My lunch from a few days ago

[pegkerr]

This is a picture of my lunch, taken on April 3, the day my computer power supply went out, so I never had a chance to upload it:



Homemade pretzel, kiwi, the last of the quinoa timbales (recipe here), pumpkin and cottage cheese (with dusting of cinnamon, to be mixed together) and endamame.

Comments

[aome.livejournal.com]

Yay for fixed computer! Also - did Delia help make the pretzels? I love homemade bread-y things. :)

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

Yes! They actually came from the bread book you sent her!

[silme.livejournal.com]

Yum. Homemade pretzels! :)

[mjryan.livejournal.com]

Would you be willing to post that recipe? I'd love to have a good homemade pretzel recipe. I've never made them before.

I'm always so impressed with your lunches. Your family must have the healthiest diet of anyone I know.

[aome.livejournal.com]

I'm sure this isn't the same recipe Peg has, but I've made it a few times and it's very tasty. Only about 1 hr 15mins, start to finish, give or take.

Dough:
2 1/2 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 1/4 tsp yeast (same as what's in one envelope)
7/8 to 1 C warm water, depending on the day's humidity, etc

Topping:
1/2 C warm water
2 Tbsp baking soda
coarse salt
2-3 Tbsp butter, melted

Combine all dough ingredients in a bowl; beat until well combined. Knead ~5mins until smooth. Coat surface with flour and place in loosely closed plastic bag. Let rise at room temp about 30min. Divide into 8 equal pieces. Allow to rest 5min.

Combine 1/2 C warm water and baking soda in shallow bowl. Roll each piece of dough into long thin rope and twist into standard pretzel shape. Dip into baking soda wash (this enhances the golden color) and place on a cooking-sprayed baking sheet. (You'll get about 4 to a sheet.) Sprinkle with salt. Rest another 10 min. Bake 8-9 min at 500F, rotating sheets halfway through baking. Brush warm pretzels with melted butter and ENJOY!

(Heads up: cooking spray + high temps = smoke alarm going off when you open oven door. :P)

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

Here's the recipe Delia used:

Dough:
1 cup water
3 cups white bread flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 TB butter
1 tsp fast rise yeast OR 3 tsp active dry yeast

Pretzel wash:
1 egg, beaten
2 TB white vinegar

Topping:
2 TB kosher salt

Place dough on lightly floured surface. Roll dough into an 8-inch by 16-inch rectangle. Use pizza cutter to cut into long, narrow strips about 3/4 inch wide. Bend one strip into a "horseshoe." Cross your hands, picking up one end of the strip with each hand. Uncross your hands, placing the dough in the pretzel shape. Lift one end at a time, and dab a bit of water to connect the top strip ends to the bottom layer. Repeat with every strip and put on lightly greased baking sheets. Let rise for 1 hour or until double in size. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush with pretzel wash. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake until golden brown, about 15 - 18 minutes.