Soft Pretzels

1 cup milk

2 TBS unsalted butter

3 TBS light brown sugar, packed

2 1/4 tsp instant yeast (or 1 pkt rapid-rise yeast)

2-1/2 to  2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp table salt

1/4 cup baking soda (for water/baking soda solution)

Topping

3 TBS unsalted butter, melted

3/4 tsp coarse salt 

Warm milk and butter in microwave or on stove top 

until the butter is just melted, about 90 seconds - do not boil.

Add brown sugar and stir until dissolved; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment,

combine 2-1/2 cups flour with salt and yeast.

Mix on low until well combined, about 1 minute.

With mixer on low, gradually add warm milk mixture.

When dough forms a cohesive mass, switch to dough hook.

Knead, adding more flour as needed, until dough is 

smooth but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes.

Shape the dough into a ball, place in a lightly greased bowl,

and cover with plastic wrap.

Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size - 1 to 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 450.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper 

and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

In a 2 quart baking dish, combine the baking soda with 2- 1/2 cups warm water.

Stir until soda is dissolved; set aside.

Punch dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured work surface.

Shape dough into a log and cut into 6 equal pieces.

Cover with a damp towel so dough doesn't dry out while shaping other pretzels.

Roll and stretch each piece with the palms of your hands into a 24 inch rope,

holding the ends and slapping the middle of the rope on the counter as you stretch.

Using two hands, gently dip each rope into the soda solution.

Allow any excess liquid to drip off, then form into a pretzel shape.

Form a U shape, then holding the ends of the rope, 

cross them over and under each other, making a twist in the center,

and press the ends onto the bottom of the pretzel.

Sprinkle evenly with the coarse salt.

Bake until golden brown, about 8 - 12 minutes... 

Watch bottoms carefully as they can burn easily.

Brush tops of baked pretzels with melted butter.

May be re-heated in microwave.

*YUMMY NOTE

For cinnamon-sugar pretzels, Omit coarse salt;

Brush tops of baked pretzels with cinnamon sugar.

(About 1/2 cup sugar and 3/4 tsp cinnamon, combined.)

Makes 6 large pretzels

Mini Chicken Chimichangas

INGREDIENTS

·         1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature

·         1 Tablespoon Old El Paso taco seasoning

·         8 ounces Pepper Jack , shredded (about 2 cups)

·         3 cups shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie works well)

·         16-20 Old El Paso™ Flour Tortillas, street taco size

·         1 tablespoon butter , melted

·        Toppings: sour cream, guacamole, and pico de gallo or salsa

   

INSTRUCTIONS

1.   Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper

(or spray with cooking spray).

2.   In a large bowl, add the cream cheese, taco seasoning, Pepper Jack, and chicken. Stir until well combined.

3.   Place about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla. Fold the sides in and then roll the tortilla up and place on the baking sheet seam side down. Repeat for remaining tortillas and fillings. Brush with the melted butter.

4.   Bake for 15-20 minutes or until chimichangas are golden brown and crispy.

5.   Top with desired toppings such as sour cream, guacamole, and pico de gallo.

Crescent Roll Veggie Pizza

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (8-oz.) packages refrigerated crescent rolls
• 2 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 (1-oz.) package powdered Original Ranch dressing mix
• 1/2 cup finely chopped broccoli
• 1/2 cup finely chopped cauliflower
• 1/2 cup grated or finely diced carrots
• 1/2 cup finely chopped tomatoes (seeds removed)
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Unroll the crescent rolls onto a nonstick baking sheet, separating the dough and arranging it in a single layer covering the entire baking sheet. Press together the perforations, and then, using a fork, prick the dough all over.
Bake the dough for 10 minutes until golden brown; remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise and Ranch dressing mix.
Using a mixer, blend together the ingredients until smooth and creamy. 

Spread the cream cheese mixture onto the completely cooled baking sheet of crescent rolls, covering the entire surface in an even layer.

Sprinkle the diced broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes and scallions on top of the cream cheese.  Then place a piece of parchment paper or wax paper on top and lightly press down the veggies. Cover the baking sheet securely with plastic wrap and refrigerate the bars for a minimum of one hour and up to overnight.

When ready to serve, slice the sheet into bars and serve.

Crescent Veggie "Pizza" Bars

2 8-oz cans crescent rolls
1 cup mayonnaise
1 small pkg dry ranch dressing mix
1 8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened
Assorted veggies - Onions, celery, broccoli, carrots, etc.

Chop veggies to a small dice.
Press out crescent rolls into the bottom of a jelly roll pan.
Bake 10 minutes; cool.
Mix together mayo, cream cheese, and dry dressing mix.
Spread on top of cooled crust.
top with chopped veggies and refrigerate overnight.
Cut into squares or triangles - serve cold.

Zucchini Bread

Mix together:
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup vegetable oil**
2 cups brown sugar**
2 cups grated or ground zucchini
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt

In a separate bowl, combine:
3 cups white or whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 TBS cinnamon

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients.
Mix well and pour into 2 loaf pans.
bake at 375° approx. 70 minutes.
**to use honey instead of sugar, use 1 1/2 cups honey and reduce oil to 3/4 cup.

Warm Chili-Cheese Dip

1 15-oz can no bean chili
1 4-oz can diced green chiles
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Cook and stir until well combined and heated through.
(Cheese should be melted, and mixture should be smooth.)
Serve with corn chips or toasted sourdough bread chunks

Marisa's Salsa

1 can petite-diced tomatoes
3-4 fresh tomatoes
1 bunch cilantro, chopped (Remove stems before chopping)
3/4 of a brown onion, diced
1 bunch green onions (only use white part), sliced
3 or 4 radishes, thinly diced
3 green jalapenos
3 yellow chiles
(Boil the chiles until soft, remove stems, then blend with a little water.  DO NOT add all the chile sauce at once - add a little at a time, to taste)
Garlic powder
Salt - a most important ingredient!

Blend 3/4 of the tomato mixture (canned and fresh) until smooth, but still with a little texture.
Always start with the tomatoes and then add enough cilantro so it's fairly green throughout.
Add diced onions and radishes
Add chiles to taste.
Last, add garlic powder and salt.
If it tastes plain, add more onion and garlic powder.

Sausage Balls for a Crowd

2 lbs. uncooked ground sausage
2 lbs. cheddar cheese, grated
1 large box Bisquik - 2-1/2 lbs
Mix above ingredients together.
Add enough water (about 1-1/2 cups) so dough is the consistency of biscuits.
Form into walnut-sized balls.
Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.
Yield: 230

(From Mom's recipe box.  I believe this is the recipe she used for Carl & Cris' wedding)

Pizza Fondue

1 pound ground beef
1 chopped onion
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
20 ounces pizza sauce
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 loaf French bread, cubed

Cook and stir beef and onion together until done. Stir in cornstarch and garlic powder. Add pizza sauce. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and add cheeses, stir until melted. Serve in fondue pot with cubed French bread... toasted if desired.

Green Chile Cheese Bread

1 loaf French bread (baguette)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
4 ounces mild diced green chiles
1 cup monterey jack cheese, grated
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Slice French bread into 1/4-inch slices. Cream butter and mix with the other ingredients.

Spread mixture evenly on the bread slices and place face up on a cookie sheet.

Place under a broiler until bubbly.

KNORR SPINACH DIP

A MOST delicious dip from Knorr!
At least 2 hours ahead:
1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen, chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry.
1 16-oz sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 pkg. Knorr Vegetable Soup Mix, dry
1 8-oz can water chestnuts, drained & chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped

Combine all ingredients and chill at least 2 hours.
Serve with vegetables, crackers, or sour dough bread chunks.
This is a great recipe to serve in a bread bowl.
Makes 4 cups dip.

Soft Pretzels

I've made these ONCE and was marginally successful... they tasted great, but looked awful. I have tweaked the recipe a little, and will try again when I get the chance. In other words, go ahead and give it a whirl, but I think it takes practice!

1 TBS yeast

1/2 tsp granulated sugar

1/3 cup warm water

1 cup warm water

1/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed

4 cups flour

1 tsp salt

Dissolve yeast in 1/3 cup water + 1/2 tsp sugar.

Add yeast mixture with remaining ingredients to stand mixer.

Mix on slow/medium speed until smooth.

Knead in mixer with dough hook about 5 minutes.

Divide dough into 12 pieces.

Roll into ropes and twist into pretzel shapes.

Place on greased cookie sheet and allow to rest about 30 minutes.

Bring the following to a boil:

4 cups water

3 TBS baking soda

3 tsp sugar

Using a slotted spatula, carefully transfer pretzels to boiling water (do this one at a time).

Boil for about 20 seconds on each side.

Transfer to greased baking sheet.

**Sprinkle with desired topping - course sea salt, sesame seeds, parmesan cheese, etc.

Bake at 400 9 - 11 minutes or until golden brown.

**If you leave the pretzels plain, you may brush with butter and sprinkle with a cinnamon and sugar mixture after baking, if desired.

Cucumber Sandwiches

from Kaylene Frost

1 8-oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 7-oz pkg dry Italian salad dressing mix (or Ranch)

2 loaves French bread, cut into 1 inch slices

2 medium cucumbers, sliced

1 pinch dry dill weed

Mix together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and dry dressing mix.

Refrigerate at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.

Spread the cream cheese mixture onto sliced bread and top with sliced cucumber.

Sprinkle with dill.

Best Ever Veggie Dip

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup cottage cheese

1 envelope Hidden Valley Original Ranch Dressing mix

Mix ingredients together. Refrigerate an hour or so to allow flavors to marry. Serve with cut vegetables.

From: "Heat Oven to 350"

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips

Cinnamon Chips:

10 (10 inch) flour tortillas

melted butter

1 cup sugar

2T cinnamon

Fruit Salsa :

2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Fuji apples, cored and diced
1 pound strawberries, diced
1 T brown sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
3 T fruit preserves, any kind

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees and brush both sides of a flour tortilla with melted butter. Mix sugar with cinnamon and pour mixture over tortilla until it is completely covered. Lift tortilla and shake off excess, then cut into 8 wedges with a pizza cutter. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining tortillas. Bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes, or until cinnamon chips are crispy and just starting to brown. Remove from oven and let cool.

2. In a large bowl, mix kiwis, strawberries, brown sugar and preserves. Add apples and stir to mix. Serve immediately.

Bacon Cheese Ball

5 slices bacon - cooked, diced, and cooled

1 8-oz cream cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup chopped green onions

1/8 tsp pepper

Mix, chill, form into a ball. Roll in chopped pecans

Cheese Ball

2 8-oz pkgs cream cheese, softened

tops of 3 green onions, finely chopped

1/2 tsp dry mustard

2 1/2 tsp Bon Appetit seasoning salt

Mix together, chill.

Form into a ball and roll in chopped pecans

California Strawberry Dip

1 7-oz jar marshmallow cream

1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

2 large fresh strawberries, mashed, with juice

Mix ingredients together and serve as a dip for fresh strawberries, or as a filling for stuffed strawberries.

Fruit Dip

1 8-oz cream cheese, softened

1 7-oz jar marshmallow cream

Grated rind of one orange

Mix together and serve with fruit chunks.

Especially good with fresh coconut chunks!

Ranch Oyster Crackers

Mix a 1-oz. package of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix with 1/4 cup vegetable oil.

Pour over 12 oz. plain oyster crackers.

Bake 15 - 20 minutes at 250.

Stir halfway through baking.