Homemade Chocolate Covered Cherries

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 1 (12 ounce) bags semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 4 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup evaporated milk
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 jar maraschino cherry, drained well (or 2 dozen fresh cherrys, with or without stem and pit)

Directions

1. Drain cherries,place on paper towels and pat well.
2. Set aside.
3. Place sifted powdered sugar in bowl.
4. Combine melted butter,evaporated milk vanilla,and salt.
5. Pour over powdered sugar and mix well.
6. May need to use hands to form a stiff,not sticky dough.
7. Add more powdered sugar slowly,if need to form dough.
8. Now pinch of a small amount,flatten into a disc and form around each cherry.
9. Pinch off any excess dough.
10. Place cherry on wax paper lined cookie sheets and refrigerate for 1 hour.
11. Melt chocolate chips and shortening over boiling water in double boiler.
12. Dip cherries in chocolate,scraping off excess.
13. Refrigerate until chocolate is hard.