WJ'S CHEESY PRETZELS

During the beginning of the first lockdown during co-vid, a male friend and I teamed up. Instead of being bored, since we couldn't work at that time. We went to Granny's. We knew we could be more useful by keeping her and Uncle off the streets and out of the stores. Health compromised, neither of them could afford to come down with the co-vid. We had come to an agreement between all of us, that would keep them in and us at their beck and call. So we thought. These two were using the tricks I'm sure their own kids had tried. Plus how can you expect them to not want to get out of the house when they were always home after retirement. After co-vid lockdown I totally understand how one would want to just get out and drive around. It didn't take long for the two of us to get bored.

Granny had tons of recipe books and magazines. I had taken up reading them out of boredom and picking out new meals to try. So I gave J an option. If he wanted to eat any of the snacks I made he had to help this included cookies and cake. J loves cake, so if he didn't help one time, no cake. Didn't take him long to realize I meant what I said and he would go without. So it began the co-vid baking and cooking adventures of J and me.

J and I gather all of our ingredients and supplies. We measure what we need first, this causes so much less confusion for the two of us when we are cooking together. Otherwise, we are both measuring and dumping ingredients, without the other knowing. You can't take it back but you can add to it. For bread and cakes, I find it best to make sure you blend or stir the dry ingredients first to ensure the baking powder is evenly distributed. The baking powder is your rising agent. Since we are not using any starch for our pretzels. Plus we won't have to wait and watch the dough rise. We aren't very patient people.

The best part of baking these delicious pretzels is just having fun. Making a pretzel shape sure wasn't as easy as it looked. We remade our pretzels a few times and guess what they still turned out the same. Don't worry they taste the same too! They weren't the prettiest, but we weren't going to let a twist stop us from baking them. Do not over-knead your dough. Overworking your dough will push out the gluten, and cause a dry dense interior.

Total:25 mins

• Prep:10 mins
• Cook:15 mins
• Yield:16 pretzels (16 servings)

• Ingredients
• 1 1/2 cups flour (all-purpose)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder or double-acting baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons margarine (sliced into squares)
• 1/2 cup/2 ounces cheese (shredded colby jack & italian blend)
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 medium egg (beaten)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (coarse)

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees

Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl;

Cut in margarine with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Add cheese and milk, stirring until dry ingredients are just moistened.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 9 times.

Divide dough in half and roll each half into 12x8-inch rectangle.

Cut dough lengthwise into eight 1-inch strips.

Twist each into a pretzel shape; brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse salt.

Place on lightly greased baking sheets and bake at 400 F for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool for a few minutes on wire racks; serve pretzels warm.

Cool for a few minutes on wire racks; serve pretzels warm.

For a Dipping Sauce, we chose to make Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

• 1 tbsp mustard
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp honey
• pinch of salt
• add more of any ingredient to taste