Softballpretzelscourtesyofpauladeen Recipes

Steps:

• Make the pretzels: Warm the milk in a saucepan until it's about 110 degrees; pour into a medium bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Let the yeast soften, about 2 minutes; stir in the brown sugar and 1 cup flour with a wooden spoon. Dice 2 tablespoons butter and soften; stir into the mix. Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups flour and the fine salt to make a sticky dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding more flour if needed, until smooth but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes. Shape into a ball, place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and grease a large baking sheet. Punch the dough to deflate it, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface. (If the dough seems tight, cover and let rest until it relaxes.) Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Roll and stretch each piece with the palms of your hands into a 30-inch rope, holding the ends and slapping the middle of the rope on the counter as you stretch. Form each rope into a pretzel shape.
• Dissolve the baking soda in 3 cups warm water in a shallow baking dish. Gently dip each pretzel in the soda solution, then arrange on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with the coarse salt. Bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Prepare the sauce: Combine the mayonnaise, mustard, brown sugar and vinegar in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
• Melt the remaining 8 tablespoons butter in a shallow dish. Dip the hot pretzels in the butter, turning to coat; place on a wire rack to let excess butter drip off. Serve the pretzels warm with the sweet mustard sauce.
• Illustration by Jason Lee

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water and yeast.
• When the yeast dissolves, add half of the flour, the butter, salt, and sugar and mix for about 3 minutes.
• Stir in the remaining flour.
• Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until the dough is no longer sticky.
• Let the dough rise in a greased, covered bowl until it doubles in size, about 45 to 50 minutes.
• Punch down the dough and divide into 12 pieces.
• Roll each piece of dough into 18-inch long ropes.
• On a greased cookie sheet, shape each rope into a pretzel shape.
• Let rise again until almost doubled, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
• In a large non-aluminum Dutch oven over high heat, bring 4 cups of water and baking soda to a boil.
• Using a large slotted spoon, gently lower pretzels into water a few at a time and boil for about 1 minute, or until they float.
• Return the pretzels to the cookie sheet and brush with melted butter then sprinkle with kosher salt.
• Bake in oven until browned, about 12 minutes.
• Serve hot with mustard or eat as is.

Steps:

• Bring 8 cups water, 1/2 cup baking soda and 2 teaspoons kosher salt to a boil in a pot. Cut 1 pound pizza dough into 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a 2-foot-long rope and pick up the ends to form a U shape; cross one end over the other twice to make a double twist in the middle; attach the ends to the bottom of the U, using water to adhere. Working in batches, use a slotted spoon to lower the pretzels into the boiling water. Cook, flipping once, until slightly puffed, 30 seconds per side. Transfer to an oiled baking sheet; brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with pretzel salt. Bake at 350 degrees F until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Steps:

• For the dipping sauce: Whisk together the mustard, honey and horseradish in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Cover and let sit at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
• For the soft pretzels: Combine the sugar, salt, yeast and 1 1/2 cups warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit 5 minutes.
• Add the butter and 4 1/2 cups of the flour and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl, 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour a tablespoon at a time. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead the dough into a ball with your hands.
• Oil a bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and spray liberally with cooking spray.
• Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a large pot over high heat and add the baking soda.
• Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope measuring about 22 inches. Shape each into an upside-down U shape, then bring the ends together and twist them to create a pretzel shape.
• For the salt mixture: Combine the salt, black pepper and pink pepper in a small bowl; set aside.
• Boil the pretzels in the water solution 2 at a time for 30 seconds; remove with a large flat slotted spatula or a spider.
• Place 4 pretzels on each baking sheet, brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with the salt mixture. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and let rest 5 minutes before eating. Serve with the dipping sauce on the side

Steps:

• Remove odd pots and pans from oven.
• Preheat oven to 350º / 180º.
• Cream together butter and sugar.
• Add eggs and crushed bananas.
• Combine well.
• Sift together flour, soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture. Add vanilla.
• Mix just until combined. Do not overmix.
• Pour into greased and floured loaf pan.
• Bake at 350º / 180º for 55 minutes.
• Keeps well, refrigerated.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, butter, salt, egg and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a stiff dough. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and refrigerate for 2-24 hours. , Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Cut each into 16 pieces. Roll each piece into a 20-in. rope. Shape into a pretzel. , Place on greased baking sheets. Beat egg yolk and cold water; brush over pretzels. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 25 minutes. , Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread mashed potatoes evenly on bottom of casserole dish.
• Layer sour cream evenly over top.
• Sprinkle House Seasoning, to taste.
• Saute onion and bell pepper in butter; evenly layer over top of sour cream.
• Slice potatoes and layer over onions and bell peppers.
• Add butter.
• Sprinkle House seasoning.
• Finally top with cheese.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven and crumble bacon over top.
• Cook's Note: Leftover mashed potatoes work wonderfully in this recipe.
• House Seasoning:
• 1 cup salt
• 1/4 cup black pepper
• 1/4 cup garlic powder
• Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Grease & flour a 10" tube pan or bundt pan.
• Sift dry Ingredients.
• Cream butter & shortening together.
• Add sugar a little at a time.
• Cream until fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition to fully incorporate the eggs into the batter.
• Add dry ingredients and milk to mixture alternating; starting and ending with flour.
• Mix in vanilla.
• Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until it passes the toothpick test.