Delicious Soft Pretzel Bites!

It could be some subconscious thing from when i lived in Germany, but i absolutely love soft pretzels. Never did i know it was so easy to make my own delicious ones. Some of the instructions might seem odd, but each step is essential for them to taste right.

WARNING! You cant eat just one!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups warm water

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 Package active dry yeast

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter

2 1/2 tsp salt

4 1/2 cups flour

2 Spoonfuls of Baking Soda

1 egg beaten with 1 Tablespoons cold water

Sea Salt

Instructions:

• Mix water, brown sugar, yeast, and butter. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes
• Add salt and flour and mix for about 3 minutes
• If dough is too wet, add small amounts of flour until it is more sticky
• Remove dough from bowl and knead into a ball
• Coat a medium sized bowl in vegetable oil and turn the dough ball around in it. 
• Let dough ball sit in bowl for an hour to rise
• Boil water in a sauce pan and add baking soda.
• Roll out dough into long skinny rolls. Cut the dough in to pieces.
• drop dough pieces into the baking soda water for 10-15 seconds
• Put pretzel bites on a greased baking sheet not touching
• brush tops with the egg wash and season with the sea salt
• Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown
• ENJOY!!

Happy Dough Punching! 

Espresso Fudge Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

I am a sucker for coffee flavored things and these cupcakes had the right amount of espresso flavor to satisfy my expectations in a magical fashion. I am not always a lover of frosting, but this chocolate cream cheese frosting was A-mazing and had such a rich flavor that i will definitely be using it again in the future. 

So much chocolate goodness! 

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tsp espresso powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter (half a stick)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips

-Pre-heat oven to 350º

-Mix flour, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt

-In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy

-Add in the vanilla and egg

-Slowly add the flour mixture and milk

-Stir in the chocolate chips

-Pour into cupcake liners in a cupcake pan and bake for 20 minutes

Frosting Ingredients:

• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tsp cocoa
• Splash of milk

-Melt the cream cheese a bit and add the vanilla slowly

-Slowly add sugar, cocoa, and milk

-spread on cooled cakes and top with chocolate chips or espresso beans if your are feeling fancy

You are now ready to enjoy cupcakes, which i have been told are a fantastic remedy to all maladies.

Happy Dough Punching! 

Great Grandma's Cut-Out Cookies

Every Christmas as far back as i can remember, my family has always made these cookies. Even though my sister really dislikes them, i freaking love them and eat about half the batch within a few hours. My great-grandma made these cookies with very few ingredients, common to most depression era recipes. Plus they were perfect for my mom who was allergic to eggs when she was little. My favorite part of making these cookies was always decorating them and individually placing the sprinkles, adding even more fuel to my sister's opposition to the cookies.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup sour milk* or butter milk
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg



My Decorating Skillz

• 4 cups flour

Cream shortening and sugar together (it is handy to leave the shortening out for a bit before starting the recipe to let it soften)

Mix baking soda into the milk 

Add your milk and baking soda concoction to the shortening and sugar

Mix in nutmeg and as much flour as you can.

If you have added too much flour and your dough isn't sticking together, add a splash or two of milk. 

Roll out dough and cut with cookie cutters

DECORATE! 

Bake  for 12 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit 

Mom's (note the crime scene gingerbread men)

*Sour milk can be made from milk and 1 Tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice

Happy Dough Punching!