Buckeye Peanut Butter Balls

My oldest daughter has been applying to colleges. I have been proud of her for all the applications that she has sent out. I hope she will stay in state. Her paternal side really hopes she will go to a school in Ohio. My daughter has been receiving gifts since she was an infant with this school's logo or name. 

Since my husband loves peanut butter and my daughter just applied to this school in Ohio, I figured I should make some Buckeyes. This Buckeye recipe is very close to a peanut butter cup. It is a peanut butter ball with a coating of chocolate on the outside.

Buckeye Peanut Butter Balls


1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/2 to 4 cups powder sugar, sifted
6 oz. chocolate chips, semi-sweet
1 Tbsp shortening


Directions:
Cream the peanut butter with the butter.
Add the vanilla extract to the peanut butter mixture.
Add one cup of unpacked powder sugar into the mixture and combine.
Continue to add one cup of unpacked powder sugar into the mixture until a stiff dough forms. Try to prevent the peanut butters being dry.
Form the peanut butter dough into smooth balls and place on wax paper.
Stick a toothpick into the middle of each ball.
Refrigerate for about an hour or two so the dough can harden.
After the dough hardens, in a small saucepan melt the chocolate chips and shortening.
Dip the peanut butter balls into the melted chocolate but leave a small area of the ball uncovered.
Place the covered peanut butter balls onto wax paper to set. Remove the toothpick and try to smooth over the toothpick hole. It may be easier to keep half the peanut butter balls in the refrigerator to stay hard.
Refrigerate for about 30 minutes for the chocolate to harden. 


Source adapted from Allrecipes.

Did you already know.............
-The Buckeye Tree is the Ohio State Tree.
-The Buckeye Tree received its name from Native Americans who thought the seeds looked like the eye of a male deer.
-The Buckeye nut is suppose to be a good luck charm.
-Since 1950, Ohio State has used the buckeye as it's nickname and later for its mascot.


Go Buckeyes!

Breakfast Potatoes

For awhile, my husband was taking us out for breakfast. The best thing about eating breakfast out is everyone gets to pick what they want. With the holidays, we tend to stay home more plus it is cold outside. 

Growing up, my Mom would make potatoes for breakfast. She would use leftover potatoes that she had saved the night before. I like her way of thinking. Since I had Yukon gold potatoes, I had precooked the potatoes the night before knowing I would finish them for breakfast. I have made this recipe with russet potatoes before and they are just as good. 

Breakfast Potatoes Recipe

2 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 Yukon potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
salt and pepper
3 Tbsp water
1/2 onion, chopped
1 Tbsp butter, unsalted

Directions:

1. In a skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the potatoes and cook for about five minutes. Stir occasionally.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Add the water to the skillet and cover the potatoes for 2 minutes.
5. Let potatoes cool and store in the refrigerator until morning or continue to the next step.
6. Add butter to a skillet and let melt.
7. Add the onions and stir occasionally for 2 minutes.
8. To the skillet, add the potatoes and cook for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are brown.

 Recipe adapted from my Mom's recipe.

Did you already know..............
-Potatoes originated from South America.
-Potatoes are the fourth largest crop in the world.
-The potato was introduced to Europe by the Spanish around 1570.
-The leaves of a potato are poisonous.

Apple-Cranberry Pie

I remember when I was growing up my Mom would make a lot of cobblers. I'm not complaining since I love cobblers. During the holidays, we would have several pies. When I was in high school, I remember making an apple pie. It was delicious.

I really wanted to make an apple pie for Thanksgiving but I decided to make my daughter's request for cherry and strawberry pies. My Mom brought a pumpkin and peanut butter pie. So, the apple had to wait.

I had left over fresh cranberries which I wanted to use up. The package of cranberries has an apple cranberry pie listed. I used the apple pie recipe I usually make and just added the cranberries. It is a great combination.

Apple-Cranberry Pie
Two 9 inch pie crust
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp ground cinnamon
Dash of salt
7 cups apples, peeled and sliced
1 cup fresh cranberries
2 Tbsp butter
1 egg and 1 tsp milk to brush the top of the pie crust

Directions:
Heat oven to 425 degrees.
In a bowl, combine the sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.
Slowly, fold in the apples until well coated with the sugar mixture. Set aside.
Line the pie pan with one of the pie crust.
Layer 1/2 cup of the cranberries on top pie crust.
Add the apple mixture on top of the cranberries.
Top the apple mixture with the remaining cranberries.
Dot the top of the mixture with the butter.
Cover the apple mixture with the second pie crust in desired design just need slits in the top of the pie crust.
Whisk the egg with the milk in a small bowl and brush the mixture onto the top pie crust.
Cover the edge with aluminum foil if desired to prevent excessive browning just remove during the last 20 minutes of baking.
Bake the pie for 40-50 minutes or until the crust is brown and the juices are bubbling on top of the pie.

Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker's 40th Anniversary Edition Cookbook.

Do you like my little apple cut outs?

Did you already know....................
-Pie pastry is thought to originated from the Greeks.
-Medieval England, preferred their pies (or as they called them pyes) filled with meat.
-Apple pie is originally from England.

Rotel Dip

Do you have any recipes you have been making forever? I say forever because I have been making this recipe dip for longer than my oldest daughter has been welcomed to this world. I have been making this recipe before there was the internet. If you are wondering my age, I will say I'm 29. Just remember, I am 29 right now and I was 29 last year. Next year, I will be 29 again.

I received this recipe from an Air Force friend. I did some research and I could not find this recipe on the Rotel website. I did find it posted on several other sites. This is my oldest daughter's favorite dip recipe.

 Rotel sausage dip

1 (10 oz.) can of Rotel
1 1/2 (12 oz.) package of cream cheese
1 package of Jimmy Dean or pork sausage
chips, crackers, vegetables, or other items for dipping

Directions:

1. Drain the can of Rotel.
2. In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the cream cheese and Rotel for one minute.
3. In a skillet, cook the sausage thoroughly.
4. Add the cream cheese and Rotel to the skillet. 
5. Cook the mixture for about 5 minutes.
6. Let cool for a few minutes and serve.

Recipe adapted from Kelly but unknown original source.

 Did you already know..................
-Rotel is diced tomatoes with green chili peppers.
-In 1943, Carl Roettele with his wife opened his canning factory in Texas.
-Mr. Roettele named his product Ro-tel because he didn't think no one would be able to pronounce his name.
-ConAgra Foods now own Rotel.

Cheesy Potato Gratin

I have an evasive teenager. I bring out the camera and she disappears. My mother is the same way so I am unsure if it a learned behavior or an inherited one. There are probably more photos of Bigfoot than my daughter as a teenager. I guess I could hide and wait for her to go by. A lot of the photos of my teenager, she thinks she is a movie star and holds up her hand so the photo can not be used or sold. 

My children especially my teenager likes to help in the kitchen. For some reason, my phone seems to ring when I'm cooking. I hear a lot of "Mom, it is important. The person on the phone wants to talk to you." When I pick up the phone, the call could have waited. You are probably wondering why we don't have a cordless phone. We do but it is always missing. Bigfoot probably is using it somewhere.

I saw this recipe and wanted to try it before Thanksgiving. It didn't happen but I am glad I made it this weekend. It is very, good especially with leftover Turkey.

Cheesy Potato Gratin


1 Tbsp butter, unsalted
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 Tbsp flour, all purpose
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup Gruyere cheese, grated
2 tsp thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
3 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup Parmigiano cheese, grated


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
3. Add the chopped shallot and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the flour and stir. Cook for about 1 minute.
5. Slowly, stir in the chicken stock and cream.
6. Add the Gruyere cheese and thyme. Stir until the cheese has melted.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Add the potatoes and gently stir to coat the potatoes with the cheese mixture.
9. Cover the pan and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.
10. Remove the lid and transfer the potatoes to a oven safe dish.
11. Sprinkle the Parmigiano cheese on top.
12. Cook uncovered for about 30 to 35 minutes until the edges are bubbling.
13. Let cool for 15 minutes

Recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma.  

 Did you already know.................
-There are Bigfoot Field Researchers.
-Another name for Bigfoot is sasquatch which means "wild man".
-Bigfoot is purportedly to be native to the Pacific Northwest of North
America.
-The scientific community have no evidence of the existence of Bigfoot, sasquatch, or Yeti sightings.