Buckeyes

Buckeyes are the BEST candy in the fall when you live in Ohio! ESPECIALLY during Michigan week :)

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 60
• Yields: 60 buckeyes

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup margarine
• 1 1⁄2 cups creamy peanut butter
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1⁄2 cups powdered sugar
• 20  ounces  semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2  tablespoons shortening

Directions

1. Cream the margarine and peanut butter until smooth.
2. Add the vanilla extract and blend until smooth.
3. Add the powdered sugar 1/2 - 1 cup at a time, blending well and scraping the bowl with each addition.
4. Chill the peanut butter "dough" until easily handled (if not, your hands will get REALLY messy!).
5. Once chilled, roll the peanut butter dough into 1 inch balls (you should be able to get about 6-8 dozen).
6. Melt 10 ounces of chocolate with 1 tablespoon of shortening in either a double boiler, or on medium power in the microwave.
7. Transfer the melted chocolate into a deep bowl.
8. With a toothpick, dip each peanut butter ball into the chocolate to cover it about 3/4. There should be a circle of peanut butter showing on top. Set each buckeye on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper to cool. I tend to put the sheet into the freezer for a few minutes because it prevents the chocolate from sticking.
9. If needed, melt the remaining 10 ounces of chocolate and 1 tbsp of shortening. (The original recipe I used said to use just one batch of the chocolate, but I definitely had to run out and get more chocolate to finish!).