Pretzel Bread Bowls and Chicken Noodle Soup

Salted Pretzel Bread Bowls
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp coarse sea salt
1 (1/4-ounce) package yeast
5 cups flour
8 cups water
1/4 cup baking soda
1 egg yolk
1 Tbs. water
Coarse salt
Directions:
Combine the water, sugar and sea salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.  Sprinkle the yeast on top and allow it to sit 5-10 minutes until a layer of foam appears on the top of the liquid.
Turn the mixer on to low speed and add in the flour, one cup at a time and mix thoroughly.  Increase the speed to medium and knead for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the bowl.  While the dough is kneading, oil a large bowl.  Turn the dough out onto the counter and shape it into a ball.  Place the ball into the oiled bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and store in a warm place for about an hour until the dough has double in size.
Preheat the the oven to 450 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Bring 8 cups of water to a simmer with the baking soda.  Meanwhile, divide the dough into 6 equal pieces (you can do 4 larger if you want) and roll into evenly shaped balls.  One by one, place the balls of dough into the boiling water for 1 minute, turning once.  Remove and return to the pan.
Mix the egg yolk, and 1 T water in  small bowl.  Brush the tops of each bread bowl and then sprinkle with coarse salt.  Slit an "x" into the top of each bowl.
Bake in the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes until golden brown

Once cool I cut off the top, and scoop out some of the insides, and then fill with soup

Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
I used leftover rotisserie chicken, but if don't have that
for the chicken:
2 tsp. olive oil
1 pound chicken
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

for the soup:
2 tsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, chopped
3 celery, chopped
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. sage
1/2 tsp. oregano
8 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
8 oz. egg noodles or GF noodles

Directions:
for the chicken:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil on both sides and season with salt and pepper.  Roast in the oven for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven, cool, and shred with two forks.

for the soup:
heat the olive oil in a pot and add the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots with a small pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes.  Add herbs and stir well.  Cook for another 7-8 minutes.  Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer, and cook for another 10 minutes. 
Add the noodles and continue until they are cooked through.  Add the chicken and remove the bay leaves.  Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.

Banana Cookies (GF, SF, DF)

3 mashed bananas, ripe
1/3 c. no sugar added applesauce
2 c. oats
1/4 c. almond milk
1/2 c. raisins, optional
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon

Mix together and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes

The most amazing cinnamon rolls ever

Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls
For the Dough:
1 package (2¼ teaspoons) instant yeast
½ teaspoons, plus ¼ cup sugar, divided
½ cup whole milk, at room temperature
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
¾ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
For the Filling:
½ cup sugar
¼ dark brown sugar, packed
¼ cup finely chopped pecans
¼ cup finely chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Other Ingredients:
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided in half, melted
For the Icing:
1½ cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons whole milk
1. To Make the Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer combine yeast, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/4 cup water heated to 115°F. Stir to combine and let sit until frothy and foamy, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the remaining sugar, milk, light brown sugar, vanilla, egg, and egg yolk. Beat with a wire whisk until well combined. Fit the bowl onto the mixer, fitting with the dough hook attachment. Add the flour and salt and mix on medium speed until the dough just begins to come together. Turn the machine on medium-high and knead the dough for 4 minutes.
3. Add the butter and continue to knead for about 6 minutes. The dough will be wet and sticky. Place the dough on a well floured work surface, and knead about 1/3 cup all-purpose flour into the dough. The dough still might be a little sticky, which is ok. Set the dough to rest in a large greased bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
4. While the dough rises, make the filling. Combine the sugar, dark brown sugar, pecans, walnuts, cinnamon, salt and cloves in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Stir in the maple syrup. Set aside.
5. When the dough has doubled in size, dump it from the bowl onto a heavily floured work surface. Gently knead the dough until it is no longer sticky, adding more flour as needed. Work the dough for about 1 or 2 minutes. Once it’s no longer sticky, place a kitchen towel over the dough and let rest for 5 minutes before you roll it out.
6. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 10 x 10-inch square.
7. In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese with a knife until it’s smooth and spreadable.
8. Spread the cream cheese evenly over the dough square. Fold the square into thirds like you would fold a letter to fit into an envelope. Take the open ends of the rectangle and fold into thirds again, to make a smaller dough square.
9. Invert the dough so that the seam is face down and, using the rolling pin, gently roll it into a 10 x 20-inch rectangle. You may find that some cream cheese sneaks through. Be as gentle as possible with the dough, but continue to work it until you reach the size you need.
10. Turn the dough so that the short sides are parallel to you.
11. Brush the top of the dough with half of the melted butter. We’ll use the rest of the butter after the rolls are baked.
12. Pour all of the filling onto the dough. Spread evenly, leaving a 1-inch boarder at one of the short edges of the dough so the roll can be properly sealed. Lightly press the filling into the dough.
13. Using your hands, lift up the bottom edge of the dough and roll it forward into a tight cylinder. Place dough cylinder seam side down on a cutting board. Using a sharp, thin knife, trim off the uneven edges.
14. Cut the cylinder into 8 equal slices. Nestle the slices, cut side up and evenly spaced in a butter 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to let rise for 2 hours. You may also refrigerate rolls overnight.
15. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Uncover the rolls. If you refrigerated the rolls, let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before baking. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
16. Transfer the pan of cinnamon rolls to a cooling rack. Brush with remaining melted butter. Let cool for 5 minutes.
17. Make the icing: Whisk together the sugar and milk in a small bowl until smooth, adding more sugar or milk to reach your desired consistency.
18. Dip the tines of a fork into the icing and drizzle over the rolls. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Quick French Bread

The ingredients are basic and simple too. Here they are:

• 2 1/2 Cups Warm Water
• 2 T. Yeast
• 2 T. Sugar
• 1 t. Salt-(I used 2 tsp)
• 3 T. Oil
• 5 1/2 -6 Cups Flour

First: Add yeast and then sprinkle the sugar over the 2 1/2 cups of water. Let it sit for about five minutes until you see the yeast get all bubbly on top.

Next: Stir in the salt, oil, and flour.

Then: Knead the dough for a few minutes until it is smooth and pulls away from the bowl like this...

Then cover your bowl with a warm wet towel and let the dough sit for about 15 minutes.
**Update: Tip - put a bowl of water in your microwave and turn your microwave on for two minutes. Then take the bowl of water out and set your bowl of bread dough in the warm microwave for the 15 minutes. This moist, warm envirmonment makes the bread rise a lot faster.

After 15 minutes the bread dough looks like this!

Next, divide the dough into two long loaves (rolling like a jelly roll and tucking in the ends). Place both loaves side by side on a greased cookie sheet. Then take a knife and slash the tops of each loaf diagonally. Allow the loaves to sit for a few minutes while you preheat your oven to 375.(  I baked at 400, for 25 min. and threw ice cubes on the bottom of the oven to create steam, for  a nicer crust) Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.

Yum! It's soft in the middle and slightly crunchy on the outside.

{...and in real life it turned out a lot more brown than it shows in the picture below.}

**Optional: For an extra cruchy crust, mix together one egg white with 1 T. cold water and brush on cooked bread and cook for another 3 minutes.

No sugar Strawberry freezer jam

Strawberry Freezer Jam

In a blender combine

1 can frozen red grape concentrate or

apple concentrate

5 tablespoons cornstarch

Pour in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir constantly until thick and clear. Fold in

3 cups frozen or fresh chopped strawberries .

Stir well

Add 1/8 cup honey or to taste (You probably could use Agave Nectar if you preferred.)

Meringue hearts

1 egg white
1/8 tsp. cream of tarter
1/4 c. plus 2 tsp sugar (I used raw organic)
1/4 tsp. vanilla
about 1 cup strawberry frozen yogurt, softened util spreadable
White chocolate curls, shaved with a peeler from a chunk of white chocolate
1.  With an electric mixer, beat egg white and cream of tartar until very foamy.  Gradually sprinkle in sugar, about 1 tbsp. at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat until meringue holds very stiff, shiny peaks, at least 10 minutes.  Add vanilla; beat about 30 seconds longer.
2.  Preheat over to 225 degrees.  Cover a baking sheet with parchment.  On it draw 4 heart shapes, each 3 in. at the widest point.  Spread meringue 1/4 in. think over each heart shape, building up sides so they stand an additional 1/2 to 3/4 in. high.
3.  Bake meringues for 45 minutes.  Turn off oven and let meringues dry in oven for 1 1/2 hours.
4.  About 1 to 2 hours before serving, fill  each meringue with softened frozen yogurt.  Place in freezer and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.  Top hearts with white chocolate curls, and serve.

Makes 4 cookies

Nila Carmel Cheesecake

66 Nilla Wafers, divided
1 1/4 c. sugar, divided
1/4 c. butter, melted
3 pkg. (8 oz. each) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 c. Sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
Carmel (see carmel recipe)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees if using a silver 9-inch springform pan.  Finely crush 50 of the wafers; mix with 1/4 cup of the sugar and the butter.  Press firmly onto bottom of pan.  Stand remaining 16 wafers around edge of pan, pressing gently into crust to secure.

Beat cream cheese and remaining 1 cup sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.  Add sour cream and vanilla; mix well.  Add eggs 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended.  Pour into prepared crust.

Bake 45 to 50 min. or until center is almost set.  Run small knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosed cake; cool before removing rim of pan.  Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Pour carmel over middle of cake, until reaches the edges, allow to cool, then microwave semi-sweet chocolate chips in a small baggie, until melted, and cut an edge off with scissors and decorate.