Candies to Make for Valentines

Here are two recipes I made for Christmas but I'm definitely making them again for Valentines. Everyone enjoyed these and both are very simple. In order to give as a gift, I will put these in a decorative container with each candy in a little Valentines paper cup.

Pecan Clusters--Bottom Left of Picture
From: Paula Deen, Food TV

7 ounce jar marshmallow cream
3/4 pound chocolate kisses or chocolate chips (Paula recommended Hershey's but I used milk chocolate chips)
2 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
6 ounce can evaporated milk
1/2 stick butter
2 cups pecan halves

Place marshmallow cream and chocolate into a large bowl. Set aside. Combine sugar, milk, and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 8 minutes. Pour over marshmallow and chocolate, stirring until well blended. Stir in pecans. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper.

Buckeyes - Bottom Right of Picture
Recipe given to me by my friend, Jean

4 cups powdered sugar
2 cups peanut butter
1 cup softened butter
chocolate for dipping--sometimes called chocolate coating or chocolate bark.

Mix together until smooth. Make mixture into balls about the size of a whole walnut. Place each ball on waxed paper on a sheet pan to refrigerate and just chill. Dip each ball into the melted chocolate and place back on the waxed paper. Let the chocolate harden. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

********* Side note to the photo *********
The candy on the top left is pretzels dipped in the same chocolate as the buckeyes. The cookies are the mincemeat cookies which I have previously given you the recipe. It is listed in the menu.