Bourbon Balls

3 cups finely crushed vanilla wafers (about 1 box or 75 cookies)

2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts (about 4 ounces)

1/3 cup cocoa

1/2 cup bourbon (or your favorite liquor)

1/4 cup light corn syrup

Powdered or granulated sugar

Mix crushed wafers, powdered sugar, nuts, and cocoa. Stir in bourbon and corn syrup. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Roll in powdered sugar. Refrigerate in tightly covered containers several days before serving. Makes about 60 servings. 

NOTES

• When I make this recipe, I generally use pecans rather than walnuts, but they are both tasty. 
• I have made this recipe many different ways over the years. Simply substitute your favorite liquor for the bourbon. I have used whiskey, bourbon, Jim Beam Red Stag Dark Cherry bourbon, cinnamon whiskey, dark rum, pineapple rum and other flavored rums, creme de menthe, Grand Marnier, butterscotch schnapps, orange cream rum, etc.  You get the idea!  😀
• I have never rolled the balls in granulated sugar. I always use powdered sugar, but I’m sure both are good. 
• I have been using this recipe for 16 years and it is just awesome. 

Trees

Have you ever relaxed and just looked at a tree? Admired the leaves, limbs, and bark? Looked at all of the birds who land on the branches and sing their songs? Watched as the breeze ripples across the leaves? Thought about all of the insects that live in the tree? Realized that the tree is giving off life-giving oxygen that you can breathe? Thought about the process that the tree uses to convert sunlight into food that helps it grow? No? Maybe you should slow down and give it a try. I guarantee that you can’t help but smile and feel at peace.

I’m still here!

One day, I hope to be able to find the time to continue writing blog posts about the southwest Virginia region and about my childhood. Please feel free to leave comments. I still keep up with any comments made on my blog. I do have to approve your them before they will appear, but I am pretty good about responding within a day’s time.

Please enjoy!!