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Soft Pretzels with Roasted Jalapeño Cheese Sauce

Soft Pretzels with Roasted Jalapeño Cheese Sauce

These pretzels are best eaten when they are freshly made. So to make them for a crowd, make the dough then form and freeze the pretzels in advance of your party. This will also give you a good opportunity to double or triple your dough in case you need a lot of pretzels. Instructions for boiling and baking from the freezer are below.

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees F) pretzel
1 T. sugar
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 1/4 tsp. instant yeast
22 oz. all-purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups
2 oz. unsalted butter, melted
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
2 T. butter, melted
Pretzel, Kosher, or course sea salt

2 small jalapeño peppers
2 T. unsalted butter
2 T. all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
8 oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (not package pre-shredded cheese – shred your own)
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Kosher salt
To make the pretzel dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the water, sugar, yeast, and salt on low speed for 10 seconds. Switch to the dough hook and add the flour and butter. Mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl and transfer it to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set it in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size. Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Place a barely damp towel over the dough and the formed pretzels to prevent them from drying out while you form the other pretzels. At this point, you can freeze the formed pretzels on the baking sheets. Once completely frozen, transfer them to a large zipper bag and continue to freeze until you need them. Use within 2 months. To make the pretzels: Preheat the oven to 425° F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an wide 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan. If you’re freezing your formed pretzels, skip this step now and continue with it when you’re ready to boil and bake your pretzels from the freezer. Using a flat spatula, gently lower the pretzels into the boiling water and boil them for 30 seconds. If boiling the frozen pretzels, add them to the water directly from the freezer – do not thaw them – and boil for a total of 45 seconds. Depending on the size of your pot, boil 2 to 4 pretzels at a time. Remove the pretzels from the water using the spatula, drain as best you can over the pot, and place them on the baking sheets. Brush the top of each pretzel with some melted butter and sprinkle with the pretzel/Kosher/sea salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. If the pretzels were frozen, bake for an extra 1 to 2 minutes. Lightly brush pretzels with the remaining melted butter immediately after you remove them from the oven. Serve warm.

To make the cheese sauce: Set the jalapeño on a baking sheet and roast under the broiler until blackened on all sides, about 10 minutes. Alternatively, you roast them over a gas burner on the stove, turning with tongs. Place the jalapeños in a heatproof bowl and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Allow the peppers to cool for 15 minutes then with a paper towel, peel and discard the blackened skins off leaving just the fleshy peppers remaining. Slice, remove and discard the seeds, and roughly chop the peppers. Set aside. In a small saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the chopped jalapeños to coat with the butter. Whisk in the flour, coating the peppers, and cook for 30 seconds, whisking constantly. Slowly whisk in the milk until no lumps of flour remain. Stirring constantly, bring the milk to a simmer over medium-low heat until it thickens, about 3-5 minutes. Remove the pan from the stove and stir in the shredded cheese until all of the cheese has melted. Stir in the cilantro and add a pinch of salt, if needed. Serve warm. The sauce can be kept warm for 15 to 20 minutes over very low heat on the stove, stirring occasionally. Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave on medium power at 30 second intervals.

Grapesicles

Grapesicles

48 green seedless grapes, rinsed
48 red seedless grapes, rinsed
16 6-inch wooden skewers

Thread six grapes, alternating grape colors, onto each wooden skewer. Place skewers into the freezer for 30 minutes, or until frozen. Serve immediately.

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Cheesy Bacon Oven Chips with Chipotle Ranch Dipping Sauce

Cheesy Bacon Oven Chips with Chipotle Ranch Dipping Sauce

1 large, uniformly-shaped russ89306e2170c725ccadea44ce4fd71911et potato, scrubbed well and sliced into 1/8″ rounds*
Cooking spray
3/4 C. shredded colby jack or cheddar cheese
Salt & pepper to taste
2 T. crumbled bacon (about 2 slices) – I used real bacon bits
Chopped parsley or chives, for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring sliced potatoes to a boil in cold, salted water to cover for 5 minutes. Carefully drain, and transfer slices to a paper-towel lined countertop or cutting board. Pat to dry. Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray, and lay out potato slices so they are overlapping on it. Spray lightly with additional cooking spray, then sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste. Sprinkle evenly with shredded cheese & bacon. Bake 12-14 minutes in preheated oven until cheese is melted & bubbly. Serve with chipotle ranch sauce (recipe below). Serves 2.

*You can use 2 medium-sized potatoes rather than 1 large. Also, I like to leave the skin on but you can peel the potatoes if you prefer.

Chipotle Ranch Dipping Sauce

1 T. ranch dressing
3 T. sour cream
1/4 tsp. chipotle chili powder
1/8 tsp. cayenne (adjust more or less depending on how spicy you want).
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. garlic powder

Place all ingredients in a small bowl, and stir to combine. Refrigerate any leftovers

Cheese Cracker Stars

Cheese Cracker Stars

Around my French table Cheez-it ish cheese crackers French Fridays with Dorie Dorie Greenspan8 T. cold unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
1/4 lb. Gruyere, Cheddar, Manchego or Emmenthal, grated (about 1 C.)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
pinch Cayenne
1 C. plus 2 T. (275 mL) all-purpose flour

Put the butter, cheese, salt, white pepper and cayenne in a food processor and pulse until the butter is broken up into uneven bits and the mixture forms small curds. Add the flour and pulse until the dough forms moist curds again — these will be larger. There are times, though, when you pulse and pulse and never get curds — in that case, just process for a minute, so that everything is as moist as possible. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead it gently until it comes together. Divide the dough in half, pat each half into a disk, and wrap the disks in plastic. Chill for at least an hour or for up to 3 days. Centre a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll the dough out between sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper to a scant 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. Using a small cookie cutter– I use a cutter with a diameter of about 1¼ inches (3 cm)– cut the dough into crackers. Gather the scraps together, so you can combine them with the scraps from the second disk, chill and roll them out to make more crackers. Place the rounds on the baking sheet, leaving a scant inch (2.5 cm) between the rounds. Bake for 14 to 17 minutes, or until the crackers are lightly golden and firm to the touch; transfer the crackers to a rack to cool. Repeat with the second disk of dough (and the scraps), making certain that your baking sheet is cool. You can serve these while they’re still a little warm, or you can wait until they reach room temperature.

Mozzarella Sticks with Buttermilk Dip

Mozzarella Sticks with Buttermilk Dip

The secret to getting restaurant quality mozzarella sticks at home is using panko-style breadcrumbs and making sure that each piece of cheese is double dipped for an extra crispy crust that is free of any holes for the cheese to escape from during frying. Freezing the mozzarella sticks prior to frying ensures that the crust has time to adhere to the cheese in the dry environment of the freezer. As with all frying, make sure to carefully monitor your oil temperature and allow it to rebound in between batches. Because the mozzarella sticks are frozen, it might be a good idea to make a double batch to keep on hand for any last minute game day parties.

12 stick s of string cheese or 12 pieces of mozzarella cut into 4 x 1/2 inch sticks Mozzarella-Sticks-with-Buttermilk-Dip-1024x768
1 1/2 cups panko-style breadcrumbs
4 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon table salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
4 eggs
1 cup of all-purpose flour
Canola oil for frying

1/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
2 tablespoons minced green onions
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of table salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Dredge the mozzarella sticks: Spread the flour and breadcrumbs on separate plates (pie plates work well for this). Add the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to the breadcrumbs and mix well. Place the eggs in a small bowl and beat them lightly. Drop a piece of cheese into the flour and roll it around until it is well covered. Shake off the excess flour and dip the cheese into the egg mixture before rolling it in the breadcrumbs until well coated. One last time, dip the breadcrumb coated cheese back into the beaten egg and roll again in breadcrumbs to create an extra crispy coating. Set aside on a clean plate and repeat with the remaining cheese sticks. Once all of the mozzarella has been breaded, place the plate into the freezer uncovered and freeze until the breadcrumb coating is firm, at least 2 hours.

Meanwhile, make the buttermilk dip: In a small bowl, whisk all of the ingredients together until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Fry the mozzarella sticks: Pour enough oil into a large heavy-bottomed pot to come to a depth of at least 2 inches. Using an candy thermometer, heat oil until it reaches a temperature of 350°. Fry the mozzarella sticks in batches, being careful not to overwhelm the oil, until crispy and browned on the exterior, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining mozzarella, allowing the oil temperature to rise back to 350° between batches. You can place the finished mozzarella sticks in a 200° oven to keep them warm while the others fry. Serve immediately with buttermilk dip.

Cheese on Toast

Cheese on Toast

Cheese on Toast

 

Toast bread. Spread thinly with butter. Add an obscenely thick layer of cheddar cheese. Sprinkle with black pepper and a few dashes of Worcestershire Sauce. Grill until the cheese is bubbling and just starting to blister into delicious brown patches.

Soft and Chewy Granola Bars Recipe

Soft and Chewy Granola Bars Recipe

2 1/2 C. (230 grams) old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 C. (80 grams) whole almonds, coarsely chopped
1/3 C. (113 grams) honey
1/4 C. (56 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 C. (50 grams) packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 C. (60 grams) dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/4 C. plus 2 tsp. (67 grams) mini chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line bottom and sides of a 8-inch or 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil. Then lightly oil or spray with cooking spray. Add oats and almonds to a small baking sheet then bake 5 minutes, stir and bake another 3 to 5 minutes until lightly toasted. Transfer to a large bowl. Combine butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla extract and the salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until butter melts and the sugar completely dissolves. Pour butter mixture in to bowl with toasted oats and almonds. Mix well. Let cool about 5 minutes then add cranberries and a 1/4 C. the mini chocolate chips. Stir to combine. (The chocolate chips will most likely melt a little. This is fine, they turn into glue and help to hold the bars together). Transfer oat mixture to lined pan then use a rubber spatula or damp finger tips to firmly press the mixture into the pan. (Press hard here, this way the bars will stay together once cooled and cut — We press for about one minute to be extra safe). Scatter remaining 2 tsp. chocolate chips over pressed granola mixture then use a rubber spatula to gently press them into the top. Cover then refrigerate at least 2 hours. Remove block of granola mixture from pan then peel away aluminum foil. Cut into 12 bars. Store bars in an airtight container for up to one week. For the softest bars, keep at room temperature. For slightly harder bars, store in the fridge.

English Pea Pesto with Lemon

English Pea Pesto with Lemon

1/2 C. pine nuts, toasted
2 C. English peas, blanched
2 Meyer lemons, zested on a micro plane
3/4 C. olive oil
8 mint leaves, chiffonade
black pepper and salt to taste

In a food processor, pulse the pine nuts until roughly chopped. Add the peas and drizzle in the olive oil while the machine is running. Pour the pea mixture into a bowl and fold in the mint, lemon zest, salt and black pepper. Try spread on toasted bread with arugula and red pepper flakes.

Crispetty Crunchety Roasted Cauliflower

Crispetty Crunchety Roasted Cauliflower

1 head of cauliflower
4 C. rice chex cereal
1/2+1/4 tsp. salt
1/4+1/4 tsp. black pepper
3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 eggs

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the cauliflower up into small florets. Whisk together the eggs until the yolk and white have blended, and season with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Smash up the chex by either pulsing the cereal in a food processor or sticking them in a plastic bag and bashing them with a frying pan (FYI the second route is way more fun…it gave me an excuse to get my monster cast iron skillet out…BAM BAM BAM)! Season with the cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Dip the cauliflower florets into the eggs, then straight into the chex, then lay the cauliflower florets out on a baking sheet. Roast for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and crunchy. Serve the cauliflower florets hot out of the oven. In my experience, these don’t store very well in the refrigerator because they lose their crunch, so eat them while you can =) Thanks for reading!

Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites

Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites

Soft Pretzels:
1 1/2 C. warm water
2 T. light brown sugar
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
3 oz. unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
4 1/2 to 5 C. all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil
3 quarts water
1/2 C. baking soda
1 whole egg, beaten with 1 T. cold water
Coarse sea salt

For the cheese sauce:
½ T. unsalted butter
½ T. all-purpose flour
½ C. milk
8 oz. Cheddar cheese, grated

For the Pretzels: Combine the 1 1/2 C. water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add the salt and flour and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 T. at a time. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands. Oil a bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Bring the 3 quarts of water to a boil in a small roasting pan over high heat and carefully add the baking soda. It will boil over, so add slowly and be careful! Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 oz. each. Roll each piece into a long rope measuring 22 inches and shape. Cut the dough into one inch pieces to make the pretzel bites. Boil the pretzel bites in the water solution in batches. We did about 15 bites at a time. Boil for about 30 seconds. Remove with a large slotted spoon. Place pretzel bites on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure they are not touching. Brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with the salt. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown. Remove to a baking rack and let rest 5 minutes before eating. Serve with cheese sauce. To make the cheese sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the Cheddar cheese until smooth and all of the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. *If you want to make cinnamon and sugar pretzel bites-instead of adding salt, sprinkle the bites with cinnamon and sugar. For the frosting mix-soft cream cheese-about 3 T, powdered sugar, a tsp. vanilla extract, and a little bit of milk. Whisk together. Add more milk if it is too thick, if it is too thin, add more powdered sugar.

TV Snack Mix

TV Snack Mix

TV Snack Mix

 

1 ½ C. Kix Cereal

1 C. Wheat Chex

1 C. Oyster Crackers

½ C. Roasted Whole Peanuts or coarsely chopped Peanuts

1/3 C. unsalted Butter

3 T. Worcestershire sauce

l tsp. ground coriander

l tsp. powdered mustard

l tsp. sweet Hungarian paprika

l tsp. kosher salt or flaky or coarse sea salt

 

Preheat the oven to 3OO°F. Combine the Kix, Wheat Chex, oyster crackers, and peanuts in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, then stir in the Worcestershire sauce, ground coriander, powdered mustard, paprika, and salt. Drizzle the seasoned butter over the cereal mixture and toss well to evenly mix.   Scatter the mixture in a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until aromatic and toasty, 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside to 200I, then transfer to a serving bowl, or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Fried Padron Peppers

Fried Padron Peppers

1/4 C. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 lb. Padron peppers
Coarse sea salt

Warm the olive oil over medium heat in a skillet large enough to hold all of the peppers in a single layer. Add the peppers. Fry over medium heat, turning often, until they are soft and blistered slightly, about 5 minutes. Transfer the peppers to a bowl. Discard the olive oil. Toss the peppers with salt and serve immediately.

WIW: Zucchini Parmesan Waffle Fritters

WIW: Zucchini Parmesan Waffle Fritters

WIW: Zucchini Parmesan Waffle Fritters

2 C. shredded zucchini (roughly 2 medium zucchini)

1 large egg

¼ C. milk

½ C. grated Parmesan

½ C. all-purpose flour

Neutral oil or nonstick cooking spray

Salt

Black pepper

Place the shredded zucchini in a colander and sprinkle with about ¼ tsp. salt. Let the salted zucchini sit for about 30 minutes. Then rinse well with cold water and press out as much of the water as possible. Blot dry with a lint-free towel or paper towels. Preheat the waffle iron to medium and the oven to its lowest setting. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and ¼ C. of the grated Parmesan. In a small bowl, combine the flour with about ¼ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Mix the contents of the small bowl into the large bowl and then add the zucchini and toss until everything is well-combined. Coat the waffle iron with nonstick spray or brush it with a neutral oil. Place rounded T. of the batter on the waffle iron, leaving room for the fritters to spread slightly. Close the lid and cook until lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes. (You may need to turn your waffle iron up or down slightly, depending on how powerful it is.) Transfer finished fritters to the oven to keep warm while you cook the remaining fritters. Serve topped with the remaining ¼ C. Parmesan.

Chicken Fried Potatoes

Chicken Fried Potatoes

Chicken Fried Potatoes

3 medium russet potatoes, cleaned and sliced (about 1/4” thick)

1 C. buttermilk

1 T. minced thyme

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 1/2 tsp. salt, divided

1 1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper

1 C. all purpose flour

1 1/2 T. onion powder

2 tsp. dry mustard

2 tsp. smoked paprika

 

homemade buttermilk-ranch dipping sauce:

1/2 C. buttermilk

1/4 C. sour cream

2 T. mayonnaise

2 T. fresh lemon juice

1 T. chives, thinly sliced

1 tsp. minced thyme

1 garlic clove, minced

salt and pepper to taste

 

vegetable oil for frying

 

Fill a large, deep skillet with 1 1/2 to 2 inches of oil and preheat to 350ËšF. Place potatoes, buttermilk, thyme, garlic, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper into a mixing bowl and toss together until well combined. Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes. Place flour, onion powder, mustard, paprika, 1 tsp. salt, and pepper into a shallow dish and stir together. Remove potatoes from buttermilk and dredge in flour mixture. Shake of excess flour and fry potatoes in batches for 6 to 8 minutes or until golden brown and potatoes have cooked through. Drain onto a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Serve with buttermilk dipping sauce. For buttermilk sauce: Place all ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk together until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Before serving remove from refrigerator and allow to sit at room temp. for about 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings and stir.

Apple Cheese Wraps

Apple Cheese Wraps

Apple Cheese Wraps

 

1 granny smith apple

1 slice lemon

2 slices cheddar cheese, cut in half

2 slices deli turkey or ham, cut in half

 

Slice the apple into 1/2 inch thick slices. Rub the apple with the lemon wedge to prevent from going brown. Slice the cheddar cheese into 1/2 inch wide slices and the ham in 1/2 or in 1/4 (the ham needs to be large enough to wrap around the apple). Place an apple slice and a cheese slice on top of the deli meat and fold over deli meat to wrap.