Chocolate Covered Coconut Candy Balls

The holidays are never a good time for me to lose weight... LOL!  I lost 25 pounds last year right after Christmas, so let me just tell you now, I fully intend to postpone chocolate abstinence until after Christmas.  By then, I figure I'll be sick of it and won't want anymore for a while, anyhow. I'll let you know how that plan works for me!  Several of you have requested this delicious recipe - so here it is!  These make a wonderful gift for folks you like... if you can keep you family from eating them before you make it out the door!  Enjoy...

 

Chocolate Covered Coconut Candy Balls

 

1 stick butter
1 can Eagle Brand milk
14 oz. flake coconut
1 1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 (1 lb.) boxes powdered sugar
1 8 oz. pkg. semi-sweet baker's chocolate
1 block food-grade wax

In a medium saucepan, melt butter, stir in milk, then remove from heat. Stir in coconut and nuts. Add sugar, mixing well. (Put some muscle into it!) Form mixture into small balls.  (No larger than a walnut.)  Place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.

Place a toothpick into the center of each ball. Put balls into refrigerator to chill for about one hour.

Melt wax and chocolate in top of double boiler. (Bring you water to a boil, then reduce the temperature to medium heat to melt the wax and chocolate slowly so it doesn't scorch.  Add the wax first, then the chocolate.) Dip each ball in hot chocolate. Place on wax paper covered cookie sheet until cool. Remove toothpicks. These keep well in the fridge (even layered without wax paper between them) in a covered container.  Just line your container with wax paper.
Grab a glass of cold milk and enjoy!

Pumpkin Muffins - a wonderful Fall treat!

Let's make some Pumpkin Muffins!

My dear friend, Vicki Harrel introduced me to these, and I make them year-round, but Fall is a great time to keep these on hand for the family to nibble on as they meander through the kitchen.  The couldn't be easier!

All you need is:
One box of Spice Cake Mix
One can of Pumpkin (just plain pumpkin - not pumpkin pie filling)
One bag of Vanilla Chips (or White Chocolate Chips)

Mixing bowl, mixing spoon, MINIATURE muffin pan and a cooling rack

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray your mini muffin tin with cooking spray.  Be careful to spray each cup thoroughly so they don't stick.

In a large mixing bowl, combine spice cake mix with the can of pumpkin. Stir until completely mixed and then mix the vanilla chips into the batter.

Spoon mixture into the mini muffin cups.  (I use a 24 muffin pan or two 12 muffin pans, and this amount is perfect for 24 mini muffins.)  This is a heavy mixture and will not rise a whole lot.  Fill the muffin cups to the top.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, then set out to cool for 10 minutes before removing muffins from pan.  After 10 minutes, remove muffins from pan and place on a cooling rack.  Enjoy!  You won't need to worry about shelf life - they won't last long enough.  My family devours these a whole batch in two days.

Bon apetit!