Peanut Butter Coconut Balls

This recipe came from the Taste of Home FUN FOOD magazine. If you haven't bought this one yet, it's totally worth the $5.99. There are all kinds of recipes from desserts to pizzas to burgers to munchies. I usually rip the recipes I'm interested in out of magazines and throw them away, but this one had so many I saved the entire magazine. These were made for my jewelry party last weekend. I wanted a chocolate dessert along with my lemon blossoms. They were very messy to make, but turned out very good. They were very similar to the Buckeye's I make with my mom around the holidays. There was something that I didn't LOVE about this recipe, but I couldn't pin point what it was or what I would change. But, I didn't have any complaints! Enjoy!!

**I cut the recipe in half because I didn't want to spend my weekend in the kitchen making 7 dozen.
82 ServingsPrep: 45 min. + chilling

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
3-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups chopped walnuts
1-1/3 cups flaked coconut
2-1/2 cups (15 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
4 teaspoons shortening
Chopped nuts or sprinkles
Directions
In a large bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter until light and fluffy Beat in vanilla. Gradually add confectioners' sugar and mix well. Stir in the cracker crumbs, walnuts and coconut. Shape into 1-in. balls. Place on baking sheets; cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth.
Dip balls into melted chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Roll in nuts or sprinkles. Place on waxed paper until set. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Yield: about 7 dozen.