Homemade for the Holidays

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

6 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 to 3 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

2 to 3 squares unsweetened baking chocolate

2 cups peanut butter

1 cup butter - softened

Melt Chocolate on top of a double boiler.

While the chocolate is melting mix together sugar, butter, peanut butter and vanilla extract in a medium size bowl. Dough will be loose. 

Form 1- to 2-inch balls from the dough and refrigerate until firm. 

Dip balls into chocolate with either a wooden pick or a fork. Set on wax paper and cool.

Makes about 8 dozen (really).

I'm not going to lie: This is a labor of love. A whole day adventure of rolling and dipping and waiting, but it makes tons of balls and they are really delicious. 

This is one of the (almost 100) candy recipes I've compiled here:

Christmas Candy Gifts from Katie's Kitchen

On Sale for the Season

Apple and Pear Crisp

6-8 Medium Assorted Apples (I used Granny Smith, Golden Delicious and Rome)

3 Pears

½ C Cranberries

¾ C Sugar

½ C Flour

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

Topping

2 C Oats

¾ stick of real butter softened

¾ C brown sugar

2 T sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

¼ C Flour

Preheat oven to 375.

Peel, core and chop apples. Core and chop pears - I did not peel the pears for mine, but you can if you would rather. In a large bowl combine all of the fruit and the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

In a separate bowl combine all topping ingredients and mix well.

Spray a 11x7x2 baking pan with nonstick spray and pile the fruit in – depending on the size of your fruit you may need a larger pan, but the apples do cook down.

Spread the oat topping evenly over the fruit and pat down.

Bake for 45 – 60 minutes or until apples are tender.