Kicking Off 2016 With Some Balls

Lots of them, in fact.
Balls as far as the eye can see.

I do not know when it started. All I know is that for most of my life I have had the humor level of an elementary-age child. Farting is funny. Burping is funny. Balls are funny.

Now, I do have decorum. Do not get me wrong. There is a time and place for everything, and I am raising my children to be decent human beings. But all of the above is absolutely funny in certain situations.

Life can be really funny, and it is too short to be so serious.

My mom has made Buckeyes since I was little, and I am sure even before that.

It is an Ohio Christmas tradition, and we love them, but personally, it is too much peanut butter for me. I end up eating all of the chocolate and then throwing away the rest of the peanut butter. I realize this is a character flaw for some of you, but I can accept my flaws.

When my parents came out for New Years, my mom brought along these peanut butter balls she had made. Just like her normal Buckeyes, only completely covered in chocolate, with an added twist. Rice Krispies in the mix for crunch.

Brilliant.

Crunch. That is exactly what it needed.

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Even doggies love balls.

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So we decided to make more while everyone was here.

Because I ate all of them.

Even though my mom made the balls and brought the recipe with her, somehow along the way these became known all weekend as Betsy’s Balls. All because Betsy was put in charge of the chocolate-dipping process.

So the entire weekend, these phrases became the mantra.

Oh boy, Betsy’s balls are so good.
Damn Betsy, what do you put in your balls.
I could put three of Betsy’s balls in my mouth.

It never gets old.

So Betsy’s Balls are really Sara’s Balls, but no matter. You will want these balls for yourself. And when you make them, you will text me, call me, or write on any form of social media and tell me you have my balls in your mouth right now and they are so deliciously crunchy.

It never gets old.

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Really Sara’s Balls
The artist formerly known as Betsy’s Balls

Ingredients
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/4 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2 cups Rice Krispies
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons Crisco

In a large electric mixer bowl, beat peanut butter, butter, and sugar on medium speed until thoroughly combined. Add cereal and mix well. Portion the mixture using a rounded teaspoon and shape into balls. This will be messy, but it is worth it. Place each ball onto a wax paper-covered cookie sheet. Refrigerate for at least one hour so the balls are less sticky and firm up. Hard balls are best.

Melt chocolate morsels and Crisco in a double boiler over low heat, stirring constantly. If you do not have a double boiler, you can make your own by placing a glass bowl over a saucepan filled halfway with water. Once the chocolate is melted, spoon one teaspoon of chocolate over each peanut butter ball. Refrigerate until firm. Store in the refrigerator to fully harden the balls.

IT NEVER GETS OLD.

I honestly do not know where my ball obsession started. Maybe it was the Christmas Eve meatball tradition that has been in our family for as long as I can remember.

We have been ballin’ for years.
Old-school ballin’.

So I come by it honestly.

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My dad’s meatballs cooking on the stove.

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The above picture is my mom, Vikki, Betsy, and me doing a little ball rolling on New Years Day. We were making cheesecake balls.

WE CANNOT SEEM TO GET AWAY FROM BALLS.

Now that I think about it, maybe it started with my grandma’s porcupine ball recipe. It sounds painful, really, but they are the most delicious balls you will ever eat.

Savory balls.
Delicious balls.
Moist too.

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Grandma’s Porcupine Meatballs

Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 egg
1 slice of bread, soaked in a little milk
1 onion, diced
1/4 cup uncooked rice
2 cups tomato juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and form into balls. Place them into a greased 9 x 13 pan and pour the tomato juice over the balls. Bake at 350 for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. I usually bake them closer to 1 hour and 15 minutes.

These are amazing served with mashed potatoes.

Enjoy two pictures of me enjoying Betsy’s Balls, which are really Sara’s Balls.

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So there you have it, folks.

Balls to the wall. I gave it my all.

Enjoy some balls this winter. Because it is just fun to say, fun to eat, and you cannot be too pissed off at Mother Nature if you have some balls in your mouth.