Real Homemade Soft Pretzels

At the many baseball games we have gone to this spring...my kids spend most of their money on snacks including pretzels.  So one day I decided we should just make them at home for a after-school snack.  They were in LOVE with these pretzels!  I made some with salt and some with cinnamon sugar.  I found the recipe HERE.  They are time consuming but not hard to make.  My boys loved helping me shape them, boil them and of course eat them!



INGREDIENTS:

1 TBS yeast
1 TBS sugar
2 cups warm water
1 cup flour
4 cups flour, mixed with
1 TBS salt, more flour if needed
1 egg
1 TBS water
coarse salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, stir yeast, sugar and warm water.  Let rest until yeast is dissolved and is a little foamy.

2.  Stir in 1 cup flour.  Then add rest of flour mixed with the 1 TBS of salt.

3.  Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth.  Place in a oiled bowl, rolling around until all oiled.  Cover and let rise until doubled in size.

4.  Remove and knead again just a little bit, gently.  Cut into 16 pieces, roll each piece into 14" ropes, shape into pretzels and place on a greased cookie sheet.

5.  Cover and let rise 15 minutes.

6.  Drop each one or 2 at a time into a small pot of boiling water, boiling each 1 minute, and replace back onto greased cookie sheet.

7.  Brush each with eggwash (1 egg beaten with 1 TBS water), sprinkle with coarse salt.  Bake in preheated 450 degree oven for 12-15 minutes.

Country gravy

Here is simple country gravy recipe...which is a must on Saturday morning at our house!  I found the recipe HERE on Betty Crocker website. 

Ingredients:
1 TBS vegetable oil
2 TBS flour
1 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Sausage

Directions:

• 1

  After removing cooked meat from skillet or pan, add oil to drippings in skillet. Stir in flour, scraping up brown particles. Cook over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture is light golden brown.
• 2

  Stir in milk. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is boiling and thickened. If gravy is too thick, stir in more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency. Stir in salt and pepper.  Add sausage.

Chicken Parmigiana

This is simply delicious recipe by Pionner Woman. I've made this a few times already and love it! HERE is the recipe.



INGREDIENTS:

• 4 whole (up To 6) Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Trimmed And Pounded Flat
• 1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
•  Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 3/4 cups Wine (white Or Red Is Fine)
• 3 cans (14.5 Oz.) Crushed Tomatoes
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1/4 cube Chopped Fresh Parsley
• 1 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 pound Thin Linguine

DIRECTIONS:

Mix flour, salt, and pepper together on a large plate.
Dredge flattened chicken breasts in flour mixture. Set aside.

At this time, you can start a pot of water for your pasta. Cook linguine until al dente.

Heat olive oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium heat. When butter is melted and oil/butter mixture is hot, fry chicken breasts until nice and golden brown on each side, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Remove chicken breasts from the skillet and keep warm.

Without cleaning skillet, add onions and garlic and gently stir for 2 minutes. Pour in wine and scrape the bottom of the pan, getting all the flavorful bits off the bottom. Allow wine to cook down until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
Pour in crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Add sugar and more salt and pepper to taste. Allow to cook for 30 minutes. Toward the end of cooking time, add chopped parsley and give sauce a final stir.

Carefully lay chicken breasts on top of the sauce and completely cover them in grated Parmesan. Place lid on skillet and reduce heat to low. Allow to simmer until cheese is melted and chicken is thoroughly heated. Add more cheese to taste.

Place cooked noodles on a plate and cover with sauce. Place chicken breast on top and sprinkle with more parsley. Serve immediately.

Marshmallow Caramel Corn

Ingredients:

1 16 oz bag mini marshmallows
1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup popcorn kernels

Pop all the popcorn kernels. Meanwhile melt over medium heat brown sugar and butter. Once it is melted, stir in marshmallows. Pour over popcorn. Stir and salt lightly.