P is for Pretzels

Tried these in Learning School for making Pretzels into the letter P.
They were quite yummy!!  But I didn't do the baking soda wash--just brushed them with butter and sprinkled with Kosher salt.


Original Recipe Yield 1 dozen pretzels

Ingredients

• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/8 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup bread flour
• 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2 tablespoons baking soda
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast, brown sugar and salt in 1 1/2 cups warm water. Stir in flour, and knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover, and let rise for one hour.
2. Combine 2 cups warm water and baking soda in an 8 inch square pan. Line 6 baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. After dough has risen, cut into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a 3 foot rope, pencil thin or thinner. Twist into a pretzel shape, and dip into the baking soda solution. Place onto parchment covered baking sheets, and let rise 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with coarse salt, garlic salt or cinnamon sugar.

Footnotes

• Editor's Note
• When forming the ropes, roll each one to about half the length you want, then set it aside while you roll the rest. By the time you get back to the first rope, it will have rested enough to roll further.
• A 3-foot long rope will make a pretzel approximately 8-inches in diameter. Plan on using one baking sheet for every two pretzels.

Five Minute Cake

From an Email Aunt A sent:

 

THE 5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE CAKE FOR ONE PERSON.......HOW NEAT

 

 

 

I'll send it to 2 people, then you send it to 2 people, and so on, and so on, and so on.

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug (MicroSafe)

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well.  Add the egg and mix thoroughly.

Pour in the milk and oil and mix well..

Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.

The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!

Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
EAT ! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).

And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world?
Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

I shared mine with my whole list cause if I'm gonna get fat you need to do it too!

Grandma R's Honey Candy

I wrote to an Aunt to see if she had a recipe for Grandma R's honey candy, and she sent this reply:
I make it all the time and Grandma R made it so many, many times, it seems she always had a batch of honey candy ready.  It is very easy to make, except the part that is tricky is getting it cooked to the right degree..

It is:    1 cup honey

          1 cup sugar

          1 cup cream
Stir together in a heavy cooking pan and  bring it to a boil and then turn the heat down.  It needs to cook kind of slowly, so it won't scorch.  Do not stir it while it cooks.  Continue cooking it  and test it every once in awhile by dropping a little into a dish, or a cup with cold water in it.  Keep cooking it until that "test" candy is almost brittle.  The candy sample almost "cracks" when it hits the water. If it isn't cooked long enough, then it is flat and soft and not right.  If it cooks too long, and is very hard and brittle, it will be impossible to pull it and make it  turn out right.

After it has cooked to that brittle stage, pour it into a buttered dripper pan  (like a cake pan) to cool.

When it is cool enough to handle, you butter your hands and then scoop the candy out of the pan and begin to pull it.  You keep pulling it until it is quite firm and holds it's shape and is not at all runny.  In fact you pull it until it is very stiff and too hard to pull any more.  Then you make it into a long rope and lay it out on the (buttered) counter.  Get the scissors and cut it up before it gets any harder.  That's it.  Just cut it into bite size pieces. 

The pioneers made this candy all the time, only they didn't have honey as much and they made it with molasses.  I have done that, but it is not as good as honey candy.  It is an old family tradition recipe.   Good luck!  Hope it turns out good and you enjoy it.

Marla's Divine Apple Dip

I threw the word "divine" in there to make it stand out because this is the most awesome simple recipe ever!  It tastes like caramel heaven.

1 package cream cheese
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

All you gotta do is blend  this together and *magic*!  The best apple dip ever!

Sister Hinckley Bread

I loved Marjorie Pay Hinckley's book, Small and Simple things.  In it, she shares a whole wheat bread recipe, which, if done like written is amazing!!  But I  have altered it to go in my bread maker, and halved the recipe.
BREADMAKER
1 tsp. yeast
1 1/2 C. water
1/4 cups honey or sugar
1/4 cup oil
1 egg
2 cups white flour
2 cups wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup powdered milk

ORIGINAL RECIPE VARIATION--HALVED
Dissolve 1 package dry yeast in 1/4 Cup water with 1 1/2 tsp. honey or sugar.  Mix with
1 3/4 cup warm water, 3/4 cup powdered milk, 1/2 cup oil, 2 eggs beaten, 1/3 cup honey, 1 Tbsp. salt, 1/2 to 1 cup white flour, and about 5 cups whole wheat flour.
Knead in bread mixer about 10 minutes.  Let rise until doubled.  Divide into 3 small loaves.  Knead and shape.  Let rise in greased pans.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Reduce to 300 degrees and bake for 1 hour.

ORIGINAL RECIPE (from my notes)
Dissolve 2 pkg dry yeast in 1/2 cup water with 1/2 Tbsp. honey or sugar.  Mix with 3 1/2 cups warm water, 1 1/2 cups dry powdered milk, 1 cup oil, 4 eggs beaten,
3/4 cup honey, 2 Tbsp. salt, 1 or 2 cups white flour, about 10 cups whole wheat flour.
Knead and let rise until doubled.  Divide into 6 small loaves.  Knead and shape.  Let rise in greesed pans.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Reduce to 300 degrees and bake for 1 hour.
Thank you, Sister Hinckley for sharing this bread recipe and so much else!  We love and miss you!

Peanutbutter Playdough (Edible)

My kids love this because it is so yummy!

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup Karo syrup
1 cup nonfat dry milk
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Mix peanut butter and Karo syrup together in a large mixing bowl.  Mix powdered sugar and dry milk together in another bowl.  Mix all ingredients together with a spoon.  Knead with hands and have fun!

(When I did this one today, it was a little wet, so I added more dry milk; it worked)

New Favorite Playdough Recipe--very soft

1 cup flour

1 cup water

1/4 cup salt

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 Tbls. vegetable oil

food coloring (I used 4 drops)

Just dump all the ingredients into your pot and give them a good stir.  Enlist some small help if possible – they will think you are magic.