Soft Pretzels

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I used to make Pretzels about 3 kids ago 😉 and the kids loved them – especially warm, right out of the oven.  I decided to make some and a quick search online gave me this recipe from http://www.breadworld.com, the Fleischmann’s yeast site.

SOFT PRETZELS

(makes 14 pretzels)

  • 4-4.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 envelope Fleischmann’s RapidRise Yeast (uhoh, I bought the jar, guess I’d better figure out equivalent)
  • 1.5 teaspoons salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • Coarse salt or grated parmesan cheese

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, undissolved yeast and salt.  Heat milk, water, and oil until very warm (120-130 degrees F); stir into flour mixture.  Stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough.  Knead on floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 4-6 minutes.  Cover; let rest on floured surface 10 min.

Divide into 14 equal pieces.  Roll each piece into 20 inch rope.  Cover; let rest 5-10 min until risen slightly.  Shape into pretzels (or alphabet letters if you have younger children). Place on greased baking sheet.

Brush with beaten eggs.  (I skip  – or use milk- on pretzels for DH – no difference) Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven; brush again with eggs. Sprinkle with salt, cheese or other toppings.

Return to oven and bake for 15 min or until done.  Remove pretzels from baking sheets; let cok on wire racks.

ENJOY!

Why I have trouble enjoying cooking

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There is a family joke/story that my sister loves to tell about the time we make rice crispy treats.  The recipe she had called for 40 marshmallows….so I started counting.  She laughed and laughed and dumped the whole bag in the bowl.  I argued that they wouldn’t say 40 marshmallows if they didn’t mean 40 marshmallows.

That was a few years ago.  I decided to make rice crispy treats today.  Yes, my children have been deprieved because I can’t get over the trauma! 😉

Anyway – I buy a whole bag of marshmallows and determine I will NOT count, I will just dump the whole bag in!  I won’t count!  I won’t estimate!  I will just dump a whole bag in and try not to twitch too much.

But I glance at the recipe on the bag to figure out if I have enough butter…and I see it:

Ingredients

36 marshmallows (about 1/2 package)

ARGH!!!!  This is why I hate this cooking stuff!!!

So, tell me….what would you do?

  1. Count out 36 marshmallows  (you are my kindred spirit!)
  2. Dump in 1/2 the package (I guess we can still be friends but I’ can’t cook with you)
  3. Dump in the whole bag (you, my friend, scare me! but I bet you are an awesome cook!)

Did you know it’s spelled marshmAllows and not marshmEllows?  Well, spell check says it’s true, so it much be – but I’m having trouble accepting it!

My Uncle’s Obituary

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From the local paper…wanted to save this for the future….

Marshall Franz Davis

Marshall Franz Davis a lifelong Meridian resident passed away on October 8, 2008. He was born in Colusa, CA on September 2 1941.

Marshall was raised in Meridian, CA the eldest son of Magdalene and Clifton Davis. He is survived by his wife Sylvia, two sons Clifton Frank Davis and Thomas Marshall Davis both of Meridian, daughter Beatrice Elizabeth Reyna of Arbuckle, brothers Clifton “Butch” Davis and Mark Davis of Meridian. Sisters Merrily Watson of Woodland and Catherine Newman of Portland, Or. And his four grandchildren Claira Davis and Scott Davis of Meridian and Matthew Reyna and Maggie Reyna of Arbuckle. He was preceded in death by his youngest daughter Mary Margaret Davis in 1992 as well as his parents.
Marshall attended Our Lady of Lourdes School, Meridian Elementary and graduated from Sutter Union High School in 1959. While in high school he enjoyed football and excelled in the field of Industrial Arts. He attended Yuba College and later went on to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Marshall married Sylvia Sargentini of Colusa in 1966 and celebrated 42 years of marriage this past August.

Marshall enjoyed fishing, hunting, classical music, and fast cars. He loved being with family and friends and shared his life long passion of working in his machine shop with everyone who knew him, especially his two sons who are now the 4th generation to carry on the family business.

The Meridian community was very important to Marshall. He was involved in the Lions Club, the Meridian Rural Fire Dept. and the Meridian Elementary school board as well as being a present member of the Sutter Union High School Board of Trustees. His other affiliations included the Colusa chapter of the Knights of Columbus the California Blacksmith Assoc. and Board member of Inland Wholesale Hardware Inc.

Marshall also served in the California National Guard.

Services: Visitations will be from 6:00-8:00p.m. Friday Oct 10th with a Rosary Service at 7:00p.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Colusa, Funeral Mass will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday Oct. 11th also at the church. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Colusa.

Memorial Contributions May be made in Marshall’s name to the Sutter Union High School in care of Davis family scholarship P.O. Box 498 Sutter, CA 95982 or the Sutter North Hospice 826 4th Street Marysville, CA 95901

Arrangement under the direction of McNary-Moore Funeral Service.