Homemade Soft Pretzels

This recipe has been in the family for years. It came from a nun at my sisters' Sunday school, and it's been a family favorite ever since!

INGREDIENTS 

1 1/2 c. warm water

1 pkg. yeast 

1 tsp. salt

1 TBS. sugar

4 c. flour

1 egg (use for the top of pretzels)

 

 

STEP 1: Pour water into medium bowl. Add yeast. Allow to dissolve.

STEP 2: Mix in salt and sugar.

 

STEP 3: Add the 4 cups flour into the water and yeast.

  STEP 4: Roll into ropes.

 

STEP 5: Start shaping them into a pretzel.

STEP 6: Whisk egg. Brush on pretzel. Sprinkle with additional salt.

   

Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.      

      

Enjoy!!

Delicious Homemade Banana Bread

As I have mentioned in past posts, I love to bake.  One treat that I especially love is banana bread.  For some reason, even with all my baking "skills", banana bread has hated me in the past.  It's either not done in the middle, gets too dark on the outside, doesn't have enough banana flavor, etc.  My mother in law introduced me to this recipe a few years ago.  I think it is wonderful.  It always goes over well and so far, knock on wood, I have had success when using this recipe.  :)  Hope you and your family can enjoy it. 

3 1/2 c.  flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp.  salt
1 tsp.  baking soda
2 c.  mashed bananas
2 T. lemon juice
3/4 c.  soft butter
1 1/2 c.  sugar
3 eggs
3/4 c.  milk
1/2 c.  pecans optional

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Set out 3 eggs.  Measure  milk and set aside. Grease 2- 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 loaf pans.

Step 2: Mash 4-6 bananas (totaling 2 cups mashed).  Add lemon juice.  Set aside.

Step 3.  In a small bowl, stir flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together. 

Step 4: In a large bowl, mix soft butter and sugar until well combined.  Add room temperature eggs and mix until light and fluffy, approximately 4 minutes. 

Step 5: Add flour mixture, alternating with the milk.  Use blender after each addition, mixing just until blended. 

Step 6: Fold in bananas.

Step 7:  Fold in pecans (optional)

Step 8:  Pour in the 2 greased pans and bake for approximately an hour or until knife comes out clean.  

Step 9:  Remove from pan as soon as you can handle your bread.  Place on cooling rack.  

ENJOY!

Pizza Bread

Easy for a quick meal!

I used the pizza dough that came from my mom. The girls give me the credit for the
pizza dough recipe, but it should go to my wonderful mother!!! Thanks, Mom!!

(If you would like the recipe, click here!)

When I made some pizza dough I had frozen half of it the week before. So, it was great

 to have already prepared pizza dough in the freezer when I was in a pinch.

 

This is a fun meal to make with little ones.  They always love to help put the toppings on!  : )

These are the ingredients I used to make a garlic butter to spread on the pizza bread. 

I melted 1/2 stick of butter,

and added Pampered Chef's Garlic Garlic to taste.  If you

don't have this, you can substitute it with garlic powder and

garlic salt.  Just sprinkle to your liking in the melted butter and stir.

• Roll your dough into a rectangular shape to about 1/2" thick.
• Spread your garlic butter on it. 
• Then add your toppings.  You can add anything such as olives, onions, green peppers, mushrooms, etc. 

This time we made it really simple.  Pepperoni was used and it was a hit!

Sprinkle cheese over the top. 

  (I used mozzarella and cheddar.

You can use your favorite cheeses!)

Roll up on the long end, being careful to keep it as tight as you can.

After you are done rolling it up, seal the seam, and tuck in the ends to seal.

• Place the pizza bread on a lightly oiled pan.
•  Brush the garlic butter on top and cut angled slits in the top of the pizza bread.
•  Sprinkle them lightly with Italian seasoning.  
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Remove from oven and let sit for about 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Candied Pecans

There are many recipes out there for candied nuts. I generally use almonds, but I've found that I like pecans even more! I tried a recipe for candied pecans awhile ago that left them with a chewy, syrupy coating. They were good, but they got stuck in your teeth and felt like you were getting cavities just by looking at them. I decided to try something a little different this time and I think I'm sticking with this one! This recipe leaves your pecans light and airy, crunchy and crisp, and won't leave you with your teeth sticking together. Just be careful not to make too many...you won't be able to control yourself once you start eating them! :) 

Ingredients

1 c. pecan halves

1 egg white

1/2 tsp. vanilla

3 Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions

Whip egg white and vanilla until stiff peaks form.

Throw your pecans in and toss them to get them coated.

In a separate bowl, mix your cinnamon and sugar.

Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the pecans (leave about a tablespoon in the bowl for later) and stir them up, being sure to get them completely coated.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Spread pecans out in an even layer, making sure they aren't touching each other.

Sprinkle remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture over pecans.

Bake at 225 degrees for 1 hour, turning every 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Store in airtight container.

(Directions with Photos)

Whip egg white and vanilla until stiff peaks form.

Throw your pecans in and toss them to get them coated.

In a separate bowl, mix your cinnamon and sugar.

Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the pecans (leave about a tablespoon in the bowl for later) and stir them up, being sure to get them completely coated.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Spread pecans out in an even layer, making sure they aren't touching each other.

Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture over the pecans.

Bake at 225 degrees for 1 hour, turning every 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Store in airtight container.

A great way to use these pecans is to serve them with this White Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake! 

Click here for the recipe! :)

White Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake

Have you noticed that certain recipes become a holiday tradition over the years? About 5 years ago, I found a recipe in my Taste of Home cookbook that I decided to make for Thanksgiving that year. It was a white chocolate pumpkin cheesecake. It was served with candied almonds and it was a big hit! The following year, my Grandpa requested that I make it again, and from then on, I've made it every year. :) I did make a couple changes...one of them being that I switched the nuts. The almonds were really good (they actually came out tasting similar to roasted pumpkin seeds), but I prefer pecans. 

For my candied pecan recipe, click here! :)

Ingredients

Crust:

1 1/2 c. gingersnaps, crushed

1/4 c. butter, melted

Filling:

3 pkg cream cheese, softened

1 c. sugar

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

5 oz. white chocolate chips, melted then slightly cooled

3/4 c. canned pumpkin

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Directions

Mix crushed gingersnaps and melted butter.

Press into a 9-inch springform pan.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar. 

Beat in eggs, one at a time, and then vanilla. 

Stir in melted white chocolate. 

In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Fold pumpkin mixture into the cream cheese mixture.

Pour into crust and spread to even it out.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour.

(Per my sister, Tricia's recommendations, you can bake your cheesecake in a water bath. Wrap the pan in aluminum foil, place it on a sheet pan and pour some water into the sheet pan. Just be sure not to let water seep into the cheesecake!)

Once done, remove from the oven, place on a cooling rack, and let cool 10 minutes.

Run a butter knife along the edges to loosen and remove the sides of the pan.

Let cool for 1 hour.

 Cover and refrigerate until completely chilled (or overnight).

Garnish with candied nuts.

(Directions with Photos)

If you have a food processor, throw your gingersnaps in there.

Pulse it until you have small crumbs.

Mix crushed gingersnaps and melted butter.

Press into a 9-inch springform pan.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar. 

Beat in eggs, one at a time, and then vanilla. 

Melt your chocolate.

(To melt the chocolate, you can microwave it, stirring every 15 seconds until it's melted. Cool it slightly before adding it to the cheesecake. Mine cooled a little too much, that's why you'll see chunks of the chocolate. It's fine either way, but I prefer it really mixed in.)

Stir in the white chocolate.

In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Fold pumpkin mixture into the cream cheese mixture.

Pour into crust and spread to even it out.

(Per my sister, Tricia's recommendations, you can bake your cheesecake in a water bath. Wrap the pan in aluminum foil, place it on a sheet pan and pour some water into the sheet pan. Just be sure not to let water seep into the cheesecake!)

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour.

Once done, remove from the oven, place on a cooling rack, and let cool 10 minutes.

Run a butter knife along the edges to loosen and remove the sides of the pan.

Let cool for 1 hour.

 Cover and refrigerate until completely chilled (or overnight).

Garnish with candied nuts. :)

*If the chocolate is completely melted when you add it, you won't have those chunks of white chocolate that you see here. It will be more like a solid cheesecake. It depends on what you prefer. :)

Chocolate Crackle Cookies

We are now in the month of December. Time has passed quickly this year, and before we know it, Christmas will be here and gone as well. This is the time of year that seems to be full of cookies and candies that you don't normally get throughout the rest of the year. There are parties, celebrations, and cookie exchanges! One of my favorite cookies to make around Christmas-time are these Chocolate Crackle Cookies. These yummy cookies are powdery & crisp on the outside and soft & fudgy on the inside. They are very easy to make, and look fabulous on your cookie platter! :)

Ingredients

1 c. cocoa powder

2 c. sugar

1/2 c. oil

4 large eggs

2 1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 c. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

 powdered sugar (for coating)

Directions

Mix cocoa, sugar, and oil in a large bowl.

Beat eggs in, one at a time.

Add vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. 

Gradually beat into the cocoa mixture. (Dough will get thick.)

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.

Fill a small bowl with about 1/2 cup powdered sugar. (May need a little more later.)

After the dough is chilled, scoop into 1 inch balls.

Roll the balls in the powdered sugar until coated.

Place on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper.

Bake 350 degrees for about 10-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let rest 1-2 minutes on the cookie sheet. 

Then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

******************************

(Directions with Photos)

Mix cocoa, sugar, and oil in a large bowl.

Beat eggs in, one at a time.

Add vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. 

Gradually beat into the cocoa mixture. 

(Dough will get thick.)

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.

*Fill a small bowl with about 1/2 cup powdered sugar. (May need a little more later.)*

After the dough is chilled, scoop into 1 inch balls.

Roll the balls in the powdered sugar until coated.

Place on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper.

Bake 350 degrees for about 10-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let rest 1-2 minutes on the cookie sheet. 

Then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Enjoy! :)