JUSTUSNAK...Summer coming to an end!?

[2dream]

You make me feel so Grinchy. I might put up a small live tree if I can find one I want in my yard after Christmas. The tree will be so small I will deocorate it with dangly earrings. Cheap ones that I have picked up over the years or made.
I also, might put up two red bows on the front step banisters.
What I will do is hang a wreath on my front door. I have a grapevine wreath that I use every year. And every year I make it new and different.

Oh, and I put out a center piece with a candle that I will make.

I use to love to decorate. I had tons of stuff. Then I got old and realized that I hated taking it all down more than I loved putting it up.

But reading all this may make me rethink the issuse.

PLEASE - no one tell my DH that I am rethinking this. He will have another heart attack.

 

[justusnak]

Oh yes, we love to decorate. It usually takes us a few days to get all of the outside stuff up and lit. We try to light up the front 3 acres....and can almost do it! I figure a few more years of "collecting" we will have a pretty lit farm. Now if I had a way to pay for the light bill... I dont mind much tho.....we only "splurge" once a year...and seeing those little faces smileing at it all....its worth ANY amount of money.

 

[Dace]

Wanda....YES!!! Do it! It will make you smile

FF.....oh my gosh, your DH sounds just like mine! Perhaps they are brothers?

Justy...I just chatted with a freidn ofmine who was buying her first pig. Actually she bought it and it was being raised on a farm for her. Guess what did not happen? Snip Snip.....Bad meat, no piggy for my friend. She was so bummed out, and of course I had to tell her that the same thing happened to soemone else I know....


So what are Buckeyes?

 

[justusnak]

Buckeyes are a wonderfull little peanutbutter type ball....dipped in melted chocolate...but not covering the whole thing. Leave just the top of it showing the Peanutbutter area...looks just like a Buckeye....from a tree! The family LOVES them..and I make them "bitesize" Im not too big on them, tooo sweet!!

Buckeyes
2 C powder sugar
1 1/2 C peanutbutter
1/2 C margarine

3 C semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 stick parafin

Mix the first 3 ingredients. You may need more ( or less ) powder sugar. The mixture should be "crumbly" Make this into small "bitesize" balls. Place them on a cookie sheet, and place in the freezer, while you are melting the chocolate chips and parafin together in a double broiler. ( One large pot of water, with a smaller pot over it with the chocolate and parafin in it) The parafin in the chocolate will not leave a taste, or a waxy feel...but will make them firm, and not melt in your hands.
Once the chocolate/parafin is melted, take the balls out, stick with a toothpick, and dip into the chocolate but not covering the top.
Set them on wax paper...and back in the freezer to "harden" ENJOY!

 

[Dace]

Sounds like something my kids would love...who doesn't love peanut butter and chocolate?

Have you ever tried to swap out the marg. for butter? And have you ever skipped the parafin? I would think that the choc would harden up no problem as long as you are not thinning it.

 

[justusnak]

I havent used butter....just because of the refridgeration issue....altho...they really dont last very long once put on the table. Chocolate chips...melt pretty quick in your hands..This is just the way my mothre always made them. Im not one to mess with "perfection"

 

[Dace]

Got it....I will play with it and let you know

 

[lorihadams]

Last year my younger brother put his 9 foot christmas tree on a spinner so that he could display ALL his glass santa ornaments in "anything but tacky red and green, so cliche' ". Said it took him half a day to get the spinner right so that it wouldn't fall over or throw is ornaments across the room! He loves to decorate too!

 

[justusnak]

A spinning tree!??? HMmmm :/ Not mine....I make them walk around the trees...to get a good look! LOL
OK, so I made the Buckeyes.....here they are!
Creamy peanutbutter "fudge"...semi sweet chocolate...

my family goes ape over these. I made 6 dozen....but will have to make at LEAST another 6 dozen. :/

 

[lorihadams]

I love those! I made little pumpkin pecan tassies one year.....oh my word. I had to make like 4 dozen the next year and they didn't even make it to dinner time! Too easy to pop one in your mouth as you walk by the table!