Heart Shaped Soft Pretzels

I am pretty sure making pretzels was one of the best ideas that I had all week. Making them into the shape of hearts, that WAS the best idea I had all week. Take note. Making anything into the shape of a heart is always the best idea.

So why pretzels? Well why not. I make so much bread in this house that I felt like making a little something different. I was thinking bagels, but I didn't really want to have dough in the fridge for a day and plus I wanted to do something then and there and have it be done. Like pretzels. From start to finish they takes less then 2 hours. And you get to twist the dough and boil it and it is just fun. Like I could totally see making pretzels with a few littles or maybe a friend or a “friend”. A pretzel making date. Now that is a good idea. Oh me, I am so full of all those good ideas. HAHA!

These pretzels are of the soft variety. And to make them pretzels, and not just bread, the kneaded dough gets shaped and then boiled in a baking soda bath (not lye…don’t have any lying around). Then they are sprinkled in course salt and baked til a deep golden brown. They come out soft and chewy just like a good soft pretzel should be. Then they need to be eaten right away, slightly warm, because that is how you are suppose to eat them.

And so the pretzels were made. The mr came home right after I pulled these puppies out of the oven and went for a walk to get some fresh air. When I got home I found him salivating over a plate, waiting for his cue to eat. The cue was given (once I put the camera away) and eat one he did. And then another. And another. Because really, what the hell, I made him heart shaped pretzels. He loved them so much that I just let him eat as many as he wanted. He was happy, I was happy, there where hearts. No complaints. Even when I told him he was having pretzels for all meals until they were gone. He just smiled he pretzel filled mouth at that.

To the pretzels!

The stuff. Flour, salt, course salt, brown sugar, yeast, water, and some baking soda.

The yeast, brown sugar and warm water go into a big bowl to activate. Once it starts to bubble, dump in the flour and salt and mix until a shaggy dough forms.

Dump dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes.

Kneaded all nice to soft and supple.

Place the kneaded dough into a clean bowl and cover. Let sit for about an hour or until it doubles in size.

Once doubled, dump dough onto a lightly floured counter and cut into 12 equal pieces.

Now to shape. Roll each piece into a long rope, 16-20 inches long if you can. Fold the ends together and twist then fold twisted ends down back into itself.

Pinch the end into a point and there you go. A heart! ♥️

And then do it to all the dough.

Water and baking soda bath boiling away.

Grab the hearts and place a few at a time, gently, into the water for about 45 seconds then pull them out with a slotted spatula.

Onto a baking sheet either lined with parchment or a splat mat.

And don’t forget to sprinkle them all with course kosher salt.

Into the oven they go.

About 18-20 minutes later… PRETZELS

Get them onto a cooling rack to cool just enough.

And then you just eat them because what else are you suppose to do.

And yes, grab the mustard because duh.

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Heart ShapeD Soft Pretzels

makes 12 pretzels

For the dough

• 3 1/2 - 4 cups all pupse flour

• 2 teaspoons yeast

• 1 heavy tablespoon brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 1/2 cups warm water

• 2 tablespoons course kosher salt (for topping)

For water bath

• 7 cups water

• 2 tablespoons baking soda

Start by placing yeast, brown sugar, and warm water into a big bowl and mix. Let sit for a few minutes to activate yeast. Once active, dump in the lesser amount of flour and salt. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. If the dough seems super wet, add in a little more flour. Dump dough onto a floured surface and knead until soft and elastic for about 5 minutes, adding in a little more flour as needed to keep it from getting too sticky. Once dough had been kneaded, place into a clean bowl, cover, and let sit in a warm place for about an hour or until the dough doubles in size.

Once dough has doubled, preheat oven to 450. Also get the water bath ready by placing the water into big pot and placing on heat.

Back to dough. Dump the dough onto a lighty floured surface and cut into 12 equal sized pieces. Then shape each piece by rolling the dough into a rope between 16 to 20 inches long then twisting the two ends together a few times. Fold the ends over to the middle of the dough and pinch the end into a heart. (check images above if that doesn’t make sense) Once all the dough has been shaped, its time to boil. When the water is at a rolling boil, dump in the baking soda and mix around. Place 2-3 pretzels gently into the water at a time and boil for about 45 seconds. Remove from water with a splatted spoon or spatula and place on a parchment or lightly oiled baking sheet. Repeat until all dough is boiled. Make sure when you place the pretzels onto the baking sheet you give them room so they are not touching. If you need to, use 2 baking sheets. And now before the placing them into the oven, sprinkle them with the course salt.

Now into the hot oven they go, for about 18-20 minutes or until they turn a deep golden brown.

Once baked, pull from oven, place on a wire rack to cool a bit, then eat them. Dipped in mustard or any other dipping situation you find appropriate.

Left overs, should there be any, should be stored individually either wrapped or in a bag at room temp for a few days. OR better yet, just freeze them. And when you want to eat one, just warm it up again in the oven.

Poppy seed Crusted Apricot Jam Muffins

Mid week, I was doing a little pantry cleaning/ inventorying of what I had and needed when I came upon not one, not two, or even three. No, six. SIX, jars of jam. And there are 2 that are already opened in the fridge. I don’t know why, but knowing that there was that much jam in the house made me a little uneasy. Six unopened jars is about 3 jars past my comfort zone. Sure there are so many things you can do with a jar of jam (jelly, preserves, and marmalade included) and now that I am thinking about it, is one of the reasons why I bought a few jars a while back. Then there was Christmas and I think we got at least two jars as gifts so it’s not all my fault, but still, that is just too many jars of jam. Right there I needed to get rid of at least one jar. So muffins. Jam muffins, with poppyseed crust because it’s pretty and nobody ever complains about poppy seeds, or at least they don’t until after they eat them and have poppy seeds stuck in their teeth all day. But that is just our mouths way of saving a little for later, am I right? HA

Anyway, a quick and simple muffin recipe for all of you people out there that might have a jar or two too many of jam in the fridge or pantry (I used apricot but any flavor(s) would work) and could use yourself a tasty little muffin situation. I mean who doesn’t want a tasty muffin?

To the muffins.

The stuff. In the bowl is white and white whole wheat flour, baking powder and soda, and salt. Also have apricot jam, oil, almond milk, apple cider vinegar, and orange, and some poppy seeds.

Grab a zester and zest the orange into the bowl with all the dry stuff. Whisk to combine.

Jam, oil, milk, and vinegar. All on top of dry. Whisk that up until just combined. No over mixing. You will get tough (not in a good way) muffins.

Apricot muffin batter.

Scoop into well greased muffins tins then cover the tops with poppy seeds.

Ready for that hot oven.

And out of the oven, looking all pretty like.

Pop those muffins out of the tins and cool on a wire rack for a bit. And by all means, don’t wait until they are completely cool.

Now eat you a warm muffin and if they are mini, grab a few. You can’t just eat one mini muffin, that is just crazy.

-C

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Poppy seed Crusted Apricot Jam Muffins

Make 12 normal size muffins or 24 mini muffins

• 1 cup all purpose flour

• 1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour

• 2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup plant milk

• 1/3 cup neutral oil

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• zest of an orange

• 1 heaping cup apricot jam or preserves (can sub in any flavor you like)

• 1/3 cup poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 350

In a large bowl whisk together the flours, salt, baking powder and soda, and the zest of the orange. Add in the oil, milk, jam, and vinegar and whisk until just incorporated. Scoop batter into well grease muffin pans (12 regular or 24 mini) then cover the tops with poppy seeds. Pop into hot oven and bake until risen and a tester comes out clean when one is poked. For mini muffins, check after 13 minutes, for normal muffins, after 16 minutes.

Once baked, remove from oven and pop out of pans when cool enough to handle. Place on a wire rack to cool completely or just start eating them warm.

Store left over muffins in an airtight container for 3-4 days at room temperature. They also freeze well.

Soft and Fluffy Oatmeal Wheat Dinner Rolls

What’s up with dinner rolls? Do people eat them all year round, like on a Tuesday in the middle of March or maybe a nice blue sky sunny day in July? Is that a weird question? But seriously, think about it. Dinner rolls, at least in my world of people, are pretty much only eaten in and around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Huh. Kind of strange seeing that dinner rolls are bread which everyone eats all the time and are basically made specifically for dinner (although can and should be eaten for breakfast and lunch as well) which most people eat. Every. Single. Day. Well, whatever the reason, it’s weird. So yes, I am making these here dinner rolls now at the traditional holiday time but I think as of now, I am going to start making them all the time. It’s going to be my new thing. Fourth of July dinner rolls. Yup.

And so yes, we need dinner rolls right now for the holiday food feasts and these dinner rolls are the perfect accompaniment to any and all dinners. They are nice and fluffy and all dinner roll like, just as any good roll should be, but also slightly more nutty and soft and healthy because oats and wheat flour and homemade which is always the best.

And if you are like, hell yes I am a dinner roll person and hell no I am sticking to store bought cause that is that and how it’s done, well hey, no judgment here. I made these for my people for our family Thanksgiving, (which is happening today at my house. There are going be so many people) and I know that everyone will love and be happy to eat them, but I too also bought some of those super white, take and bake ones that I know if I don’t have on the table next to these gorgeous and amazing rolls, that I will probably get punched in the face. So we will have both. And then at dinner I can bask in the glory of all the comments about how much better my rolls are then the store bought ones. (Secretly why I am having both. Fishing for compliments. HAHA!)

Now to those soft and fluffy dinner rolls!

The stuff. Old fashion oats, all purpose and white whole wheat flour, yeast, oil, water (hot and room temperature), maple syrup, and salt.

First, take the boiling water and pour it over the oats. Mix them and let them soak and cool for 10 or so minutes.

While oats are soaking, add the room temp water to a big bowl with the yeast. Once the oats are soft and cooled off a bit, add them to the yeast mixture along with the oil, and maple. Mix together. The add the flours and mix until combined.

Dump dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 3-5 minutes, adding a little more four as needed to keep from being to sticky, but don’t over flour. The dough is and should be a little tacky.

Soft and supple. Kneaded and ready.

Place the dough back into the bowl and cover with a damp towel. Leave alone and let rise for about an hour or until it doubles in size.

Once the dough doubles, dump out onto a lightly floured surface and cut into 12-16 equal sized pieces .

Roll each roll into a roll shape and place them in a lightly greased baking dish. Cover for another 15-20 minutes to let rest and rise a little more.

Rolls risen again, just a little plumper. And now right before you place them in the oven, brush tops with a maple/water mixture and sprinkle with a few oats. To look pretty. And into the oven they go, 30ish minutes, until nice and golden brown.

Baked to golden dinner roll perfection.

And there you have it. Soft and fluffy dinner rolls. Warm out of the oven, looking and smelling like all the good things that you want and need.

And can, and should, be made now and all year round.

-C

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Soft and Fluffy Oatmeal Wheat Dinner Rolls

makes 12-16 rolls

• 1 1/2 cups old fashion oats

• 2 cups all purpose flour plus more for kneading

• 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour

• 2 cups boiling water

• 1 cup room tempature water plus 2 tablespoons for brushing tops

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 2 tablespoons maple or honey

• 2 teaspoons yeast

• 1/4 cup neutral oil

In a bowl, mix oats with boil water and let sit and soak for about 10 minutes. In the meantime, in a large bowl, mix the room temp water with the yeast and 1 tablespoon of maple and mix. Once oats have soaked and cooled to a point that they are not super hot, but still just warm, mix them in with the yeast mixture. Add the salt and oil and mix then and both the white and white wheat flour. Mix until combined. The dough is going to be sticky, but that how is should be. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3-5 minutes, adding a little flour as needed to keep from sticking too much, until dough is nice and uniformed in texture. Place dough back into big bowl (after you clean it out and lily oil it) and cover with a damp towel. Place somewhere warm for about an hour until it doubles in size.

Once dough has doubled, dump out onto a lightly floured surface and with a knife of dough cutter, cut into 12- 16 equal sized pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, pinching any ends together and place them into a 9x13 inch baking pan. Once all pieces are in, over and let rest for another 15 minutes.

While dough is resting again, preheat oven to 350.

After the dough has rested, and right before you place them in the oven, mix 1tablespoon of maple with about 2 tablespoons warm water and brush the tops of the rolls. Sprinkle with a handful of oats and then place them into the oven to bake. 30-35 minutes, until they are a nice golden brown.

Once baked remove from oven and let cool to a reasonable temperature and serve.

These can certainly be made a few days ahead of time of eating. Just remove baked rolls from pan and let cool completely then place the into an airtight bag. To reheat, just place on a baking sheet and stick in a hot oven until warm.

Chocolate Marbled Pumpkin loaf Cake

When I was a kid, every once in a while my mom would buy those Entenmann’s marbled loaf cakes, (she still might) and I loved them. Chocolate and vanilla swirled into every slice. Super moist and rich with the soft, fluffy top. I would cut a big slice, toast it, then smother it in peanut butter.

Now when I see these cakes, well honesty, I think they kind of look sad. A cake such as a marbled cake, should not be squashed into a box, stacked away on some display case. No cake should have to deal with that. Cakes should be made then oohed and awed at from the comforts of home, only boxed if 100% necessary like in the case of bringing to a friend or giving as a present. Basically, what I am saying is don’t buy pre-made cakes friends, make the cake at home yourself. The cake will like you better for it.

Anyway, I just was thinking about those cakes and my childhood in general and it made me want to make a quick cake all marbled because of the nostalgia and also, I mean, marbled cakes are pretty pretty and why the heck not. And because it is pumpkin season I had to go with pumpkin and chocolate instead of vanilla and chocolate because we all know it was the right thing to do.

Pumpkin spices, rich chocolate. Two flavors in one bite. Who could complain? I don’t think my 10 year old self would have. I think she would have eaten the whole damn loaf (toasted with peanut butter of course).

Nw to the chocolate and pumpkin loaf cake..

The stuff. Flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, white sugar, oil, almond milk, cocoa powder, pumpkin pie spices, coffee, and apple cider vinegar.

Quick and easy. Oil and sugars get a good mix in a big bowl then in goes the pumpkin puree. Mix that in with the milk and apple cider vinegar. Ina separate bowl, mix the flour baking soda and powder and salt. Mix the dry into the wet.

Base mix.

Split the mix in half (eye ball it) and add the spice mix to one bowl and the cocoa and coffee to the other. Mix them until the new ingredients are incorporated. You will then have a chocolate batter and pumpkin spice batter.

Grease a loaf pan then layer dollops of each of the batters into the pan until both batters are gone.

Before the oven and after of the oven.

Place cooked loaf on a wire rack to cool. Really. It needs it. Just wait a least 15 minutes, you can do it.

And then you cut into the load, marvel at the marble, and then eat it.

Two flavors, one mouth.

-C

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chocolate Marbled Pumpkin Loaf Cake

makes 1 loaf

• 2 cups all purpose flour

• 1/3 cup cocoa powder

• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree

• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 1/3 cup brown sugar

• 1/3 cup neutral flavored oil

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 1/4 cup plant milk

• 2 tablespoon coffee (or water if you don’t have coffee)

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 heaping tablespoon pumpkin pie spice or 2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon each ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and clove

Preheat oven to 350

In a large bowl, mix together the white and brown sugar with the oil until combined and there are no chunks of sugar. Add in the pumpkin puree and the milk and vinegar and mix until incorporated. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry mixture to the wet and gently mix until just combined. Scoop half of the batter (eye ball it) into other bowl. Add the pumpkin pie spices to one bowl and fold it into batter until incorporated. Add the cocoa and coffee to the other batter and fold it in until incorporated.

Interchange scooping the batters into greased loaf pan. One, then the other, to create the marbled effect, until both batters are gone. Place pan into oven and bake for 55-60 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

Remove pan from oven and pop bread out and place on a wire rack to cool.

Cut a slices, eat, be happy.

Store bread in airtight container for 3-4 days at room temperature or just slice it up and freeze pieces.

Chocolate filled Vanilla Sugar Sandwich Cookies

As of right now, these are by far the best cookies I have ever made. Look at them. They are SO CUTE!. Worth all the effort, seeing that I do not own a ghost cookie cutter (although I think my version of ghosts are pretty fantastic) and had to hand cut out each cookie with a knife and a ghost cutout I made a few weeks back. They make me happy just looking at them. That right there is saying something. And I don’t know about you and where you are, but it is getting pretty freaking cold out and I refuse to turn the heat on for a few more weeks so I do what I need to do to stay warm. If that means turning on the oven to bake cookies, then so be it. I have a feeling I am going to be making a few more batches of cookies before the months over. HA! (For reals though.)

These cookies are more or less a traditional sugar cookie with a chocolate ganache type filling, both with a hint of coconut flavor from the use of coconut oil. Something about the whole combination; the cookie, the coconutieness, and the chocolate that really had everyone (I gave them out a Barbs birthday party) praise my amazingness. I guess they are pretty freaking delicious.

Cute and delicious. Best kind of cookie!

And quick note. Yes these are ghosts but think of all the fun shaped sandwich cookies you could make. I am thinking moose shaped cookies next or maybe Christmas trees… Oh the possibilities!

Now, to the cookies!

The stuff. White sugar, coconut oil, flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla, almond milk, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar. For cookies and filling.

To make cookie dough. Beat toghetet the coconut oil with sugar and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. Add in all the dry ingredients and the almond milk and mix until a dough forms.

Wrap dough in plastic and squish tight. Place in fridge for an hour or up to a day.

After dough has had time in the fridge, grab it and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick.

Cut out cookie shapes. If you want to cut out eyes or a few different shapes, remember each cookie needs a top and bottom so even numbers folks.

Place cut out cookies on a baking sheet then into the oven they go.

Bakes and ghostly! Place them on a wire rack to cool and keep baking the rest of the cookies.

While cookies are cooling, make chocolate filling. Super soft, almost melted coconut oil goes in a bowl with vanilla and gets beaten together. Add in the cocoa powder, powdered sugar and pinch of salt and kept beating slowly anding in a bit of milk until the whole shebang comes together into chocolate filling awesomeness.

Ghost filling!

Once the cookies are completely cooled, fill them. The filling might have tightened up a bit so if it is not spreadable, pop into microwave for like 8 seconds to get it to move. Scoop or smear equal amounts of filling onto the bottoms of the cookies and top them off with their tops.

Done, and ready to eat.

Ghosts cookies for all your ghost fueled festivities.

-C

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Chocolate filled Vanilla Sugar Sandwich Cookies

makes at least 16 sandwich cookies

For the cookies

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

• 3/4 cup white sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extact

• 2/3 cup soft coconut oil

• 5 tablespoons plant milk (I used almond)

For the filling

• 1 1/2- 2 cups powdered sugar

• 1/3 cup cocoa powder

• 4 tablespoons melted coconut oil

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2-3 tablespoons plant milk

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350

In a bowl beat together the white sugar with the coconut oil and vanilla extract. Add in the flour, baking powder, and salt and start to mix with a spoon or fork, adding in the milk as you go. Keep mixing until completely incorporated and turns to a ball of dough. Gather together into a ball and wrap in plastic. Pat flat and place into fridge for an hour or up to a day.

To cut out cookies. Roll fridgerated dough out on a floured surface to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut out shapes, making sure to have a top and bottom for each cookie. Gather left over dough into a ball and repeat until all the dough is used.

Place cookies on a baking sheet and bake for 13-15 minutes or until they are just starting to lightly brown around the edges. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cook.

For chocolate filling. Beat together the melted coconut oil with vanilla. Add in the lesser amount of powdered sugar, salt, and cocoa powder. Beat on low, adding in 2 tablespoons plant milk. Beat until mixture comes together into a thick but spreadable consistency. If it seems too thick, add more milk, too thin, a little more powdered sugar.

Cookie assembly. 2 cookies at a time. A top and bottom. Spread about a tablespoon of chocolate filling to bottom cookies and pop the top on.

Eat cookies. Store what is not eaten in a airtight container for up to a week, but these ghosts will definitely not last that long.