Sometimes You Feel Like a Nut---Homemade Almond Joy Candy--at the Potato Ho Down!

I'm kind of annoyed about this one, but think these actually turned out really well.  When I graduated from high school, in Idaho, some twenasldfahshty years ago, a family friend gave me a little cookbook called Potato Potpourri.  Every recipe in the book has potatoes, including Almond Joy Candy Bars.  So I was all excited tonight when we had some mashed potatoes for dinner and there was just enough left for me to get out the book and make these.  Search, search, search, look, growl, search, look--no book.  I can't find it!  I don't know why I can't find it, I only have one place that I keep my cookbooks.  Sigh!  Remembering when I'd made these Almond Joy Bars before, I recalled that there really isn't too much to the recipe, so I decided to just wing it.  I think I did pretty good.  These taste great and you would NEVER know there are mashed potatoes in the coconut filling.  So simple and so good, you've got to make these for the coconut lover in your life--after all, it is Valentine's Day soon!

Here's the easy recipe.

Homemade Almond Joy Bars

1/2 cup mashed potatoes (with no seasonings)

2 cups powdered sugar

2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

pinch salt

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

24 almonds, toasted and cooled

12 oz. chocolate (I used Hershey's Special Dark-because that's what I had, I think Almond Joys are made with milk chocolate and Mounds are dark chocolate)  Use your favorite.

1 tablespoon butter or shortening

Mix together in medium sized bowl the potatoes, sugar, coconut, salt and vanilla.  Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.   Form about a tablespoon of the coconut mixture into an oval shape and  push an almond into the center.  Set the coconut mounds on a sheet or plate covered with wax paper and freeze them for another 30 minutes or so.  Melt chocolate in 20-30 second intervals in a microwave safe dish or in a double boiler on the stove then add the butter/shortening and stir until melted and smooth.  With each mound on a spoon, dip them in the chocolate and cover to coat completely.  Set them back on the wax paper and refrigerate until set.   Makes 24.

I prefer these with milk chocolate, but the dark chocolate is great and healthier!  ; )  You would never know there is mashed potatoes in these!

I dipped a few of them in the chocolate twice.  Kevin thought it was a bit too much, so I've saved most of them in the freezer to dip in milk chocolate. 

You gotta try these!  And hey, if you don't like the almond, leave it out and make Mounds!

Check out these Almond Joy Candy Bars and all the other potato posts and recipes at the Potato Ho Down blog.  Yummy!  Lots of good stuff, including these candies that you just have to try sometime--you'll never need to buy candy again!  Being a "lil' tater" myself (I am from Idaho!) I think this is a great spud-ly blog to turn to for all recipes and dishes with potatoes!