Soft Pretzels

Makes 12-14 pretzels

Combine:

1 cup of warm water

2 1/2 teaspoons of active yeast

let sit for 5 minutes and them add:

1 1/2 cups unbleached flour

2 tablespoons soft butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

mix for 3 minutes and then add

1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour

Knead until the dough loses its stickiness. Let in rise in a covered and oiled bowl until doubled in sized. Punch down and divide into 12-14 pieces.

Roll into 18 inch snakes with tapered ends. Loop into traditional shapes, or hearts, letters, numbers... the possibilities are endless.

Place on a greased baking sheet and let rise until almost doubled in size again. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Here comes another exciting step. Bring a pot filled with 4 cups of water to a boil. Carefully add 5 teaspoons of baking soda. We loved watching each spoonful fizz as it went in. Don't use an aluminum pan for this step. Carefully lower the pretzels into the water for one minute or until they float to the top. Remove with a slotted spoon and return to baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt

Bake until golden. These pretzels are incredible hot out of the oven, but should keep well for several days in an airtight container. I figured on having snack time covered for a couple of days... but this batch is almost gone!

Honey Lime Enchiladas

6 tablespoons honey

5 tablespoons lime juice ( 1-2  limes)

1 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (about 3 small chicken breasts)

8-10 flour tortillas

1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded

16 ounces green enchilada sauce

1 cup heavy cream 

Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour (if you can let it set several hours EVEN better). 

Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. 

Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

Serve up with some Mexican rice, or fresh salsa and chips. 

Pad Thai

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) package rice noodles
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/8 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 1/4 cup crushed peanuts
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions

Soak rice noodles in cold water 30 to 50 minutes, or until soft. Drain, and set aside.

Heat butter in a wok or large heavy skillet. Saute chicken until browned. Remove, and set aside. Heat oil in wok over medium-high heat. Crack eggs into hot oil, and cook until firm. Stir in chicken, and cook for 5 minutes. Add softened noodles, and vinegar, oyster sauce, sugar (pre mix vinegar,sugar and oyster sauce)and red pepper flakes. Adjust seasonings to taste. Mix while cooking, until noodles are tender. Add bean sprouts, and mix for 3 minutes. Add in green onions and peanuts. Mix and serve.

Charlotte's Curry Chicken

1 cup white sugar

3/4 cup ketchup

3 Tbsp. worcestershire sauce

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dry mustard

1-2 tsp curry powder

1-2 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all the ingredients in a pot. Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes. While sauce is simmering take 4 chicken breasts ( bone in or boneless work) and put in baking dish (corningware ones). Pour sauce over and cover. Bake for 30 minutes covered. Take cover off, spoon sauce over top and back for another 30 minutes uncovered. Serve with rice.

Tea Biscuits

2 cups flour

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Mix together. Then with either pastry blender or fork add in

1/2 cup shortening

Then add 1 cup milk and mix. I then sprinkle some flour on the counter and pat them to desired thickness. Bake at 425 F for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Orange Sauce

Tastes best served on Ham:

1/2 cup white sugar

pinch of salt

1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch

3/4 cup orange juice

2 Tbsp lemon juice

Boil 3 minutes ( until thickened) then add 1 1/2 tsp butter. Pour into dish and serve.