Bourbon Balls for Mother's Day

I am getting into this bad habit of posting things way after they happen. I am going to blame it on the warm weather, summertime mind set, lackadaisical attitude with which I approach my free time now, and my inability to go inside until it is way too dark to be outside. Isn't that what summer is all about anyway? Grilling out, eating watermelon until juice drips off your chin, showing off farmers' tans with pride, and camping outside so you can (attempt) to count all the stars in the night sky. That is at least how I choose to spend my summers. Regardless, however, I apologize for my absence and promise that this post will make up for my dropping the ball (get it?! Dropping the ball... Bourbon balls... I have jokes today.)

As you know, I love to give homemade presents, and since I really am not much of a crafter, I tend to make presents in the kitchen. Quick breads, someone's favorite meal, jams and preserves, and in this case, chocolates! As you all know I work at the Woodford Reserve Distillery and thus decided to make some of the recipes that I have internalized for my mom for Mother's Day which, of course, features our namesake libation. This bourbon ball recipe, however, has some slight variations made due to my ill-equipped kitchen.

Woodford's own pecan bourbon balls... with my own special twist.

Pecan Bourbon Balls

1 cup chopped pecans

Woodford Reserve bourbon, or bourbon of choice

1 stick butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla

2 TB bourbon

24 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted with 1 TB shortening

Toasted pecan halves

Cover the chopped pecans with bourbon and let sit overnight. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, set aside. Cream the butter, vanilla, bourbon, and sugar until fluffy but stiff, adding additional sugar if necessary or until the mixture is pliable, like soft Play-Do. Fold in bourbon soaked nuts. Roll the dough into balls, refrigerating the dough slightly if it is too soft to do so. Dip in melted, slightly cooled, chocolate to cover; top with toasted pecan half. Allow to harden at room temperature.

This is the best way to say Happy Mother's Day if you ask me.

Homemade vanilla: vodka, two vanilla beans, split but not scraped, and 2 weeks of steeping.

I might have spiked the chocolate a bit too... the more the merrier right?!

What homemade goodies do you like to gift?