Chocolate Peanut Clusters

A choir friend named Delores gave me several candy recipes a few years ago.  They are all good recipes, but she told me that one in particular was really a hit.  Her recipe is called Slow Cooker Peanut Clusters, but heaven knows I am much too impatient to wait hours for a slow cooker to produce candy for me to eat.  I tried it in the microwave and what-da-ya-know, it worked!

As my mother would say, "it makes a car-load" (92 if you want to get technical about it), so have friends to give them to unless you want to make yourself sick and eat them all.  I usually make them before Christmas, keep them in tins and give them in goodie bags with other cookies and candies.  They keep for a long time, especially if you put them in the refrigerator.

 

Chocolate Peanut Clusters

1 bar German Chocolate
2 - 11.5 oz. bags chocolate chips
1 - 20 oz. pkg. Chocolate Almond Bark
1 - 20 oz. pkg. Vanilla Almond Bark
2 - 16 oz. jars salted dry roasted peanuts

Place all ingredients except peanuts into a large, microwave-safe bowl.  Cook on high for 2 minutes.  Stir.  If not melted completely, cook at 30 second intervals until melted and smooth.  Add peanuts.  Drop by spoon or large cookie scoop or ice cream scoop (depends on how big you want them) onto wax paper.  Cool.  Makes 92 when using large cookie scoop.  Keep in airtight tins or ziploc bags.

Variations - add or substitute raisins, cranberries or other dried fruits or nuts.