The Best Pretzels!

Best Pretzels

4 tsp. Yeast
1 tsp. Sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water
5 cups flour (sifted)
1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tbs. Vegetable Oil (may need 3 tbs. Water)
1/2 cup baking soda
4 cups hot water
1/4 cup kosher salt or pretzel salt

In bread maker combine yeast 1 tsp. Sugar and water let stand while sifting flour and add to mixture. Next add vegetable oil. Set bread machine to dough setting. Watch for consistency (may need 3 tbs. Water)
Set oven to 450 to preheat. When dough is ready make baking soda and water mixture. Roll dough out onto slightly floured counter top. Use pizza cutter and cut into long strips. Slightly pull them out so they are long and twist ends together and tuck down to middle to for pretzel shape. Dip into cornstarch mixture and place onto prepared baking sheet sprinkle with the salt and bake 8 minutes. Dip in melted butter and enjoy! Makes over a dozen.

Chicken Salad

This makes alot!

Chicken Salad

10 chicken breast (boiled or pressure cooked)
2-3 bunches fresh spinach
1 head of lettuce
3/4 cup grated swiss cheese
1 cup cottage cheese (drained)
1 pkg. wontons cut into strips and deep fry and drain

Fry the wontons in oil. One side and then the other, drain. (they fry quickly)
Boil chicken 1-2 hrs. Tear chicken apart to make stringly. Let cool. Mix lettuce, spinach and chicken together. Add cheese and cottage cheese. An hour before serving add wontons.

Dressing

1 tbs. poppy seeds
3/4 cup white vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tbs. grated onion (I use green onion)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. dry mustard

Mix dressing put over salad last (Makes a lot- Make 1/2 to get use to the size)

AVOCADO BEAN DIP

Avocado Bean Dip

1 can black eyed peas (drained)
1can white corn (drained)
1/2 red onion chopped
2 Avocados peeled and chopped into bite size pieces
Italian dressing just enough to wet it down
Salt n Pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and serve with tortillas

Movie Theatre Floor

HAHA!!! Movie Theatre Floor is what this is called, I so had to make it!

3 bags of popped popcorn
1 bag of fritos
1 pkg. candycorns
1 can mixed nuts
1 bag of m&ms
1 bag white chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients but last in very large bowl
In microwave melt white chocolate chips just enough to stir into a paste and pour over everything in bowl. Mix with a rubber scraper. Let chocolate set up and serve.
Makes a huge bowl full or a floor mess!

New Year Resolution

We all have goals or things we'd like to do or things we want to accomplish.
Some of the things I want to do this year are:
1) Learn to bake perfect bread,rolls, and pizza crust
2) Save some money
3) Loose some weight
4) Grow my hair out
5) Crochet a tablecloth
6) Learn Mandarin chinese
7) Excercise to stay fit
8) Get organized
9) Take time to read more
10) Live Love and Laugh More!

Baked Meatballs and Marinara Sauce

Oh this is my favorite!

Baked Meatballs and Marinara Sauce

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 large egg
1 cup italian bread crumbs (garlic flavor works well too)
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp. worchestershire sauce
1/4 cup parsley flakes
1/4 cup parmisan or romano shredded cheese
course salt & pepper

Mix ingredients together and make meatballs with large scoop. Place in a 9 x 12 baking dish and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

Marinara Sauce

1/2 tsp. oregano
1- 28 oz. crushed tomatoes
2- 14 oz. tomato chunks
1- 14 oz. tomato sauce
4 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 tbs. parsley flakes
salt n pepper

Simmer in saucepan.
Cook spaghetti noodles

Golden Corral Rolls

Golden Corral Rolls

1 envelope active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup hot milk
1 egg −− lightly beaten
4 1/2 cups sifted all−purpose flour
2 tablespoons melted butter −− for brushing rolls
Sprinkle the yeast over very warm water in a large bowl Stir until yeast dissolves. Add sugar, the 1/4 cup butter and salt to hot milk and stir until the sugar dissolves and butter is melted. Cool mixture to 105 to 115 degrees. Add milk mixture to yeast, then beat in egg. Beat in 4 cups of the flour, 1 cup at a time, to form a soft dough. Use some of the remaining 1/2 cup of the flour to dust a pastry cloth. Knead the dough lightly for 5 minutes, working in the remaining flour (use it for flouring the pastry cloth and your hands). Place dough in a warm buttered bowl; turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Punch dough down and knead 4 to 5 minutes on a lightly floured pastry cloth. Dough will be sticky, but use as little flour as possible for flouring your hands and the pastry cloth, otherwise the rolls will not be as feathery light as they should be. Pinch off small chunks of dough and shape into round rolls about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 inches in diameter. Place in neat rows, not quite touching, in a well−buttered 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan. Cover rolls and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 30 to 40 minutes. Brush tops of rolls with melted butter, then bake in a 375 degree F oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until nicely browned.

Makes 2 Dozen