Homemade Pretzels- Attempt #2

So this is our second attempt at homemade pretzels.  The first attempt had whole wheat, which was good, but it wasn't the soft, salty goodness that is Auntie Anne's at the mall.

And Pinterest said "these are the best pretzels- forget the mall!"

I put a lot of faith in Pinterest, usually falsely (check out my posts on my personal blog about various Pinterest Project Fails) but I believed this pinner.  I was excited.  I was going to make pretzels that were better than those at the mall!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 3 ounces unsalted butter, melted
• 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
• Vegetable oil
• 3 quarts water
• 3/4 cup baking soda
• 1 whole egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
• Coarse sea salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Add the salt and flour and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. 
3. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands.
4. Oil a bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil.
5. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour. (Here's the best trick I've ever read- simply put it in the oven with a towel on top and a bowl of hot water underneath.  This works for us, since there IS no warm spot in our house!)
6. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
7. Bring the water to a boil in a small roasting pan over high heat and add the baking soda.
8. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. 
9. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 ounces each. 
10. Roll each piece into a long rope and shape into the lengths or shapes that you want (sticks are easy and tasty).  
11. Boil the pretzels in the water solution in batches. Boil for about 30 seconds. Remove with a large slotted spoon. 
12. Place pretzels on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure they are not touching. 
13. Brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with the salt. 
14. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.
15. Add additional toppings immediately after they come out of the oven

VERDICT

So... obviously Pinterest failed me again.  I mean... these were good, but there weren't Auntie Anne's.  And I don't know how they could be when you put EGG on top instead of BUTTER.  I know, it's probably healthier, but the butter topping and big pieces of salt is what makes the mall pretzels so awesome!

I do agree that the best way to make them is to both boil and bake them.  That seems to get the pretzel consistency right.  As for the rest.... I'm on the hunt for a better recipe.

Slowcooker Honey Sesame Chicken

It's slowcooker season again!  While I planned this recipe for a while, I didn't plan on the strange 70-degree day we had.  It probably would have been a great day to get in one last grilled dinner for the year.  But I digress.  Get your slowcooker dusted off, the cool weather is here and it's time to fix it and forget it!

INGREDIENTS

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (thighs would be fine too, according to the recipe)
Salt and pepper
1 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (this amount makes it flavorful but does NOT make it spicy.  I promise!)
4 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 6 Tablespoons water
Sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS

Season both sides of chicken with lightly with salt and pepper, put into crock pot. In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours, or just until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from crock pot, leave sauce. Dissolve 4 teaspoons of cornstarch in 6 tablespoons of water and pour into crock pot. Stir to combine with sauce. Replace lid and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes or until slightly thickened. Cut chicken into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce before serving. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice or noodles.

VERDICT

This is excellent.  Really.  And it couldn't be easier.  Get your slow cooker fired up and get cookin!


Next time I'll find a way to add vegetables.  I think you can probably add them for that last 10 minutes with the corn starch to get them crisp-tender and perfect with the meal.  Although mine look pretty in the picture, they were raw.  But there's always next time!

Orzo Broccoli

If you previously saw the post for the pumpkin seed tilapia, you saw the tasty-looking pasta & broccoli side in the pictures.  If you missed the tilapia recipe (and you're really missing out!),  You can find that here. 

Anyways, here's a light, easy side dish to try with any meal.

INGREDIENTS

• 4.5 oz uncooked orzo pasta
• 2 cups of fresh broccoli florets only (no stems)
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
• 3 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• salt and fresh pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS 


Trim stems off broccoli, cut into small pieces and season with salt. Steam covered with a little water until cooked, careful not to overcook. When broccoli is cooked, remove from pan and chop into smaller pieces.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in medium pot of salted water as directed for al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup liquid before draining. Drain orzo in a colander and add the oil to the pot. Saute garlic a few minutes until golden, add broccoli, season with salt and mix well. Add orzo and stir to combine all. Add a little reserved liquid as needed so pasta isn't dry. Serve with freshly grated cheese if desired (optional).

VERDICT

Best of all, it makes a TON.  Check out my leftover containers!  Lunches for two full days!

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

This is one of those recipes where I have to go out and buy a good chunk of the ingredients.  If you ever saw my pantry, you'd know that there's not much that I don't already have on hand.  But green enchilada sauce?  Sour cream?  Diced green chiles?  It's all just stuff I don't normally keep stocked up on.

So the shopping list for this recipe might be a bit much, but it is definitely worth trying.

INGREDIENTS

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked & shredded
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 (10 ounce) can green chili enchilada sauce
1/2 cup red enchilada sauce
1 cup shredded cheese (I used colby & monterrey jack)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup uncooked Penne pasta

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet.  Add onions and red pepper; cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Add garlic; cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Add cooked chicken, green chiles, cumin, chili powder, salt, & enchilada sauces.  Let sauce simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Stir in cheese until it is melted and heated through.
6. Reduce heat to low and stir in the sour cream.  Continue to stir until sour cream is well mixed and heated through.
7. Combine sauce with cooked pasta.  Mix well until pasta is evenly coated. Serve and enjoy!

VERDICT

De-licious.  I love pasta, so it's a hit for me.  Mark likes Mexican, so it's a hit for him.  Win-win... and even tasty microwaved the next day!