the simplest pies you can make. It gets rave reviews every single time I make it and people ask for it for their birthdays in place of cake!  That's pretty good, right?

The key to the pie is to have your ingredients at room temperature as it'll make them easier to work with.  For this you'll need:

Large bowl
Chocolate graham cracker pie crust
16 oz. whipped topping, divided
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar
8 oz. block cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla
Peanut butter cups (this one is in your control!), chopped
Chocolate syrup/fudge sauce

In a large bowl, mix softened cream cheese with peanut butter with an electric mixer.  Add powdered sugar, 8 oz. whipped topping and vanilla.  Mix until thick and creamy.  (optional:  chop 6-8 small peanut butter cups into chunks and mix)  Spread mixture in pie crust.  Top with remaining 8 oz. whipped topping.  Using the chocolate syrup, drizzle over top the whipped topping and toss on a few more peanut butter cup pieces.  OR, you can follow my idea below and use hot fudge sauce, heated just enough to make it thin-draw concentric circles on pie.  Once you have them from center to outer edge, use a toothpick to drag from the center outwards creating a web effect.  If you play with this idea, you can come up with lots of patterns!

Check out this one made with a traditional graham cracker crust!

The best part of this:  you can use lower fat, lower sugar ingredients but be fair warned that they don't always come out as creamy as the higher fat/sugar products.  I've substituted light whipped topping in this and it worked great.  I've used sugar free syrup and a low sugar peanut butter.  They all tasted great.  Try it and tell me what you think!

Mom's Mississippi Mud Cake

My mom used to make the most delicious Mississippi Mud Cake when I was a little girl and we'd always have it at Sunday after church dinners!  I have very fond memories of this cake, of licking the beaters (mom turned off the mixer first!) and of how everyone always wanted a piece of this cake!  It's super rich, a little goes a long, long way.

Mississippi Mud Cake.  Hello chocolate-y goodness.  

It's still one of my faves although I don't make it often and I hardly ever remember to get a pic of it! (Update:  I got a pic!  Yeah!)  I'll remedy that when I make it for my next church gathering!   

Here are the ingredients:

2 sticks of butter
½ cup Hershey’s baking cocoa
4 eggs, room temperature
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 ½ cups pecans or walnuts, chopped, divided in half
1 tsp. vanilla
Dash of salt
1 bag of miniature marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350°F.  In a small saucepan mix butter and cocoa, heat until butter is melted.  In a mixing bowl, beat eggs lightly.  Add sugar, flour, vanilla, salt and cocoa mixture.  Mix well.  Add ½ pecans.  Pour into a well-greased 9x13 pan and bake for 35 minutes.    

Five to ten minutes before the cake is done, make the frosting.  For it, you’ll need:

½ cup milk (I use whole, but 1% or 2% will do)
1/3 cup Hershey’s baking cocoa
½ stick butter
16 oz. powdered sugar

Mix milk, cocoa and butter together in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil, stirring well.  Remove from heat, mix in powdered sugar. Whisk to blend well.

Once the cake is done, pour marshmallows over the top, sprinkle with remaining pecans.  Immediately pour the frosting over top of this.

If you can wait, allow this to cool, then enjoy! Many thanks to my precious Mom who had to dig out this recipe since she hasn't made it in a while!