In case you haven't figured it out by now, I am a football fan.

However, I have to admit that at least one third of my interest in football is not about the game. Sure, I can follow the game, thanks to four years on the high school cheerleading squad (please, spare me all the comments about cheerleaders -- I already hate myself enough about it). I most certainly appreciate the athletics of the sport, and love giving all my love and adoration to Peyton Manning a team, but I think one of the reasons why I love football so much is the lifestyle around football. I'm not talking Friday Night Lights lifestyle (well, maybe I am a little). Like Paula Deen, I love the food and parties and the Super Bowl, for me, is like, Thanksgiving.

Now I know that buckeyes have everything to do with Ohio and pretty much nothing to do with New England, New York, or even Phoenix, where the Super Bowl is taking place, but for me, they are a peanut buttery, chocolate-y representation of football. I didn't post about it much here at the beginning of January, but I went to New Orleans to watch the Ohio State Buckeyes and the LSU Tigers play in the Championship Game for college football. So for now, let's just say that tiny peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate are a great sweet snack to serve your guests during a football party.

Buckeyes (Chocolate-dipped Peanut Butter Balls)
You will need to watch something while you spend nine thousand hours rolling 2 bazillion 1" balls by hand. I recommend watching a replay of last year's Super Bowl. You know why.

Beat 1½ c. peanut butter, ½ c. softened butter (that's 1 stick or 8 Tbsp for the people who don't do conversions), and 1 tsp vanilla until smooth. Stir in a 1 pound box of confectioner's sugar. You can dump the sugar as is, but I sifted it because I'm a freak and sifting something makes me feel like I'm actually baking.

The "dough" is supposed to be crumbly. Take about 1 tsp of the crumbs and roll into a 1" diameter ball.

Place balls on sheet or tray lined with waxed paper. Chill peanut butter balls in refrigerator for at least an hour. I got lazy and put off the next step until the next day.

Melt 1 12 oz. bag of semisweet chocolate chips with 1 Tbsp vegetable shortening in a double boiler. Using a toothpick, dip each peanut butter ball in the melted chocolate, letting a small circle of the peanut butter show through the top.

Place dipped peanut butter ball back on waxed paper to cool and set.