Cake Mix Biscotti

This has got to be the best biscotti recipe I have ever tried!! Great texture, not break your tooth hard like some recipes I've tried. I used a spice cake to make mine and dipped in Wiltons Pumpkin spice candy melts. I think they are seasonal because I can't find them now so you can just use any kind of candy melts or none at all... you can make these out of any flavor of cake mix just make sure it doesn't have pudding in the mix. The variations are endless. Give them a try, you won't be sorry!

Ingredients
1 (18 ounce) box cake mix, your choice of flavor... avoid those with pudding in the mix
1 1/2 to 2 cups flour, add until not too sticky to handle
4 large eggs room temperature 
¹⁄₂ cup margarine or butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, substitute with whatever suits the cake mix flavor 
³⁄₄ cup nuts (optional)
³⁄₄ cup chocolate chips or cinnamon chips or any other flavor chips you might want to use.

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
2. Pour the cake mix into a mixing bowl. Stir in 1& 1/2 cups flour.
3. Make a well in the center and add the eggs, margarine and vanilla extract.
4. With an electric beater mix on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until the dough does not stick to the sides of the mixing bowl. It will look and feel like play dough! this is where you add more flour if you need it.
5. On a lightly floured board, divide dough into two halves.
6. Pat and form each half into a log about 1" thick.
7. Put onto a lightly sprayed cookie sheet or on parchment paper on cookie sheet
8. Flatten the top of each cookie log until it is about 3" wide.
9. Bake for 20 minutes.
10. Remove baking sheet from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes.
11. Reduce oven temperature to 325 and do not turn off.
12. Gently slide one cookie log onto the counter or piece of parchment paper.
13. Using a serrated knife or better still an electric carving knife, slice each log across the width into 3/4" slices.
14. Place cookies cut side down back onto the baking sheet and return them to the oven for another 10 minutes turn over and bake another 10 minutes
15. Remove cookies to cooling rack to cool completely.
16. Melt Wilton candy melts and dip bottom of biscotti put on rack to harden
17. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container or freeze.
18. Variations include:.
19. PECAN BISCOTTI: butter pecan cake mix - chopped pecans - maple extract.
20. APRICOT BISCOTTI: golden cake mix - chopped dried apricots - toasted slivered almonds - almond extract.
21. CRANBERRY BISCOTTI: vanilla cake mix - chopped dried cranberries - toasted slivered almonds - almond extract.
22. ORANGE SPICE BISCOTTI: spice cake mix - walnuts - grated orange zest.
23. GINGER BISCOTTI: spice cake mix - walnuts - chopped crystalized ginger pieces.
24. CHOCOLATE-CHOCOLATE BISCOTTI: chocolate cake mix - chocolate piece or chips, freeze first so they retain their shape during baking.
25. LEMON ALMOND BISCOTTI: lemon cake mix - toasted slivered almonds.

Sicilian White Bread

2oz yeast
1 quart warm water
2 TBSP honey
1 lb flour
1/4 cup olive oil
3 TBSP salt
4 TSP garlic powder or fresh pureed garlic
2 lbs 8oz of Semolina flour or durum wheat
NOTE Semolina gives it more flavor!

1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Mix the honey, flour, olive oil, salt, garlic and all but a handful of the durum wheat. Once the ingredients have formed a dough, continue to knead for about 10 minutes adding the remaining flour as necessary to form a smooth, soft dough.
2. Place the dough in an oil bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover and let it rise in a warm place until double in volume.
3. Punch the dough down. Let rise again until it doubled in volume the second time.
4. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Shape the pieces into loaves. put slights on the tops of them.
5. Let the loaves rise until they are 1 1/2 time the original size.
6. Bake at 410F using steam for the first 10 minutes until the loaves are golden brown.
NOTE: to create steam in your oven: place a cookie sheet or pot on the lower racks with water in it and allow you oven to fill with steam. The steam will give you a crispier crust

Artisan bread recipe

the recipe and directions it's a combimation of 2 recipes but really really easy!!

make this recipe for the dough (from the 5 minute Artisan bread book)

THE MASTER RECIPE: BOULE (ARTISAN FREE-FORM LOAF)
MAKES FOUR 1-POUND LOAVES (RECIPE IS EASILY DOUBLED OR HALVED)
......
3 cups lukewarm water (about 105 to 115 degrees)

2 tablespoons granulated yeast

1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt or other coarse salt

6 ½ cups unsifted, unbleached, all-purpose white flour (measure with scoop and sweep method scoop from the bag and level off with a knife)

Cornmeal or parchment for pizza peel

and follow the directions for mixing and baking from this site http://www.aresrocket.com/bread/

you can make small loaves or big loaf like I did...you can also use it for pizza dough...I made pizzas on the grill with this dough...turned out wonderful!!


No Knead Bread - A Rustic Loaf!
www.aresrocket.com
A website on how to bake great rustic crusty bread at home. Simple directions with pictures to guide you through the process

7UP Biscuits (Just like Popeye's chicken biscuits)

Found this recipe here and I have made them they are WONDERFUL!!!

http://www.plainchicken.com/2010/04/7up-biscuits.html

2 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup 7-up (or any lemon lime soda)
1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 450.
Cut sour cream into biscuit mix, add 7-Up. Makes a very soft dough.

Sprinkle additional biscuit mix on board or table and pat dough out about 1"thick, don't work the dough very much. Cut biscuits with a sharp biscuit cutter or cookie cutter don't use a glass or the biscuits won't rise very well. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a 9 inch square pan. Place cut biscuits in pan and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Bread for Dummies: Super Easy Yeast Bread Recipe

found this here...might have to try this for Thanksgiving!http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/bread-for-dummies/

Seriously, this is a bread recipe that you can’t goof! As long as your yeast is good you can add something extra, take something away only use a partial amount of an ingredient, make substitutions, this bread tastes good no matter what! There is nothing I love more than yummy fresh baked bread.



Ingredients:

■2 cups of water (warm, it should feel like the bath tub)
■2/3 cups of oil
■1/2 cup of sugar
■1 tablespoon of yeast
— let it sit for 5-10 minutes.

■1 egg
■6 cups of flour
— knead until elastic.

■1/2 teaspoon of salt
— knead a tiny bit more, then cover the dough ball with plastic wrap. Let rise to double in size, then form into rolls, loaves, pizza dough, whatever. Start the oven at 350-400, while it is preheating let the bread re-rise. Bake till golden brown.

Variations:

■Add a knife-full of molasses to the warm water. Your bread will have a fuller flavor.
■Roll the bread out like a square pizza and coat with butter and then sprinkle heavily with cinnamon and sugar, or garlic, or grated some cheddar cheese over the dough, or even layer with lunch meat and onion, roll the dough and slice for rolls.
■Substitute a cup of potato flakes in the flour. Yummy, potato bread.

7up Biscuits ( like Popeye Chicken's biscuits)

found this recipe here...they sound delish!! http://www.plainchicken.com/2010/04/7up-biscuits.html
I made these and they are difinately just like Popeye's biscuits!!! when you pat them..leave them a little thick 1" to 1 1/2 thick...I made mine too thin but they were still goos...I also brushed the tops with melted butter!!!! my oh my...are they ever good!

2 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup 7-up
1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 450.
Cut sour cream into biscuit mix, add 7-Up. Makes a very soft dough.

Sprinkle additional biscuit mix on board or table and pat dough out. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a 9 inch square pan. Place cut biscuits in pan and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Biscuits that can't be beat

found this here http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2011/09/30/the-biscuit-recipe-that-cant-be-beat/?hpt=ea_r5

Biscuits
Makes 10 to 12 biscuits

Ingredients

•2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
•1 tablespoon baking powder
•1 teaspoon granulated sugar, plus more to taste
•1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
•8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold (1 stick)
•3/4 cup half-and-half or buttermilk
Cooking Directions

1.Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and grease a baking sheet or cast-iron skillet.
2.Mix together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
3.Cut the stick of butter into pieces and work it into the flour mixture with your hands or pastry blender until it resembles pea-size crumbs. Add the half-and-half or buttermilk, mixing until the dough is a bit loose and sticky.
4.Pour the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for a minute. Dough should be smooth and no longer wet. You can sprinkle more flour on the surface if you find it's sticking. Make the dough into a ball and hit it with a rolling pin, turning it and folding it in half every few whacks. Do this for a couple of minutes.
5.Roll out the dough until it's 1/4 of an inch think, then fold it in half. Using a round biscuit cutter (you can use a glass or a cup if you don't have a biscuit cutter), cut out the biscuits from the folded dough. Place on a greased baking sheet or in a cast-iron skillet close together, about 1/8 of an inch apart (so they rise up not out), and bake for 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

NOTE: If you don't want to roll and cut them out, after kneading and beating the dough you can drop the dough onto the baking sheet with a spoon. They're not as symmetrical (dropped biscuits are also known as cat-head biscuits), but they're no less delicious.

Pumpkin Bread (3 loaves)

Pumpkin Bread
Makes 3 loaves

3 cups canned pumpkin puree or one large can
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 cups white sugar
6 eggs
4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking
powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground
cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground
nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9x5 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin, oil, sugar, and eggs. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves; stir into the pumpkin mixture until well blended. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The top of the loaf should spring back when lightly pressed.

Olive Oil Dough (can be used for Pizza)

From Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day
Makes 4-1 lb loaves. (This recipe can easily be doubled or halved.)

Ingredients
2-3/4 cups lukewarm water
1-1/2 tablespoon granulated yeast (2 packets)
1-1/2 tablespoons Kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Directions
1. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, or in a large (5 quart) bowl working with a wooden spoon, mix the yeast, salt, sugar, and olive oil with the water.
2. Mix in the flour without kneading. I found this process to be incredible simple with my stand mixer, but it will certainly come together the old fashioned way. If you are not using a machine, you may need to wet your hands in order to incorporate the bit of flour.
2. Transfer dough to large (5 quart) bowl or lidded food container. Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest at room temperature until dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.
3. The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 12 days.

Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread

found this here http://annies-eats.net/2011/03/23/cinnamon-sugar-pull-apart-bread/

Yield: one 9 x 5" loaf


Ingredients:

For the dough:

2¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

¼ cup granulated sugar

2¼ tsp. instant yeast

½ tsp. salt

4 tbsp. unsalted butter

1/3 cup whole milk

¼ cup water

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 large eggs


For the filling:

4 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg


Directions:

To make the dough, combine the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Combine the butter and milk in a small saucepan and heat just until the butter is melted. Set aside and let cool briefly, until the mixture registers 115-125˚ F on an instant-read thermometer. Add the milk mixture, water, vanilla and eggs to the mixer bowl. Mix on low speed until a cohesive dough forms. Continue to knead until smooth and elastic, adding additional flour as needed 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and is tacky but not sticky. Knead about 3-5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat, and cover. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. (After the dough has doubled, it can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before proceeding.)


While the dough rises, add the butter to a small saucepan and melt until browned. Set aside. Combine the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl and mix well.


Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and gently deflate. Roll into a ball, cover with a clean towel and let rest for 5 minutes. Roll the dough out into an approximately 12 x 20-inch rectangle. Brush the dough with the browned butter. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the dough in an even layer. (Yes, really, use all of it.)


Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Slice the dough vertically into 6 even strips. Stack the strips on top of each other and again cut again into 6 equal slices. Stack all the squares on top of each other and set into the prepared loaf pan. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place, 30-45 minutes.


Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Transfer the loaf to the oven and bake 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown. (If the top seems to be browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil at the end of baking.) Remove from the oven and let rest in the pan 20-30 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen and carefully turn the loaf out, transferring to a serving plate. Serve warm.

Artichoke Bread

Found this one here http://www.closetcooking.com/2010/01/artichoke-bread.html
(makes 1 loaf)


Ingredients:
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts (drained and chopped)
2 green onions (sliced)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 (4 ounce package) cream cheese (room temperature)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mozzarella (grated)
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano (grated)
1 loaf Italian bread (sliced in half lengthwise)


Directions:
1. Mix the artichoke hearts, green onions, garlic, cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, mozzarella and parmigiano reggiano reserving some of the cheese.
2. Hollow 1/2 an inch out of the center of both halves of the bread.
3. Spread the mixture into the hole in the bread slices and top with the reserved cheese.
4. Bake in a preheated 350F oven covered in foil for 20 minutes.
5. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the cheese is melted and golden brown.

Orange Marmalade Coffee Cake

1 cup sweet orange marmalade (or you can use apricot)
2 tablespoons (or more to taste) chopped, lightly toasted walnuts
1 cup firmly packed white granulated or brown sugar (each work well and both taste great)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 (approximately 12 ounce) cans of refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F for baking. Spread marmalade evenly in the bottom of a greased, 12-cup Bundt pan; top with walnuts. Melt butter in a small bowl. In a medium-sized bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon.

In assembly-line fashion, place ingredients in the following order: bowl of melted butter, bowl of sugar/cinnamon mixture, and prepared Bundt pan. Separate refrigerated biscuits, dip in melted butter, then dredge in sugar/cinnamon mixture. Stand biscuits on edge (standing upright) around Bundt pan, spacing as evenly as possible. Drizzle any remaining butter over biscuits, and sprinkle with any remaining sugar/cinnamon mixture.

Place in 350 degree F oven and bake for approximately 35 minutes, or until top of biscuits turn just golden. Cool in pan on wire rack for about 5 minutes, then invert onto a serving platter or dish. Serve immediately. Yield: Serves 8

Quick Caramel Rolls

Note: you can use one loaf of bread dough but use the whole amount of topping. One loaf makes 12 rolls.



2 loaves frozen bread dough (thaw well, if it rises a little bit it will be ok)
soft butter
brown sugar
cinnamon
Could sprinkle chopped pecans on top before rolling up.

Topping:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons thick cream

Let dough thaw. Roll out one loaf at a time and spread with butter, sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up like a jelly roll, cut, and put in greased pan. Let rise until rolls touch each other. Cover rolls with topping. Bake at 350 degree for approx 15-20 minutes.

HONEY WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

The recipe might have to be cut in half depending on your bread maker but it is the best recipe and it makes fabulous rolls or buns.

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups all purpose flour
3 cups whole wheat flour
or any combo of the above...
2 pkg. active dry yeast
2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/2 cup honey
3 Tbsp. oil
1 egg

PREPARATION:
In large bowl, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour, the yeast, and salt and mix well.
In saucepan, heat milk, water, honey, and oil until a thermometer reads 120-130 degrees F (warm)
Add liquid mixture to flour mixture and stir to combine. Beat this batter for 3 minutes. Then, gradually stir in rest of whole wheat flour and enough remaining all-purpose four to form a firm dough.
Sprinkle work surface with flour and knead dough, adding more flour if necessary, for 5-8 minutes until smooth and satiny. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning the dough in the bowl to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour, until double in bulk.
Punch down dough and divide into 2 pieces. On lightly floured surface, roll or press each piece of dough to a 14x7" rectangle. Starting with shorter side, roll up tightly, pressing dough into roll with each turn. Pinch edges and ends to seal and place dough, seam-side down, into greased 9x5" bread pans, making sure short ends of bread are snugly fitted against the sides of the pans. Cover and let rise in warm place until the dough fills the corners of the pans and is double in bulk, 30-40 minutes.
Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes, until bread is golden brown. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks. I like to brush the bread with butter when it's still hot from the oven for a softer crust.


You can put the wet ingredients on the bottom, the dry on the top, and press the "dough" button. The machine does all the work.

Bacon and Cheddar Scones

Found this recipe here....go check it out she has a great tutorial for this recipe
http://bunsinmyoven.com/2010/02/24/bacon-and-cheddar-scones/


•3 cups all-purpose flour
•1 tbsp baking powder
•1 tsp salt
•2 tsp ground black pepper
•1/2 cup chilled butter, cut into small cubes
•1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
•4 green onions, thinly sliced
•10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
•3/4 to 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
•1 large egg
•2 tbsp water
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Fit your mixer with the paddle attachment and add flour, baking powder, salt, and black pepper to the bowl. Mix on the low speed. Slowly add cubes of butter to the flour mixture and keep mixing until it is crumbly and your butter is in small pea sized pieces. Add the grated cheese and mix until blended in.

(If you don’t have a mixer just stir dry ingredients together and cut butter in with a pastry cutter or two knives and then stir in the cheese.)

Add the green onions, bacon, and 3/4 cup of buttermilk to the flour and cheese mixture. Mix by hand until all the ingredients are incorporated. Do not overwork the dough! If the dough is still to dry to hold together, add in more buttermilk 1 tablespoon at a time, until you can form the dough into a ball.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a ball. Using a well floured rolling pin, flatten the dough into a circle about 8 inches wide (mine was closer to 10 inches) and 1/2 inch thick. Cut the dough into 8 to 10 equal wedges depending on the size of scone you want.

Whisk egg and water together and brush the tops of the scone with the egg wash. I sprinkled a bit of kosher salt on the tops because I’m wild and crazy, but the original recipe didn’t call for this.

Place scones on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes or until they are golden brown and no longer sticky in the centers. Serve warm!

Sourdough Starter and Sourdough Bread Recipe (for bread machine)

I've always wanted to try making Sourdough bread.... found this recipe here think I'll give it a try! http://unsophisticook.com

Sourdough Starter Recipe

Ingredients:1 package active dry yeast
2 1/2 c. warm water (105-115 degrees)
2 c. all-purpose flour/span>
1 T. sugar or honey
{1} Gather your ingredients. You'll need yeast, flour, water, and either sugar or honey to feed the starter.
{2} Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup of the warm water.
{3} Whisk together the remaining warm water, flour, sugar or honey, and dissolved yeast mixture.
(4} Cover the sourdough starter with cheesecloth and let stand at room temperature for 5-10 days, stirring three times daily. The starter is ready for use when it smells fermented and the vigorous bubbling ceases.
When your sourdough starter is done fermenting, you may store it in the refrigerator in a covered plastic container.

Maintenance and Use of Sourdough Starter:

To use your starter, first stir it up. Then measure out the amount of cold starter that you need, and then let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before proceeding with your recipe.
Replenish your starter by adding 3/4 c. all-purpose flour, 3/4 c. water, and 1 t. sugar or honey to remaining starter. Let stand at room temperature for a day, and then you can cover and place it back in the refrigerator.
If you don't use your starter within 10 days, stir in an additional teaspoon of sugar or honey every 10 days to feed the yeast.



Bread Machine Sourdough Bread Recipe
Ingredients:3 1/2 c. flour
2 T. sugar
2 t. salt
2 1/4 t. active dry yeast
3/4 c. milk, warmed
1.5 T. butter, softened
1 c. sourdough starter
Directions:Add 1 cup flour, sugar, salt, and yeast to your bread pan. If your bread machine has a warming cycle, turn it off and start a basic bread cycle to stir these ingredients together. I use the dark crust setting for this recipe
Slowly add warm milk and softened butter to dry mixture while the bread machine is still stirring. Then do the same with the sourdough starter.
Add the remaining 2-1/2 cups of flour slowly to the wet mixture. It may seem like too much flour, as the dough will get very crumbly, but it will all get kneaded into the bread. I've found that it helps to press down on the dough as the machine is still kneading to get it to pick up all of the bits of dough.
Close the top of the bread machine and let it finish out its cycle. When the bread is done baking, remove it from the pan immediately and let it cool on a rack to prevent it from getting soggy.
Makes one 2-lb. sourdough loaf.

Soft Mall Pretzels

I found this recipe here and she has a wonderful tutorial to follow with pictures to go along with this recipe...!!! http://ucreatefoods.blogspot.com/2011/01/mall-pretzels.html

Soft Mall Pretzels
1 packet active dry yeast (I use Red Star Quick Rise)
1 1/2 C hot (110-120 degrees) water
2 T brown sugar
1 t salt
1 C bread flour (important for light texture)
3 C all-purpose flour 2 C warm water
2T baking soda
1/4 C melted butter

toppings
coarse salt
garlic salt, parmesan cheese
cinnamon, sugar


Place brown sugar, yeast, and salt in your KitchenAid bowl.


Add hot water, stir gently to dissolve.

Using the dough hook attachment, add flour, 1 cup at a time, until it’s all incorporated.

Knead another 8-10 minutes. Dough will be smooth and elastic, not tacky.

Remove dough from hook & mixer. Round dough into ball, lightly spray or grease mixing pan, and place dough back into the pan.

I like to wet a kitchen towel with very hot water and cover the dough with it. Let it rise for about an hour. I’ve let mine go for three hours before and it was fine.

Remove dough from the pan onto a clean, dry hard work surface.

Cut dough into twelve approximately equal pieces. I start by cutting it in half…

…then quarters, and then each quarter into three pieces.

The pieces end up being about a perfect handful for me.

Your perfect handfuls can help you roll your dough out,too. Take each of the little dough balls and roll them out into 3 foot ropes. You might have to let the dough rest for a few minutes to get it rolled out long enough. I usually roll out all twelve, setting each aside while I do the others, then go back and roll them briefly once more to get them just a little thinner.

To roll, start in the middle with your fingers spread apart, applying downward pressure, and “rock” your wrists outward while you roll the dough back and forth. This stretches the dough while rolling it (careful…don’t stretch it too quickly or it’ll break!), making a nice long rope.

Once you’ve got them all rolled out, spray two parchment- or silicone-lined cookie sheets. This is important…Don’t forget to line and spray them or your pretzels will stick!

I did one of each just to test the difference. There was no difference. They both browned beautifully on the bottom.

Dissolve 2 T baking soda in 2 C hot water, and stir to incorporate.

Give each rope a quick dip in the soda bath before rolling them into pretzelsStart with a U shape:

Then cross one end over the other:
Give it a twist:
Then bring the ends down to lay on top of the dough on the curve.

Since I had helpers, this simple rolling technique was not nearly exciting enough. The kids wanted to have some fun with designs, and I couldn’t see a good reason not to let them. These pretzels are really forgiving. Don’t worry about too much bulk causing them to not cook thoroughly. They will. One day when I have a little more time on my hands, I’ll have the kids help me roll out several small, short ropes and make letter shapes out of them.

Once you’ve got all your pretzels rolled (or twirled, bent, whatever…), let them rise for about 15-20 minutes, then bake them at 450 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or until they’re golden brown.

While the pretzels were baking, I threw together a couple of dipping sauces. I made one by cubing about 1 cup of Velveeta cheese and microwaving it with about 1 cup of salsa in about 1 minute intervals until I could stir it up into a creamy sauce. The other one I made with about 3 T of spicy brown mustard, about 1 T of honey, and about 1 tsp of cider vinegar. You can definitely modify these to your family’s flavor & texture preferences. We liked the spicy brown mustard sauce best. Next time, though, I want to try a sweet glaze or frosting to dip the cinnamon sugar ones in.

When the pretzels come out of the oven, brush them with melted butter and then sprinkle your topping(s) of choice on them.

We made traditional salted pretzels (just coarse salt on top of the butter), garlic & parmesan pretzels (sprinkle with garlic salt, then top with parmesan cheese), and cinnamon sugar pretzels (sprinkle on a dash of cinnamon followed by a generous coating of sugar). Next time, I’d like to try sprinkling some powdered ranch salad dressing mix to make the ranch pretzel.

For the record, they taste every bit as good as (Pretzelmaker/Pretzel Time/Aunt Annie)’s soft “mall pretzels”. So much so, that I may never have to set foot in the mall ever again.

Boston Brown Bread

from COOKS.COM

1 (15 oz.) box raisins
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. butter
Pour 2 cups boiling water over and Let stand 3 or 4 hours or overnight

Mix
2 cups sugar
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten
walnuts (optional)

add raisin mixture (liquid and all) and mix thoroughly

divide equally into 6 #2 cans (green bean can size). Bake about 55 or 60 minutes in 350 degree oven. Remove from cans. Good spread with Cream Cheese

English Muffins

This is such a simple recipe, it is great for everyone, even beginners...

1 cup milk
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 Tablespoon package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1/4 cup melted shortening, butter or oil
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tsp Salt.

Directions
1.Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in the sugar, stirring until dissolved. Let cool until lukewarm. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2.In a large bowl, combine the milk, yeast mixture, shortening and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Add salt and rest of flour, or enough to make a soft dough. Knead. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise.
3.Punch down. Roll out to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut rounds with biscuit cutter, drinking glass, or empty tuna can. Sprinkle waxed paper with cornmeal and set the rounds on this to rise. Dust tops of muffins with cornmeal also. Cover and let rise 1/2 hour.
4.Heat greased griddle. Cook muffins on griddle about 10 minutes on each side on medium heat. Keep baked muffins in a warm oven until all have been cooked. Allow to cool and place in plastic bags for storage. To use, split and toast.

Cherry Eggnog Quick Bread

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/4 cups eggnog or half and half
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup coarsely chopped candied red cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 3 5 1/2 by 3 inch mini loaf pans with no stick cooking spray.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir until well blended. Combine the eggnog, butter, eggs and vanilla in medium bowl, stir until well blended. Add to the flour mixture. Mix just until ingredients are moistened. Stir in pecans and cherries. Spoon into prepared pans.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes when tested with a wooden tooth pick and it comes out clean.

Cool in pan 15 minutes and then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks before wrapping with plastic wrap. Wrap when room temperature tightly wrapped in plastic wrap.