Pretzels

4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water (110
degrees F/45 degrees C)
5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/3 cup baking soda
4 cups hot water
1/4 cup kosher salt, for topping
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center; add the oil and yeast mixture. Mix and form into a dough. If the mixture is dry, add one or two tablespoons of water. Knead the dough until smooth, about 7 to 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). In a large bowl, dissolve baking soda in hot water.
When risen, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and twist into a pretzel shape.
Once all of the dough is all shaped, dip each pretzel into the baking soda solution and place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes, until browned.

OK, I have to say before you go looking at the photo below, my 15 year old son and myself should never be allowed in the kitchen together. He wanted to make pretzels and we were the only ones home so I figured we would, it turned into a snake eating a mouse. Then I had the crazy idea of adding red food coloring for special effects. But he had fun and that is all that matters in the end....well.....

Cake Pops

I will have a few recipes to post today and tomorrow for you all. I just hope I remember to take photos, I get so busy anymore I forget about the picture until it has all been eaten.
So last night my daughter and I were making cake pops and then I got a sweet little surprise helper who came over, my grandson Noah. He did such a great job making cake pops and then he took a bag home for his friends.
Here is the photo of the cake pops we made.
http://www.bakerella.com/category/pops-bites/cake-pops/
I need a lot of work on mine, I have no idea how she gets hers to look so good, we have figured it is wood she is working with as the pop. LOL

 

Cinnamon Rolls

1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup margarine, melted
4 1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
Filling
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Frosting
1/3 cup butter, soften
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, soften
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

We are having a breakfast at church tomorrow morning, what better way to start it off then getting the kids all full of sugar. :o)
• Place yeast and water in a bowl until creamy, mix with next five ingredients. Mix well, knead on a flour surface for about five minutes. Put into a large oil bowl and cover with a cloth until double in size.
After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

•  

Carrot Cake

                                                                           Happy Easter

4 eggs
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
4. To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans. Frost the cooled cake.