Saturday proved to be very productive. First off I love to use my kitchen but I hate to clean it so this is the reason I start off my day by doing dishes. This is my routine, I start the coffee and have a little race with the coffee pot to see if I can put the dishes away from the dishwasher before my coffee is ready. I usually win. Small triumphs in the morning are such an ego boost! Ok, next I load the dishwasher and run if necessary and load the bread machine for our daily bread all the while drinking my victory. NO need to impress with hair brushing for this is my kitchen and I am queen! Well, really my next step is to go upstairs and get ready for the day. So, I do the shower and brushing of the hair then. :0) BUT this particular Saturday I loaded the bread machine, coffee, dishes and then Jacob asked to make Pretzels. 8am? OH well, why not. Super easy recipe and ready start to finish in half an hour. They also freeze beautiful so they are perfect for lunch boxes. When you make them yourself then you can do the whole wheat four thing and you know darn well they will not be recalled from the store shelves. So first the pics and then the recipe~ You gotta try this!
HOT STEAMY PRETZELS
2 cups warm water
1 package Yeast or 1 Tbsp Yeast
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
5-6 cups of flour
water
Baking Soda
Dissolve yeast and brown sugar in the warm water. (If you have a kitchen-aid mixer use the dough hook) Add flour slowly, stir until the mix does not stick to the sides of the bowl. Knead the dough. Make into Pretzel shapes or let the kids have at it on a lightly floured surface.
In a big frying pan fill it 3/4 (6 cups or so) full of water and add 1tsp baking soda to the water. Boil each pretzel for 1 minute, no need to flip during the boil, and lay on greased baking sheet. Lightly beat one egg and brush it on each pretzel. Then top it however you like. We love Sea Salt or to brush with butter and top with sugar and cinnamon is a close second. Bake at 475 degrees for 10 minutes.
After the pretzel breakfast I popped the bread dough from the bread machine into the oven and canned some pineapple. Crazy you say? No, not really, the bread machine does all of the work I just pop it into the oven. The time spent is far less than going to the store to buy bread and I can control the ingredients. Money saved? You bet! I ballpark the price my loaves between 25 cents for the plain whole wheat loaves to $1 for the more grainy and elaborate specialty stuff.
The pineapple is just as easy. I recently purchased whole fresh great pineapples for 98 cents each. That is cool all in itself. But canning them is easier yet, One pot to boil the water- set to simmer. Add your pineapple pieces. Let simmer 10 minutes mean while heat your canning jar lids and fill your water canner. Load the jars with the pineapple pcs and boil 10-20 minutes depending on your jar size. This was about a half hour project start to finish. SO savings and control of ingredients again. I was able to fill 7 pint jars for 14 cents each. I don't know about you but when I shop it is hard to find canned pineapple for less than a dollar a can. I just made $6 by canning my own in 1/2 hour and the bread and pretzel savings add to that by far so if someone paid you $15 an hour and you can bring your children saving daycare would you take that job? I sure did! My kids love it as well.
