Rum Balls

Pete Schweddy would be jealous! Yes, I know these are standard fare at Christmas, and everybody already has the recipe, but I'm posting it anyway. They are favorites!

6 oz. pkg vanilla wafers

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tbsp Karo syrup

1 cup chopped nuts

8 Tbsp. rum or whiskey

2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa

Crush or grind wafers and mix with powered sugar and nuts. Mix rum with Karo, pour slowly over dry ingredients. Mix well. Make balls and roll in powdered sugar.

I use a Cuisinart for this recipe. And I usually double it since most vanilla wafers I can find come in an 11-ounce box. This isn't a problem since we're all very fond of rum balls. I use any variety of nut that I have available - pecans, almonds, walnuts - or a mix, and I grind them separately in a small electric grinder until they are powder fine. I add everything to the wafers in the Cuisinart and let it mix. I also use whatever form of hooch I have on hand - Bacardi Rum (light or dark) or Seagram's VO are my favorites. Rum balls, bourbon balls - they're all good. I then chill the mixture in the fridge because it's just too soft to work with. Using a teaspoon, I scoop out a ball, roll it lightly in my hand, lay it on a pan or in a bowl, and sprinkle it with powdered sugar that I keep in a shaker with uncooked brown rice, roll it around. The rice keeps the sugar from clogging up the holes in the shaker. When I have one layer of cookie in the storage container, I give it another quick sprinkle with the sugar before adding the next. As I complete another layer, I give another quick pass with the powdered sugar. Storage is in the refrigerator, and I keep a lid or saran wrap over it to keep the balls from drying out. However, even dry, they're pretty darn good, if not better.