Friday, May 21, 2021

Pretzel Bites




Pretzel Bites

  • 1 1/2 cups water (lukewarm)
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons instant rise yeast ((1/4 ounce packet))
  • 2 Tablespoons butter (melted)
  • 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup baking soda
  • 1 egg (beaten)
  • Coarse salt (for sprinkling)


Instructions

Pretzel Bites

  • Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water. Whisk well until combined, about 1 minute. 
  • To a mixing bowl add the butter, brown sugar, salt, and yeast mixture. Stir until combined. Slowly add in 3 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time. Mix by hand or use mixer fitted with dough hook, until dough is thick. Add 3/4 cup more flour and stir. If dough is still sticky, add flour, and additional 1/4 cup at a time, until no longer sticky, and dough bounces back when poked with your finger.
  • Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 2 minutes and shape into a ball. Place in a large mixing bowl that has been lightly coated with nonstick spray. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. 
  • Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil with the baking soda, preheat oven to 425 degrees, and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. 
  • Section dough into six equal parts and roll each section into long ropes. Then, cut into 1-1/2 inch bites.
  • Once water is boiling, drop 10 pretzel bites into water and boil 20 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and place onto prepared baking sheets, making sure that pretzel bites do not touch. Repeat with remaining pretzel bites.
  • Brush beaten egg over each pretzel bite and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown, rotating the sheet pans once halfway through cooking.

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Snickerdoodles

1/2 c. Butter, softened
1/2 c shortening
1 1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 c flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix thoroughly butter, shortening, and sugar for 2 minutes, and eggs and mix together.  Blend flour, cream of tartar, soda, and salt.  Add to the butter mixture.  Shape dough into balls and drop into bowl of cinnamon sugar mix.  Roll around until coated and place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet.  Bake 8-10 minutes

Sunday, March 3, 2019

Best Bread Ever

Makes 2 large loaves, 3 medium loaves, or 1 large loaf and 2 mini loaves

Ingredients:
2 1/2 hot water
1/3 cup oil (I use olive oil)
1/3 cup sugar/honey (I fill my cup with oil first, empty it and then fill with honey so it doesn't stick as much)
1 TBSP salt
3/4 cup flour and about 5-7 cups flour (divided) I use bread flour, but can use all purpose or whole wheat flour (add more honey if using whole wheat, and rise longer)
1 1/2 TBSP yeast
Spray oil

1.  Whisk together in a large bowl: Water, oil, sugar/honey, and salt.  (I use my kitchen aid)
2.  Add: 3/4 cup flour and whisk for 30 seconds then yeast and whisk for 30 seconds more.
3.  Add 2-3 cups of flour and mix together with a spoon.  If using a mixer, add the rest of the flour.  The total flour should amount to about 5-7 cups---this does not include the flour used in step 2.  Let the mixer knead the dough for about 5 minutes plus (or knead by hand 10 minutes)
4.  Let rise in a clean, greased, covered bowl for about 30 minutes.  You can let it rise on the counter, (for about an hour) but it's even faster in the oven.  Set your oven to 450 degrees for a minute or less, then turn it off before placing the oven safe bowl inside.  (or microwave a cup a water for 2-3 minutes, then take it out, and set bowl with dough inside)
5.  When the dough has risen to double it's original size, remove from the oven and heat oven to 175 degrees
6.  Grease your bread pans and the counter with spray oil.  Divide the dough.
7.  Roll out the dough with a rolling pin into a long oblong shape.  Roll it out until all air bubbles are gone.
8.  Roll a tight cylinder, tuck the ends under or squish them and place it in a greased bread pan.  Repeat with remaining dough.
9.  Place loaves in warm oven (no more than 175 degrees) for about 1/2 hour or until the dough has risen to fill the pan.  take bread out of the oven to preheat

Turn the oven up to 350 degrees and cook for about 20-25 minutes.  Turn out onto a wire rack and rub a cube of butter over the top.  Let cool and slice.

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Sticky buns

18 frozen Rhodes rolls
1 pkg butterscotch jello cook and serve 3.5 oz
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp cinnamon

Melt butter in a small bowl.  Dip frozen rolls in the butter and place in bundt pan.  Add brown sugar, and cinnamon to the extra butter and mix.  Place by the spoonful over the rolls.  Cover with plastic wrap and let sit over night to rise.  In the morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Remove plastic and cook for 20 minutes.  Flip over onto a platter, to let sauce cover the rolls evenly.  Serve

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Cheese souffle

Cheese Souffle
Servings: 4

This is one recipe that Stan requested I get from his Mom when we were first married. Every time I ask him what he would like for dinner, he says 'Cheese Souffle'. So, it's one of our favorites.  

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
dash cayenne pepper
1 1/4 cups milk
4 eggs separated
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese or Swiss cheese
1/4 cup grated American cheese

Melt butter. Remove from heat and blend flour and seasonings. Gradually add milk. Cook until thickened. Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored (about 5 minutes). Stir into sauce. Blend in cheese and stir until melted. Fold in egg whites, beaten until stiff but not dry. Pour into a 3 qt. soufflĂ© dish. Place in a pan of hot water and bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until the soufflĂ© is well puffed and golden brown. 

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Tick Repellent spray

1 Tablespoon Witch Hazel
40 drops of rose geranium essential oil
1/3 sup distilled water
4 oz glass spray bottle

Put all ingredients in bottle and shake.  Spray on clothes and all over body for tick repellent.