Got this recipe last year from my aunt Judy. She is an awesome cook and specializes in things that taste amazing but don’t require much effort.

Orange Ball Candy
1 lb. orange slice candy
7 oz. coconut
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
1 c. chopped nuts
1 t. orange extract
1 t. vanilla extract

Chop the candy into small pieces. This is actually hard because the candy is so sticky. This year I sprayed my knife with cooking spray and it seemed to help somewhat.

Mix all ingredients. Spread in a 9×13 Pyrex dish. Bake at 275 degrees for 45 minutes. The milk will start to caramelize. Remove from the oven, and stir the candy. Let it cool until you can handle it comfortably.

Drop candy by teaspoonfuls onto a plate of powdered sugar. Roll into balls in the sugar. Place on waxed paper and refrigerate. Once the candy firms up a bit, you can stack in layers, separated by wax paper. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator. Not that you’ll be storing it for long.

Today is that day.

In most years, I make the candy I grew up making:

• Fudge
• Caramel
• Chocolate covered cherries
• Divinity, if the weather is dry

Over the past 10-15 years, I’ve added one or two candies a year to my repertoire. I made chocolate covered cherries last week — delicious and SO worth the effort — but today, I’ve decided to make some newer additions to the rotation.

Coming later today:

• Date balls
• Orange balls [Update: Photo and recipe!]
• Graham cracker bars

Maybe more, we’ll see. I’ll steal Ashby’s camera for pix — mine has been missing for a week and it’s about to kill me. One of the best parts: Ashby just went to the grocery for me. The hardest work is done already!