Soft Pretzels

These Soft Pretzels are amazing, they made a great snack and I did not use any of the toppings listed here. I used coarse ground garlic salt. I got this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Baking Book.

Ingredients:
4 to 4 1/2 cup flour
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoon)
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoon cooking oil (I used canola)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons salt (separate use)
3 quarts boiling water
1 egg white (if rotating)
1 tablespoon water
Sesame seed, poppy seed, or coarse salt

Heat your oven to 475 degrees.

A large mixing bowl stir together 1 1/2  cups of the flour and the yeast; set aside. In a medium saucepan heat and stir milk, sugar, oil, and the 1 teaspoon salt until warm (120 or 130 degrees). Add milk mixture to dry mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping side of bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.   

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. Shape dough into ball, place dough in a lightly greased bowl. Let sit until doubled in size.

When it is risen, punch it down and let it rest for about 10 minutes on floured surface. Grease two baking sheets and put them aside.  Roll dough into a 12x10-inch rectangle cut the rectangle into twenty 1/2-inch strips. Carefully stretch each strip into a rope about 16 inches long and shape into a pretzel.

Place pretzels on baking sheets and bake at 475 degrees for 4 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

In a large pot dissolve 2 tablespoons salt in water and bring to a boil. When it comes to a boil, reduce it down to simmer. Lower pretzels, 4-5 at a time, into the water and let them simmer for 2 minutes, turning over once.

Remove the pretzels from the water and put them on paper towels for just a few seconds or they'll start sticking to the paper towel. (I used a wire rack)

Place the pretzels on the greased baking sheets.

Mix 1 egg white and 1 tablespoon water together in bowl. If you're using shelf-only items, just skip the egg white. Brush each pretzel. Sprinkle with salt or whatever you have.

Bake the pretzels in the 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Briana's Fudge Brownies

It has taken me five years to prefect this brownie recipe. My family and friends have been my test subjects to my brownies and now that its perfect I am sharing my recipe with you guys; with a bowl of fresh popcorn and a tall glass of milk you have the perfect movie night snack.

Ingredients:
1 cup of butter
4 ounces of cocoa powder
2 cups of sugar
4 whole eggs plus 1 egg white
3 teaspoons of vanilla
1 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour

Directions:
Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan; set aside. in a medium saucepan melt butter and chocolate over low heat. Remove form heat. Stir in sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Lightly beat the mixture just until combine. (Don't over beat or brownies will rise and fall this makes them very hard). Stir in flour. Spread in batter in prepared pan.

Optional:
Replace the 1 egg white with 1/2 a cup of melted milk chocolate chips.

Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Cake

My mom got this recipe from one of her Bunko Babes  and I decided to give it a try; it was so good that I made once and then my mom made one the next day because it was all gone.

3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoons salt
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup butter, melted
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2/3 cups nuts (optional)

Frosting:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1-2 teaspoons milk

With an electric or stand-up mixer, mix flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Once combined well, slowly stir in 4 tablespoons melted butter. Pour batter into a greased 9x13" baking pan.

In a large bowl, mix the 2 sticks of softened butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nuts until well combined. Drop evenly over cake batter by the tablespoon and use a knife to marble/swirl through the cake.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out nearly clean from center. Place Cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, maple syrup, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat until smooth. Spread over warm cake. Serve warm (we like it straight out of the oven) or at room temperature.

Popcorn Cake or Balls

This is one recipe that you can do any time of the year and with any candy you want. My mom got this from Gina Wooley’s Mom-Billie Barnes, add some color to them and they look amazing any time of the year.

Ingredients:
4 quarts popcorn
1 pound small gumdrops
1/2 pound salted peanuts

Melt:

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup butter
1 pound package small marshmallows

 Pour over popcorn, mix and press into angel food cake pan or roll into balls.