Punch it out with Pretzels

So I am sooo mad today. I was so excited and had everything planned for Logan getting to Alaska at 12:30 am tomorrow (friday 10/10/10) . But nope! While I was at the apartment building there was another delay in getting, I get a call from him that his flight is delayed, now canceled. I had everything set up perfectly! I have been talking for weeks on how sad I was that I didn't have a way to get to the airport, when in actually I was as a surprise, but I had him convinced with valid reasons. But since he does not arrive until 2:40 PM to anchorage, I have no way to get there, and I have to wait till he gets to Seward to give him a hug and a kiss. I am sooo sad, because I had everything set up to recreate what it was like when I first went to Missouri, but with this being his first time to Alaska. So my day is pretty down in the dumps.

I felt like making something to get my mind off, and found a link for awesome Hedgehog Truffles (Logan's favorite animal, he wants one as a pet soooo badly). Sooo Adorable! The recipe is in Polish though, and google translator does not do a good enough job to let me make the recipe. *sigh* If anyone knows how to *correctly* translate Polish I would be indebted to you!

 So now that I am sad X3, I need something else. Todd has been asking for pretzels since before his birthday. I did not want to make them at my mom's because they create a MESS. Even worse than normal! But the idea of making either bread or pretzels appealed to me because of the kneading needed. So I told him if he went out and bought me a jar of yeast I would make him some. I wish I had the AWESOME recipe from my online cooking school I was in while living in Las Vegas, but sadly, I don't know where it is. So I did a search and found Mall Pretzels on AllRecipes.com. It is not the same, but works. Turned out pretty good.

Our Golden brown Pretzel Knots

Rise! Rise my little yeasty Minions!!!

Here is the recipe: dissolve 2 1/4 teaspoon yeast (or one package of .25 ounce), 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 1/8 teaspoons salt in 1 1/2 cups warm water. I let it sit and bubble and become really active first.  Then mix in 3 cups all-purpose flour and 1 cup bread flour. Knead really well, till nice and smooth like elastic. Then place in a large bowl that has been coated with olive oil (or any sort of veggie or safflower oil), roll it slightly so outside gets coated and will stay soft, then cover with a warm towel. And whisper the picture caption to it. (Yes I really did!) Let sit and rise for 1 hour.

Process of cuts

Then when I came back to my bowl overflowing with dough I rolled it into a large log, and cut it in half, then cut each half in half. Here is a MS of what cuts I made to make it easier than say half and half and half. I accidentally deviated and made 16 pieces instead of the 12 the recipes calls for, just means you will have smaller pretzels and 4 extra.

Roll out each piece into a small thin snake. I risked the death of the world and actually let Todd help me make these since he has been wanting them so bad.  Then tie up into your pretzel. Because I cut 4 extra out of same amount of dough we didn't have as long of ropes and actually made knots without a hole in the center.

Dip into a small bowl or pan with 2 tablespoons baking soda dissolved in 2 cups warm water. 

Then place on an sprayed pan and let sit and rise for 15-20 minutes. Bake at 450* for 8 minutes. 


Brush with some melted butter and sprinkle with coarse salt (sea salt or kosher are best, not table salt) or Cheese or Brown Sugar and Cinnamon mix.

Yumm Yumm! These are nice and tender! Todd ate them all in like within 15 minutes (though I might have had one or two...)