Soft Pretzels

We made these for Conference and they were so tasty and very soft inside, but nice and "pretzely" outside.  Just get someone to help you if you double it... my arms were so tired from rolling the dough!

Soft Pretzels

·         Yield: 12 pretzels

---

Ingredients

·         1 and 1/2 cups warm water 

·         1 packet active dry or instant yeast (2 and 1/4 teaspoons)

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         1 Tablespoon brown sugar

·         1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and slightly cool

·         3 and ¾-4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

·         coarse sea salt for sprinkling

Baking Soda Bath

·         ½ cup (120g) baking soda

·         9 cups (2,160ml) water

---

Instructions

1.     In mixer, whisk the yeast into warm water. Allow to sit for 1 minute. Whisk in salt, brown sugar, and melted butter. Slowly add 3 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time. Mix until dough is thick. Add 3/4 cup more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. If it is still sticky, add 1/4 – 1/2 cup more, as needed. Poke the dough with your finger – if it bounces back, it is ready to knead.  Knead in mixer for 3 minutes. Cover with towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes. (Meanwhile, I like to get the water + baking soda boiling as instructed in step 6.)

2.     Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

3.     Pull off pieces of dough (a bit bigger than golf ball

4.     Roll the dough into a 20-22 inch rope (this should be quite thin – just barely thicker than a pencil, or your pretzels will be enormous). Shape into pretzel shape.

5.     Bring baking soda and 9 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Drop 1-2 pretzels into the boiling water for 20-30 seconds. Any more than that and your pretzels will have a metallic taste. Using a slotted spatula, lift the pretzel out of the water and allow as much of the excess water to drip off. Place pretzel onto prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle each with coarse sea salt. Repeat with remaining pretzels.

6.     Bake for 12-15 minutes or until dark golden brown (don’t overbake or they’ll be dry, but let them get “pretzely colored” on the outside.

7.     Remove from the oven and serve warm with cheese sauce. Pretzels may be stored in an airtight container or zipped top bag for up to 3 days (they lose a little softness).

---

Notes

1.     Freezing Instructions: Pretzels freeze well, up to 2 months. To reheat, bake frozen pretzels at 350°F (177°C) for 20 minutes or until warmed through or microwave until warm.

*Alternative: Instead of salt, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and serve with vanilla frosting.

Peppermint Crunch Puppy Chow

Peppermint Crunch Puppy Chow

yield: 5 CUPS

 

prep time: 10 MINUTES

 

total time: 10 MINUTES

Ingredients:

• 5 cups Rice Chex cereal
• 10 ounces melting white chocolate OR vanilla flavored Almond Bark
• 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
• 1 cup crushed candy canes
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions:

1. Pour the cereal into a large bowl. Melt white chocolate/almond bark according to the package directions. Stir in peppermint extract.  Pour melted chocolate over cereal, stirring and folding until the cereal is completely covered. Fold in the crushed candy canes.
2. Pour the confectioners' sugar into a zipped-top bag. Pour the chocolate covered cereal/candy canes in next. Seal the bag or container and shake until all the cereal is coated with the confectioners' sugar mixture.
3. Discard excess powder. Store at room temperature up to 2 weeks, if it lasts that long!

https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2012/11/25/peppermint-crunch-puppy-chow/

*I added the peppermint extract for a little extra flavor... I think it was just right with it included, but the original doesn't include it.

Chocolate Chip + Banana + Oatmeal Bites

These are super simple cookies that are good for breakfasts or snacks. They truly are sweet enough without adding any sweetener (even my kids think so). The riper the banana, the sweeter it will taste. Also, I've learned that mashing bananas on a dinner plate is much faster than in a bowl!

Chocolate Chip Banana Oatmeal Bites
2 very ripe bananas
1 c. oats (rolled or quick)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
small handful of chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet. Peanut Butter chips would be yummy too)

Optional add-ins:
vanilla extract
shredded coconut
chopped nuts
dried fruit

Preheat oven to 350.
Mash the bananas until pretty smooth, but a few small chucks are ok. Mix together with the oats and cinnamon (and vanilla, if using). Add in chocolate chips and any other optional add-ins.

Lightly grease a cookie sheet or line with a silpat or parchment. Use a tablespoon to scoop the mixture onto the cookie sheet. You can flatten it a little if you want (they don't really spread). Bake 15-20 minutes. If you made them bigger or really dome shaped, you might need 20-25 minutes.

From http://www.simple-veganista.com/2013/09/chocolate-chip-banana-bread-bites.html

Easy Way to Peel Mangoes!!

We bought a box of mangoes from Bountiful Baskets. Yesterday I cut them all into pieces to freeze. Today in the mail I got a little booklet/ad from Smith's (Kroger). It had a great tip on how to peel mangoes, avocados, and kiwi. Just one day late.
But we had 2 left to eat fresh so I tried it and it's awesome!!
After you slice off the two thick sides of the mango, just slip the edge of the glass between the fruit and the peel.

Then you just slide the peel down the cup and voila!

Fabulous!

Rosemary Crackers

You know that the Wrights have a thing for rosemary, so it caught my eye when I saw the recipe for these. (Unfortunately, I neglected to note where I got it. Whoops!) We think they taste great! They're similar to wheat thins, but they don't have any sweetener so the flavor is a bit different. And the best thing about them: they're so easy! I'd never tried making my own crackers before. Now I want to try more...

Also, if you're not big on rosemary, you could try a different herb that you like.

Rosemary Crackers
2 c. flour (I do half wheat, half white)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2/3 c. warm water
1/2-1 T. dried crushed rosemary (we use 1 T.)
1/3 c. olive oil
Kosher salt, for sprinkling

Heat oven to 400.

Combine the dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Add the wet ingredients and mix until a thick dough forms. (The original recipe said to knead it, but mine wasn't thick enough). Let rest for 5-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, grease two large cookie sheets. Divide dough into 2 equal parts and roll onto the cookie sheets, all the way to the edges. Try to make sure you get it evenly spread so it will cook evenly.

Sprinkle lightly with salt and use a pizza cutter to score into squares. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until crackers are lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

Store in an airtight container. If you live in a humid place you can sprinkle some dry rice on the bottom of the container to help keep them crisp. Mine stayed perfectly crisp without it in our dry state though!

Rosemary Parmesan Pumpkin Seeds

I found this collection of pumpkin seed recipes and just had to try something new this year.  These Rosemary Parmesan seeds are really good!  I didn't read the recipe right at first...it says to roast the seeds first for an hour and then add the seasoning and roast for 10-15 more minutes.  I had already added the seasoning so I just roasted them for an hour and tented them with foil for the first 45 minutes, took the foil off for 5 minutes, and then roasted them at 350° for 10 minutes and they were totally fine.  Yay!  But I've written the recipe up the way that you're "supposed" to do it, so feel free to actually follow the directions if you want. :)


Rosemary Parmesan Pumpkin Seeds

2 cups pumpkin seeds (about 2 medium sized pumpkins

Scoop the seeds out of the pumpkin, place in a colander and rinse with cold water, working to separate the seeds from the pumpkin guts.  Pat dry.  Preheat the oven to 300°, spread seeds on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake them until dry throughout, about 50-60 minutes.
Remove baking sheet from oven, then raise the oven temp to 350°.

Transfer the seeds to a bowl, add the flavorings, then return them to a baking sheet and roast 10-15 minutes, or until golden.

Rosemary-Parmesan seasoning

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (I used a heaping 1/2 Tbsp of dry, crushed rosemary)
1/4 C. finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.  Pour over seeds, toss to coat.  Season with salt & pepper, to taste.
Spread the pumpkin seeds out on the baking sheet and roast at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until golden.


As a side note, we also tried the recipe for the gingerbread pumpkin seeds and unfortunately we were pretty disappointed in those.  They smelled fantastic, but they didn't taste as good as I was hoping they would.  :(

Recipe from http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/recipe-collections-favorites/pumpkin-seed-recipes?crlt.pid=camp.IRNT60Rj4TIV

Cinnamon Chip Scones

3 1/4 c. flour
1/3 c. plus 2 T. sugar, divided
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. cold butter
1 c. buttermilk
1 pkg (10 oz) cinnamon baking chips
2 T. butter, optional

In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients (with the 1/3 c. sugar). Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in buttermilk just until moistened. Fold in chips.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently 10-12 times or until dough is no longer sticky. Divide in half. Gently pat or roll each portion into a 7-in circle. If desired, brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with remaining 2 T. sugar.

Cut each circle into 6-8 wedges and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 425 for 10-13 minutes or until lightly browned.

Sweet & (not) Spicy Chicken Bacon Wraps

I was also going to make these for the Super Bowl party but I decided not to.  So we had them for dinner tonight.  They're really good and they aren't spicy at all, in my opinion.  Tiernan and Mia chowed down on them and didn't complain about spiciness so that's a pretty good indication that they're not. : )
Jeff gives these 4 1/2 stars (out of 5) and Mia gives them one million stars!  So there you have it!

SWEET AND SPICY CHICKEN BACON WRAPS

 

PREP TIME

25 mins

COOK TIME

35 mins

TOTAL TIME

1 hour

A great finger food for that “bring a dish” party. What could go wrong with bacon, sugar and spices? Nothing. Cubes of chicken wrapped with bacon and coated with brown sugar, chili powder and cumin. Baked until crispy. A skill level of 3/10 (easy). Plus it is easy to double or triple if needed.

Author: Dan Mikesell

Recipe type: Party

Cuisine: American

Serves: 15 servings

INGREDIENTS

• about 1¼ pounds skinless boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1pound bacon
• ⅔ cup dark brown sugar
• 2 T chili powder
• ½ t cumin

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400°. In a large mixing bowl, combine ⅔ cup dark brown sugar, 2 T chili powder and ½ t cumin. Mix well.
2. Clean and trim about 1¼ pounds of skinless boneless chicken breast. Cut into approx. 1 inch cubes.
3. If using thick bacon, thin out with the back edge of a chef knife. Cut the bacon in half, roll around the chicken cubes and secure with a tooth pick. This is the point to cover and refrigerate for better timing, if necessary.
4. Cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a cooling or baking rack on top.  Spray with non-stick cooking spray.
5. Roll the pieces in the brown sugar mixture, making sure to coat evenly. Place on the rack.
6. Bake until golden brown, about 35 minutes.   Serve immediately or cover with foil on heavy dish to keep warm until served.

Recipe very slightly altered from http://www.101cookingfortwo.com/sweet-and-spicy-chicken-bacon-wraps/

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

I made these for the Super Bowl party this weekend.  While the outcome of the game was not what we wanted, these were a hit.  And as long as you remove the seeds/membranes from the jalapenos, they're not spicy.  They're so good!  (They were called Bacon-Wrapped Cheesy Stuffed Jalapenos but I decided to simplify the name a little. I hate long names for recipes.)  : )

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

If you like spicy, you will love these! Halved jalapeños stuffed with cream cheese, shredded cheese, paprika, and garlic and wrapped up with crispy bacon. Absolutely incredible!
Yield: 24 stuffed jalapeño halves

total time: 45 MINUTES

Ingredients:

• 12 fresh jalapeño peppers
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese*
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 12 slices bacon, cut in half
• 24 toothpicks

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (best for clean-up) or a silicone baking mat. Place a baking rack on top of the baking sheet. Set aside.

Cut the jalapeño peppers in half lengthwise; remove seeds and center membrane. Set aside.

Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic, and paprika together until combined. You could also do this by hand using a rubber spatula. Salt to taste - I add just a pinch. Spoon filling equally among all 24 jalapeño halves.

Wrap each stuffed jalapeño with a half slice of bacon and stick a toothpick through the center to assure the bacon stays in place. Place each on the baking rack and bake for 25-28 minutes or until the bacon is crisp to your liking. I like to turn the oven to broil for the last minute or two to get things extra crispy.  Serve immediately. Cover leftovers and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

MAKE AHEAD/FREEZE: jalapeño peppers may be stuffed and wrapped 1 day in advance. Refrigerate until ready to bake. You may also assemble and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed.

*Mexican style or pepper jack shredded cheese is also tasty.

Recipe from http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2014/09/25/bacon-wrapped-cheesy-stuffed-jalapenos/

Banana Oat Muffins

Josh gave these muffins 4.99 stars.  He said that they would've been 5-star muffins if I'd made them bigger.  

Banana Oat Muffins

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1 cup rolled oats 1/2 cup white sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg 3/4 cup milk 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup mashed bananas

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt.
2.	In a large bowl, beat the egg lightly. Stir in the milk, oil, and vanilla. Add the mashed banana, and combine thoroughly. Stir the flour mixture into the banana mixture until just combined. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper bake cups, and divide the batter among them.
3.	Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 18 to 20 minutes. Recipe from allrecipes.com

Dark Chocolate Almond Clusters

I've developed a really bad habit while doing homework... I have to be snacking on something.  In the afternoons I stared reaching for the kids' candy from Halloween because it was quick and I usually want something sweet after a meal.  Seriously, not a good habit.  I've been on the hunt for some healthy (or at least, healthIER) recipes and I like this one a lot.

Dark Chocolate Almond Clusters

Ingredients

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons melted dark chocolate
1 1/2 cups whole almonds
Handful of coconut shavings (thick and unsweetened, not the super thin from the baking isle)

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper. Start melting dark chocolate pieces in a pan on low heat; it won't take long to melt.  Drop spoonfuls of chocolate on paper then top with about 3-4 almonds.  Drizzle with a bit more chocolate and top with coconut.  Cool down and refrigerate before serving.  Store in refrigerator.

Cajun Spiced Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

These were really yummy pumpkin seeds!  I found the recipe at allrecipes.com  I only cooked mine for about 20 minutes though.

Cajun Spiced Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients:

1 cup raw whole pumpkin seeds, washed and dried 1 teaspoon paprika 3/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, or to taste

½ tsp salt, scant 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2.	Toss pumpkin seeds with paprika, Cajun seasoning, and salt until coated. Mix Worcestershire sauce with melted butter in a small bowl, pour over seeds, and stir to to combine. Spread seeds onto a baking sheet in a single layer.
3.	Roast seeds in the preheated oven until browned and crunchy, 45 minutes to 1 hour; stir and turn seeds several times during roasting.