Candy For Slava (Bombone Za Slava)

My dad's sister, Mildred (Mika) Gryak-Voich, would make this for her children during lent and for Slava. I remember Teta Mika saying that Popadija gave her the recipe and she would make this for Kolo Srpskih Sestara meetings and card club.

1 small potato cut into 1-2 inch pieces or 1/2 cup prepared mashed potatoes
6-8 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy style
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

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Peel and place potato in a small pot, cover with water, and boil until very tender. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Mash (or use a hand mixer) until smooth and lump-free.
Add 4 cups powdered sugar and mix until blended (will be a sticky mess at this point). If opting to use vanilla, mix in now. Mix in more powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until mixture is very thick (slightly thicker than cookie dough).
Lay down a large sheet of wax paper and sprinkle generously with powdered sugar. Transfer candy mixture to the wax paper and sprinkle the top with more powdered sugar. Roll out to 1/4 inch thick rectangle. Spread peanut butter evenly over candy. Roll tightly (long side toward long side like a nut roll), then wrap in the wax paper. Cut in half crosswise and put the two halves inside a large resealable bag. Seal the bag and chill for at least 30-60 minutes until firm, or until about 30 minutes before ready to serve. Unwrap candy carefully and slice into 1-inch thick slices and serve or store in airtight container, chilled, up to 2 weeks.