The Neely Team

Problem: Taste buds craving oreo truffles, but no recipe was known.

Solution: Check online!!

A little while back, we were staying with a family who served us a delicious candy — oreo truffles!! Ahhh…. I can almost taste them now… they’re just so good, that is, if you like chocolate. If you’re looking for just the perfect snack, appetizer, dessert, hors d’oeuvres, or anything else, this will be sure to sooth an aching sweet tooth. They’re really easy to make, and best when shared with friends and family!! We passed them around at a family get-together around New Years, and one of our aunts suggested that we post the recipe (and insisted on a picture!). Great idea, Aunt Joanna!!

Enjoy!!

Oreo Truffles

1 lb Oreo cookies (3 sleeves)

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (or 1 tsp. mint, or almond)

1 lb. chocolate (dark or milk)

1/2 lb. white chocolate

1. Grind cookies to a fine powder in food processor. With a mixer, blend cookie powder, cream cheese, and vanilla extract until thoroughly mixed (there should be no white traces of cream cheese).

2. Roll into small balls and place on waxed paper lined cookie sheets. Refrigerate for 45 min. (or freeze for 15 min.).

3. Dip balls in melted chocolate; place on lined cookie sheets.

4. Drizzle melted white chocolate over chocolate balls. Let cool.

5. Store in refrigerator.

Other thoughts on this delicious treat:

~ We like to also dip in white chocolate and drizzle with dark.

~Can also roll truffles in various mixtures: chopped nuts, chocolate sprinkles, multi-colored candy sprinkles, chocolate shavings, colored sugars, etc.

For those who would like to know the nutrition facts, it was included with the recipe. (These might fluctuate based on the size ball.)

Serving Size: 1 ball

Calories: 128.2

Calories from fat: 70

Total Fat: 7.8g

Sugars: 10.8g

Saturated Fat: 4.4g

Sodium: 54.8mg

Total Carbs: 13.1

Fiber: .5g

Protein: 1.7g

(written by Susanna and Lauren)

When we went to Grandmama’s house for Thanksgiving, we picked up pecans at a friend’s orchard. Here are some thing’s that we learned:

The pecans grow on huge trees (about 3 feet in diameter).

They use a shaker on a tractor to shake the trees. (It has huge “arms” about 4 feet off the ground to shake it.)

We picked our pecans up by hand…and filled buckets and bags. But the man who owned the orchard did have a gatherer that would rake the pecans up and fill burlap bags.

Once gathered, the pecans are dumped on to a sorter that blew out the sticks, leaves, and empty shells.

After we got them gathered we took them to a business that cracks pecans. They set the machine to the size of our pecans and then it cracked every single pecan one at a time.

After they were cracked, we picked the nut out of the shells. A good return is 50%! If you gather 20 pounds, you’ve done well if you have 10 pounds left to eat.

When you harvest pecans, you must show diligence. It is good to remember this verse:

“…if any would not work, neither should he eat.” 2 Thess. 3:10