Philadelphia Soft Pretzels

INGREDIENTS (yields 8 pretzels)

• ¾ cup Milk
• ¼ cup Water
• 1½ T Sugar
• 1 pkg active dry Yeast
• 2½ cups King Arthur (unbleached) Bread Flour or Wheat flour
• 2 T Butter (softened)
• 1¼ tsp Salt

ALKALINE BATH SOLUTION

• 3 cups warm to slightly hot Water
• ½ cup Baking Soda

DIRECTIONS (preheat oven to 450°F)

1. In a small saucepan heat and stir milk, 1/4 cup water and sugar over low heat until warm (110°F to 115°F). Pour into large bowl of an electric mixer that has a dough hook. Sprinkle with yeast then let stand about 5 minutes or until foamy.

Add flour, butter and salt. Using an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, beat at low-speed for 2 to 3 minutes or until adequately combined scraping sides of bowl occasionally.

Beat on medium-low speed for 8 to 10 minutes or until a soft dough forms. Dough should pull away from sides of bowl but still be slightly sticky. If too sticky beat in some additional flour.

2. Turn out dough onto a clean, dry work surface. Knead a few times by folding and pressing dough, turning dough to knead uniformly then shape dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl turning once to grease surface of dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about an hour until approximately doubled in size.

3. Lightly grease a large baking sheet and set aside.

4. Punch down dough then turn out onto clean, dry work surface. Divide dough into eight equal portions. Roll and stretch each portion into a 30-inch-long rope. If dough resists stretching cover and let rest another 10 minutes or until fully relaxed.

5. Shape each pretzel into a U-shaped rope. Cross the ends over in an X then give it an additional twist. Finally, flip the ends over across down to the bottom of the U forming a classic pretzel shape. Press ends down to seal.

6. Prepare alkaline bath by dissolving ½ cup Baking Soda into 3 cups of water. Pour into baking dish or pan. Soak each Pretzel in the alkaline solution for two minutes then remove using a slotted spoon or spatula. Place each pretzel onto a paper towel to absorb any excess liquid. Arrange Pretzels 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet.

7. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until just golden brown. Let cool to room temperature then serve while still warm. 

Serve with Beer Cheese Recipe | Serious Eats

Pretzel Bites: 

Roll the eight pieces of dough into 10" ropes. Cut each rope crosswise into 6 to 10 equal pieces. Dip the pieces into the baking soda solution, place on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, and top with pretzel salt or sea salt. Bake in a 400°F oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven, and roll the bites in melted butter; about 6 tablespoons should do it.

Summit Hill Chicken

1 (4-ounce) package dried beef
8 strips bacon, partially cooked
4 whole chicken breasts, halved, skinned and boned
1 can cream of mushroom soup (10.75 oz)
1 cup dairy sour cream

Line 13x9x2 inch casserole with dried beef. Wrap 1 strip of bacon around each chicken breast half; place in casserole.


Combine and soup and sour cream; pour over chicken. Cover casserole with foil. Bake at 325 for 2 hours; uncover casserole, sprinkle with smoked paprika, and bake 1 hour.

Serve with egg noodles and green beans.

This is the original recipe from the cookbook called "From Minnesota- More than a Cookbook."  It was originally called 'High Tech Chicken," but later renamed by MCJ when he moved to Milwaukee.  It was MCJ's favorite dish when he came home from college, and remains a favorite.  

Buche de Noel (Christmas Yule Log)

Ingredients

• 6 eggs, separated (but equal)
• 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
• 3 Tbs cocoa
• Mocha Filling
• Chocolate Butter Cream

Cake

1. Grease jelly roll pan.  line bottom of pan with waxed paper.  grease and flour paper. Cool in the refrigerator. 
2. Preheat oven to 350 F.  325 if using convection (recommended).  
3. In large bowl with mixer at #6, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.  gradually sprinkle in 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar; beat until stiff peaks form
4. In small bowl with mixer at high speed, beat egg yolks until thick.   At low speed, beat in 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar and 3 T cocoa, occasionally scraping bowl. 
5. Fold yolk mixture into whites.  Spread batter in pan. 
6. Bake 25 minutes or until top springs back when touched.  Keep an eye on it; our new BOSCH oven did it in about 15 minutes. 
7. Invert cake onto moist towel and remove parchment paper.  Roll on narrow end.  Place seam side down on a rack to cool.  
8. Unroll cake; spread top with filing.  Starting at same narrow end, roll cake without towel.  

Rich Mocha Filling

In stand mixer with wire whisk at medium speed, beat 1 C heavy or whipping cream, 1/4 C confectioner's sugar, 1/4 C cocoa and 1 T instant coffee granules until still peaks form.

Richly Buttered Chocolate Cream

In bowl, beat 2 C confectioner's sugar, 4 T butter, softened, 2 T milk, 1 t vanilla extract, 1 egg yolk and 1 square unsweetened chocolate (or 1 T cocoa powder) until good spreading consistency.

Original Source:

 *Originally from Parade Magazine recipes.  First made while Mark was in high school studying French Language and Culture, with guidance from Janis Masters.  Made many times throughout the years. 

Assistant:

Grand Cosmo

- 6 parts pear vodka
- 2 parts Grand Marnier (or triple sec or Cointreau)
- 2 parts lime juice
- 4 parts cranberry juice
- Shake with ice and serve over ice. Garnish with a lime wedge or slice.

Minnesota Morning Egg Bake

AKA:  Aurora's Baked Eggs

10 eggs
1/2 c. flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
4 cups cojack cheese
1 bag of broccoli or chopped spinach (thaw and squeeze all moisture from spinach)
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray.
In large bowl, beat eggs; add flour, salt, pepper and baking powder.  Mix well. 
Fold in cottage cheese, grated cojack and broccoli.  Pour into prepared baking dish. 
Place sliced tomatoes on top of egg mixture and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. 
Bake until eggs are set.  45-50 minutes. 

**can be made the night before.  put tomatoes and parmesan on top before going into oven in the morning.  Bring to room temp before baking. 

Birthday Party Chicken Divan

We had a few people over to celebrate Emily’s 15th birthday.  I asked my friend, Elizabeth, for ideas on the menu. She said special birthdays at her home growing up always includes Chicken Divan.  Not just any, Tricia Nixon’s Chicken Divan.  

I made three batches and it was all gone! 

1 bag frozen broccoli florets

1/2 rotisserie chicken, meat pulled from bones and shredded/cut to bite size pieces

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 can cream of chicken soup (or homemade version here)

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

1/2-1 tsp curry powder

Splash of lemon juice

1 tube Ritz crackers

1/2 stick butter, melted

Add broccoli to shallow casserole dish.  Top with chicken.  Sprinkle cheddar cheese evenly over chicken.  Combine soup, mayo, curry and lemon juice.  Spread evenly oven cheese.  

Add crackers to food processor.  Pulse 4-5 times, until larger crumbs.  Continue pulsing and pour melted butter they feed tube.  Distribute evenly over sauce.  

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.  

Serve over wild rice.  

Granny Conrad's Turkey Soup