Re-Run...Buckeyes (with tips!!)

                                                                                              everything "p"

Here's the Buckeye recipe again...  

I made these last night and figured it might be helpful to you if I give you some HELPFUL TIPS & TRICKS to get these looking beautiful! 

PEANUT BUTTER BUCKEYES (jif.com)

(about 5 dozen)

1 1/2 cups Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter
Or 1 1/2 cups Smucker's® Natural Creamy Peanut Butter

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 to 4 cups powdered sugar

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening

COMBINE peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on LOW until blended. Add 2 cups powdered sugar, beating until blended. Beat in additional powdered sugar until mixture, when shaped into a ball, will stay on a toothpick. Shape into 1-inch balls. Refrigerate.

PLACE chocolate chips and shortening in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM for 30 seconds. Stir. Repeat until mixture is smooth. Reheat as needed while coating peanut butter balls.

INSERT toothpick in peanut butter ball. Dip 3/4 of ball into chocolate, leaving top uncovered to resemble a buckeye. Remove excess. Place on wax paper-lined tray. Remove toothpick. Smooth over holes. Refrigerate until firm.

TIPS:  
--Use the FULL 4 cups of powdered sugar.

--To make it easier to roll the balls, refrigerate about an hour, then roll the balls.

--Put rolled balls on a waxed paper lined tray and put them into the freezer until
   VERY firm, about a half an hour.

--Melt chocolate in a DEEP BOWL (this is so you can dip the entire ball into the 
   chocolate) while the peanut butter balls are in the freezer.

--Take out only a few balls at a time.  One at a time, insert toothpick into ball,
   dip quickly into the chocolate, shake, shake, shake over the bowl until ALL
   EXCESS has been removed.  (or they will have a puddle of chocolate under
   them, and you'll run out of chocolate!  Buy extra chocolate just in case!)

--Use a new toothpick for each ball.  I know, seems wasteful but, if you re-use 
   the toothpicks, the oil from the peanut butter makes the toothpicks slick and
   then the next peanut butter ball will not stay on while you dip it into the
   chocolate.

--Put dipped balls (with toothpicks still in them) onto a waxed paper lined
   baking sheet and put into refrigerator (or freezer) until chocolate has set.

--Use a piece of waxed paper to hold the ball (or you will put fingerprints all 
   over them) while you remove the toothpick and smooth over the hole.

--Store in refrigerator, between sheets of waxed paper.

ENJOY!!!