Homemade Soft Pretzels Recipe

My daughter is taking a cooking class at school.  A few weeks ago they made soft pretzels.  She brought the recipe home and has been asking to make them.  I bought all of the ingredients, only to read the recipe's directions on Sunday afternoon and then realizing this dough had to rise overnight.  We were ready to bake and eat pretzels, so I scoured Pinterest and came across this recipe from Shutterbeam and combined the two to make the most fabulous tasting soft pretzels...ever.  We made some with salt and some with cinnamon sugar.

This recipe makes about 8 soft pretzels.

Ingredients -

1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water


1 tablespoon sugar


1 1/3 teaspoons table salt

1 package active dry yeast (1/4 oz.)


4 1/2 cups all purpose flour


2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted


Pam cooking spray for the pan

10 cups water


2/3 cup baking soda


1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water


Pretzel Toppings:


cinnamon sugar (1/8 cup sugar + 3 teaspoons cinnamon)


Kosher salt

unsalted butter (about 1/4 of a stick; melted)

Directions -

Combine the warm water, sugar and kosher salt in a measuring cup and sprinkle the yeast on top.

Allow mixture to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam.

Add the yeast mixture and melted butter into the flour mixture in the bowl of an electric mixer.

Using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined.

Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.

Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then spray it lightly with cooking spray.

Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size. (I don't think mine quite doubled... because we keep our house pretty cool, but this did not affect the outcome).


Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper (you MUST use parchment paper) and spray the paper with cooking spray and set aside.

Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in a large pot.

In the meantime, spray your work service with a small amount of cooking spray and then turn the dough out onto work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces.

Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel.

Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.


Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula or tongs (that is what I used)

Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture

Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes.

Transfer to a cooling rack.  Then once cool enough to handle brush your pretzels with the melted butter and then either sprinkle the salt or cinnamon sugar mixture on top.

Serve.

Before they were put in the baking soda/water bath

 Madison made hers into a braided twist.

out of the oven and ready for the toppings

the inside of a cinnamon sugar one

Recipe - Peanut Butter Cookie Cups

Last week Chris and I went to Walgreens to pick up some free
photos I ordered.  We picked up a bag of individual Reese's Peanut Butter Cups on clearance with the plan of making cookies out of them.  Sunday evening I whipped up a batch of peanut butter cookies using the recipe (tweaked a bit) off the back of the bag.  These turned out great and were very soft.  I used a small ice cream scoop for the dough and baked them inside liners in a mini-muffin tin!!

Here is the recipe

You will need -

40 mini peanut butter cups (which is incidently...more than one bag)

1 stick of softened unsalted butter

1/2 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup of peanut butter

1 egg

1 tsp of vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all purpse flour

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking soda

Directions -

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

2. Unwrap your candies.  Fill a mini muffin tin with mini muffin liners.

3. Beat butter, both sugars, your egg, the peanut butter, and vanilla until nice and fluffy.

4. Stir together flour, salt, and baking soda in a seperate bowl.  Gradually mix it into the batter.

5. Use a mini ice cream scoop to portion out the dough into the cups or roll 1 inch balls and place them in the muffing cups.  Do not flatten them.

6. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly brown.  Remove from the oven.

7. Immediately press a peanut butter cup down in each dough cup.

8. Once my pan has cooled, I place it in the fridge for 15 minutes for the peanut butter cups to set before I remove the cookei cups from the pan.

__Here is what the dough looks like in the pans before baking when you use the mini ice cream scoop___

Easy Homemade Macaroni & Cheese Recipe - Two Ways

Since mentioning it in a previous post, I've received several emails asking for my recipe. I am happy to share it with my readers and I'd love to hear if you enjoyed it if you decide to make it.

You will need:

1 box of noodles - I always use elbows
1 stick of butter
1 cup of milk
1 small brick of Velveeta
(1-2) bags of shredded cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil your noodles. Drain and return to the pot. Add the stick of butter, the milk, and the brick of Velveeta (cut up).

2. Keep on low-medium heat and stir often until the butter and cheese melts. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Now this is where I stop for Chris and Maddie because this is how the prefer it.

I like to spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and preheat my oven to 350. Then I layer half of the mixture in the pan, cover with shredded cheese, add another layer of noodles, and another layer of cheese. Then I bake it for 20-30 minutes until the cheese is a light bubbly brown.

This isn't the "healthiest" recipe... Nuts it's so good and easy to make. I don't have a photo to include and I'm writing this from my phone... So I hope there are no typos.

Make this. You will not be disappointed.

Linking up to -

Day 6 - Recipe - Greek Style Grilled Chicken Wraps

I love Greek food.  I wanted to do Greek style food at home so this evening I served these -

I filled them with hummus, feta cheese, and tzatziki sauce. 

The grocery store didn't have pocket less pitas (which I prefer) so I picked up these whole wheat wraps.

Last night I marinated two boneless skinless chicken breasts in Greek salad dressing overnight.  Then my husband grilled them this evening and I sliced them up.  I also chopped up a cucumber and some romaine lettuce.

Then once everything was ready I began to assemble the wraps.

My husband doesn't like feta or hummus, so I left those off of this wrap.  The great thing about these is you can set up a station for assembly.  You could also stuff them with olives, tomatoes, onions, or banana peppers - basically anything you have available that you like.

I always assemble my wraps on foil.  It helps make it easier to "wrap" them.  Then I just slice them in half and it helps to keep the fillings from falling out.

White Chocolate Peanut Butter Fluff Bars

I love the Picky Palate blog...Jenny is always creating such fun and easy desserts.  When I saw this tasty recipe pop up in my Facebook news feed I knew I had to try it...especially since I knew I had all of the ingredients at my house. 

The bottom is a cake layer, then there is a peanut butter marshmallow layer, topped with an entire bag of white chocolate chips.  This is a great combination!  It was quick and easy to make and would make a perfect dessert to bring to a summer cookout.

Ingredients -

1 box Yellow Cake Mix

1 large egg
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup marshmallow creme
14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
12 ounce bag white chocolate chips
Directions -
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a 9×13 inch baking dish with foil and spray with cooking spray.
2. Place cake mix, egg, and butter into a large bowl. Mix until well combined, will be the consistency of thick cookie dough. I used my hands towards the ends. Press dough into prepared baking pan.
3. Place peanut butter, marshmallow creme and condensed milk into a large bowl and mix until well combined. Pour over crust then top with white chips. Bake for 23-25 minutes, until cooked through. Center will seem somewhat jiggly, but will set up while cools.

4. Let cool completely, cut into squares and serve.

{This recipe is from Jenny over at the Picky Palate blog}

Easy Sausage Gravy Recipe

This is my dad's favorite breakfast.  Growing up my grandmother and aunt used to make it all of the time for us.  My sister and I loved it too.  Yesterday on my way to visit my parents my dad called to ask if he picked up the ingredients at the store if I would make it for him.

So this morning I got up early and made a big pot of sausage gravy.  The recipe is super simple.

You Will Need -

-1 pound of breakfast sausage

- 1 cup of all purpose flour

- 1/2 gallon - 1 gallon of whole milk (depending on how much you want to make)

Directions -

Brown the sausage over medium heat in a large pot.  Then add a cup of flour to sop up the grease from the sausage.  Mash and stir it into the sausage and grease until it is all absorbed.  Then add 1/2 gallon - a gallon of milk.  Continue to cook over medium heat until the gravy starts to thicken, then stir, and add salt and pepper.  Repeat stirring and letting it sit for a bit until you get the consistency you desire.  I like to serve it pretty thick.  Then you can serve it over white toast or biscuits.

It definitely isn't the healthiest of breakfasts...but it sure is tasty.

Recipe - Peanut Butter Blondies with Chocolate Chips

I made these last weekend...and impressed myself.  They were so easy to make and tasted amazing.  I cannot wait to make them again.

Ingredients -

•  1   1/2 cups of sugar
• 1/2 cup of peanut butter (regular or crunchy)
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup of unsalted butter
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions - 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar, peanut butter, eggs, butter, and vanilla.
• In a seperate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.
• Stir in the chocolate chips.
• Spread into an ungreased 9x13 pan.
• Bake for about 35 minutes.
• They will be cracking and brown around the edges when done.
• Cool, cut, and serve slightly warm.

I am linking up with Little Brick Ranch for Foodie Friday -

Chicken Pot Pie Recipe - Italian Herb Style

I picked up a container of this new Philadelphia Cooking Creme (that I had several coupons for) and whipped up this chicken pot pie for dinner tonight.  I combined two different recipes from the Philadelphia website and this is what I came up with.  I based it off of this recipe -

ITALIAN STYLE CHEESY CHICKEN POT PIE

Ingredients -

-4 Tysons's Perfect Portions Chicken breasts - cut into bite size pieces

-1 cup frozen mixed vegetables

-1 cup frozen broccoli florets

-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

-1 tub Philadelphia Italian Herb or Savory Garlic cooking creme (I meant to grab the garlic one as the original recipe called for it but ended up with the Italian Herb flavor).

-1 ready to use refrigerator pie crust - 1/2 of the package

Directions -

-Preheat your oven to 400 degrees

-Cook the chicken in a large nonstick skillet on medium heat until lightly browned. 

-Add the vegetables.  Cook 1 to 2 minutes. 

-Add the cooking creme and the shredded cheese until melted.  Spoon into a greased 9 in pie plate.

-Cover with the crust, seal and flute the edge.  Cut several slits in the crust.  Place the pie plate on a baking sheet (in case it bubbles over).  I had a slight issue with my pie crust...that is why it looks horrendous.

-Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Our Reactions -

My husband and I liked it.  It was quick and easy and I think it will make good leftovers for tomorrow's lunch.  It didn't have that gravy taste like a traditional pot pie.

I featured my recipe here -

FIRST ever Brownies from Scratch {Recipe}

I made Chocolate Buttercream Frosted Brownies. Who doesn't love a quick and easy boxed brownie mix? It is my go to dessert.  They are affordable and easy to doctor up.  Well, this afternoon I picked up some cocoa powder at the store and attemped to make brownies from scratch.  They were very rich...yet tasty.

Here is the recipe I used -

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, melted

2 tablespoons water

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Baking Cocoa

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 350º F. Grease 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

COMBINE granulated sugar, butter and water in large bowl. Stir in eggs and vanilla extract. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in medium bowl; stir into sugar mixture.  Spread into prepared baking pan.

BAKE for 18 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out slightly sticky. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Top with chocolate buttercream frosting. Cut into bars.

Source : The Very Best Baking

Meals Made From the Pantry - # 1

Yesterday I went through the pantry looking for items I could incorporate into this week's meal plan.  I am hoping this will help cut my grocery list a bit for this week.  All four recipes require boneless skinless chicken breasts (which happen to be on sale buy one get two free at my local grocery store this week). This is what I found -

1. Skillet Spanish Chicken

This is one of those McCormick spice packets - Kitchen Inspirations in the spice section at the grocery store.  It has been in my pantry for awhile and I decided this week we would try it out.  It also required a can of tomatoes, an onion, peppers, and chicken.  It should be a quick and easy dinner one night this week.

2. General Tso's Chicken Stir Fry with Fried Rice

I found this sauce packet, fried rice packet, and bottle of soy sauce.  I had a coupon for the Simply Asia sauce packet about a month or so ago and that's how it ended up in our pantry.  I plan on making some rice in our rice cooker for the fried rice.  I will use chicken, broccoli, and snap peas in the stir fry. 

3. Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Stuffed Shells

This Newman's Own Alfredo sauce will be used in this recipe.  I got this recipe and the photo above from the Eat at Home blog.  I came across this recipe a few months ago and have been anxious to make it.  I will serve it with garlic bread and a salad.  Doesn't it look amazing?

4.  Santa Fe Chicken Casserole

A friend of mine hosted a Philadelphia Cooking Creme party at her house.  I wasn't able to attend, but she gave me some coupons to try the product as well as a recipe booklet.   I had some black beans from Trader Joe's in the pantry that I could easily throw into this recipe.  The Philadelphia Cooking Creme comes in 4 varieties.

Do you ever create meals out of random things you have in your pantry?

Easy Homemade Peanut Butter Banana Bread Recipe

I made this delicious recipe last week.  I thought it was amazing.  I took a standard banana bread recipe and threw in a huge scoop of reduced-fat Jif peanut butter.  I cannot wait to make it again.  No more boxed banana breads for me...this will be my new go to banana bread recipe.  If peanut butter isn't your thing, feel free to omit it.  If you end up making this, please leave a comment and let me know.  I would love to hear your thoughts.

Here is the recipe -

Ingredients -

 1  and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup of white sugar
2 eggs - slightly beaten
3 large, ripe bananas - mashed
1/4 cup melted butter
3/4 cup peanut butter - slightly melted (about 30 seconds in the microwave)

Directions - 

Grease a standard size loaf pan.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  In a bowl whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and sugar.  Mix in the slightly beaten eggs, mashed bananas, and peanut butter.  Stir in the melted butter.  Pour into the prepared pan.  Bake for 50 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.  Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove it from the pan and continue to allow it to cool completely on a cooling rack.

* I used the spray butter/flour combo to spray in my pan
* I used a Pampered Chef loaf pan
* I used Jif reduced fat peanut butter

My Thursday via Blackberry Photos

After a very rough 90 minute class with my 5th bell I treated myself to to this yummy snack on my break.  A slice of the yummy homemade peanut butter banana bread I made last night.  I let Madison be in charge of the bananas.  Once I put the loaf in the oven and looked over where we keep the bananas, I realized she used 3 new organic (the store was out of the regular ones) bananas.  The 3 brown bananas I had intended for the bread were still on the counter.  By the way... I love Cherry Coke Zero.

I came home to find my new magazine subscription had arrived of Food Network Magazine.  I love cooking and baking and I love magazines...so I added this to my cart the last time I was ordering from Amazon.  I cannot wait to read it.

This morning I put this carnitas recipe into the crock pot.  I love this recipe because it requires just a few ingredients, cooks all day while I am at work, and my entire family enjoys it.  We use the filling to make soft tacos with all of the fixings with a side of Spanish rice.  My husband may or may not have had 5 soft tacos for dinner tonight...it was that good.  You should also make it because it is a recipe from Kelle Hampton - who is an amazing woman with a pretty fabulous blog.  If you have never read her blog, you must grab some tissues for some happy tears and start with this post .

Recipe - Caramel Apple Cookies

Several weeks ago my husband found this recipe and asked me to make these.

I have been putting it off.

Yesterday was the day.

AMAZING!!  

The only thing I would do differently is to use these little caramel chips next time -

I felt using the caramel squares even after I had my husband cut them into little pieces...didn't work out so well.  I also used a granny smith apple - which was a good apple to use for this recipe.

My daughter wanted to help me do the icing. 

The recipe is from the Baking Junkie blog.  A big THANK YOU to her for his fabulous cookie recipe I will be making again and again.

Recipe -

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, room temperature

½ cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 2/3 cup flour

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

20 caramels

1 medium apple

Glaze:

4 Tbsp melted butter

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tsp milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl combine butter and sugars. Add in eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to liquid ingredients and mix well. Cut each caramel in 6 smaller pieces and add to dough. Peel , core and chop apple into smaller pieces and add to dough. Place larger portions of dough into a greased muffin top pan (will make approximately 18), or form dough into small balls and place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake approximately 13 minutes, or until tops of cookies are light golden brown. Allow to cool completely before removing from pans. Meanwhile, combine melted butter and vanilla, then powdered sugar. Add milk to thin (until you reach desired consistency).

Yummy Monday Night Meal - Chile Honey Chicken

As I drove home from work tonight...I didn't feel like cooking.  However I did and I am happy to report it turned out great.  I also got to take our wok we received for a wedding gift out of its box to use to make this delicious meal.

I made this amazing Chile Honey Chicken from a great new blog I stumbled across - Check it out -

I will definitely be making again.  Next time I think I will eliminate the frying step.  Once I added the chicken to the sauce it lost its crispiness.  I think it is because I cooked it in the sauce for too long.  I also might add broccoli next time.  I think that would taste great in this recipe.  I served it with white rice and chicken egg rolls from Trader Joe's.

Hershey's Kisses - Cookies & Cream Brownies Recipe

I made these the other night.  They were A M A Z I N G!  I had some of these kisses leftover from some baby showers I made this past weekend.  Those combined with with a box of brownie mix = a yummy dessert.

First unwrap the kisses and place them in a bowl.  I used all of the ones I had left.  If I had to guess I would say we used about 30 or so.

Spray the bottom of your pan.  Place the kisses all over the bottom of the pan.

Make the brownie mix as directed on the box and then pour over the kisses.  Bake as directed. 

The kisses partially melt and make this gooey bottom layer of chocolatey goodness with a little bite of cookie.  Sooo easy and tasty.  You can see the kiss in the photo below.

Friday Night Tidbits

• I made this fabulous cake this week.  I got the recipe from one of my new favorite go to blogs for great recipes.  It is very RICH.  I let Madison bring some to school today to share with her friends.  I sliced little slivers of the cake and wrapped them in little foil packets.  I enclosed little plastic forks. All the girls at the lunch table enjoyed the cake...except for one who had just a bite.  Madison offered it up to another girl who loved her slice.  This little girl ate TWO slices of this RICH cake and licked the bits of frosting off of the foil pieces.  Madison told me after school the little girl left science class early...she was sick from all of the chocolate...and puking...and had to be picked up by her mother.  Its amazing but a small slice is plenty.

• Madison's favorite teacher is having a baby.  She is having a baby boy.  Tonight I took Madison to the Carter's store and let her choose a present for her teacher's baby.  She chose these super cute outfits.  Being in the Carter's store...made me long for my own baby # 2 to shop for... I guess for now I will have to just buy many cute gifts.

• Speaking of babies...my cousin Lauren had a baby.  I have been meaning to send him a gift.  Tonight after dinner I headed to AC Moore and bought these things to make baby Lukas a fabulous gift.  I plan on making it this weekend and mailing it out on Monday.  No more procrastinating.

• I love Kevin & Amanda's blog.  She was a lifesaver last year when I was DIY our summer beach wedding.  I love her free fonts...seriously they are the best.  This week she had a recipe for Chess Squares...also known as Gooey Butter Cake.  I made them last night. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G and only 5 ingredients!  I didn't take a photo of these, but check out the recipe on Amanda's blog - she has a beautiful photo of them.