Mom's Chocolate Covered Cherries

1/2 lb. butter (2 sticks)
1/2 can Eaglebrand milk (of a 14 oz can)
2 boxes confectioners sugar (1 box = 3 c., so you'll need 6 c. for the recipe)
1 t. vanilla
1 c. chopped pecans, optional
maraschino cherries with stems
chocolate or vanilla almond bark
heath bits, optional

Cream butter and milk. Add sugar, vanilla and nuts. Mix by hand and roll into balls. Chop cherries or leave whole (I left them whole). Form balls around cherries, leaving stems out. *Melt almond bark in microwave as directed on package. Hold cherries by stem and dip into melted chocolate. Set on wax paper covered cookie sheet til set. May be placed in refrigerator for faster setting. Store in covered container. Makes 80-100 balls.

I also made some Heath balls with just the Heath bits poured in with the creamed mixture, rolled in balls, and dipped in white chocolate.

Yummy!

*The almond bark I bought didn't have any directions on it as to how to melt the chocolate so I thought I better add them on here.

Break chocolate into small pieces and place in a microwave safe bowl. Heat on full power for 1 1/2 minutes, then stir. Place in microwave again on full power for 15 seconds. Stir. Keep doing this until it is the right consistency for dipping. If the almond bark gets too thick, do not add water or milk. Add a drop of vegetable oil instead, and stir.

Additional pictures of chocolate covered cherries and heath balls: