New York Pretzels

These are the real deal folks.  You'll need a mixer with dough hook.  Put in the work and you will reap the reward on this one.  Darn good.

Ingredients

• 1T sugar
• 1 package of active dry yeast
• 1 and 1/2C warm water
• 3 and 1/2C flour
• 1 egg
• 2T kosher salt
• olive oil
• parchment paper

Directions

• stir together sugar, yeast and warm water. Let rest to bubble for 5 minutes.
• whisk 1T of the kosher salt with 3 and 1/2C flour
• add flour mixture to the yeast mixture slowly turning with dough hook, letting dough hook knead the dough until it becomes 1 soft mass
• cover the dough in bowl with plastic and let rise for 45 minutes
• turn risen dough out onto a floured work surface
• cut into 8 pieces
• roll each piece back and forth working the dough into a rope about 24 inches long.  (if dough is sticking to your hands, use a litte flour)
• twist dough into pretzel shapes
• transfer pretzels to baking sheets lined with parchment that has been brushed with a little bit of olive oil
• let pretzels stand uncovered for 20 minutes, meanwhile preheat oven to 425F and bring an 8 qt. stock pot of water to boil
• carefully add pretzels to boiling water 4 at a time
• boil pretzels for about 3 minutes turning with tongs once
• transfer parboiled pretzels to drying racks
• move dry pretzels back to parchment lined baking sheets, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with kosher salt
• bake at 425F for about 35 minutes
• cool slightly and enjoy warm pretzels dipped in cheese and/or sweet hot mustart

Sweet-hot mustard recipe available upon request.  :)  I like to add sliced sausage and apples to the table and make this a full meal.

Crab Chowder

This is good at Christmas or 4th of July.  It's just good.  Really good.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• meat from 2 medium crabs (about 2 lbs each)
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 medium red pepper, diced
• 2T butter
• 2T flour
• 4C milk
• 1 green onion, sliced
• 1/2t bouquet garni seasoning
• 1/2t cajun seasoning
• 1/2t sugar
• 1/4t salt (careful here)
• 1/8t fresh ground black pepper
• 4oz cream cheeze, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
• fresh thyme for garnish
• crusty bread with butter for dipping

Directions

• melt butter in 8 qt sauce pot, add diced pepper and zucchini cooking until 'crispy tender'
• stir in the flour and let starches break down for a minute or two
• add milk (slowly), green onion, bouquet garni seasoning, cajun, sugar, salt and pepper
• cook and stir until thickened and bubbly
• add cream cheese, stir until melted through
• add crab, stir until heated through
• ladel into bowls with thyme garnish and buttered bread for dipping

Dutch Baby

This is a favorite winter breakfast.  Smells so good, and tastes best with home-made maple syrup, powdered sugar and a lemon wedge to squeeze.  Oh Baby.

Preheat Oven to 400F

Place 2T of cold butter in each of two pie pans

Slide into the oven and let butter melt

While Butter is melting, mix up the following in a blender

• 1C flour
• 1C milk
• 4 eggs
• 1T sugar
• 1t pure vanilla extract
• 1/2t salt

Once butter is melted, pour half of blended batter into each of the two pie pans

Slide back into oven and bake on 400F for about 20 minutes or until edges are raised and slightly browned

Skillet Tuna Noodle Casserole

This is not your Mom's Tuna Noodle Casserole, no offense Moms.  So good.  So easy.  Make it.  Eat it.  Love it.

Skillet Tuna Noodle Casserole Ingredients
2 T butter
1 onion, minced
salt to taste
8 ounces egg noodles (3 cups)
2 C chicken broth
1 C heavy cream
1 C frozen peas
2 (7 ounce) foil packages of solid white tuna, flaked
2 T parsley, minced
pepper to taste
lemon wedges, for serving

• carmelize onion in butter and salt
• transfer cooked onions to another bowl
• sprinkle noodles into skillet
• add broth and cream to skillet, cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes or until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally
• mix in peas, cooked onions, and parsley and allow to heat through
• season with pepper and sprinkle crushed crackers on top to serve along with a lemon wedge

Trapanese Pesto

This is an old sicilian pesto, new to me. It's beautiful, smells good, tastes good and is really fresh and simple.

Trapanese Pesto Sauce
1/3 C. blanched almonds, lightly toasted
1 plump garlic clove
12 big basil leaves
3/4 lb. cherry tomatoes
1/2 t. kosher salt
1/2 C. olive oil

• blend the above in cuisinart, dry ingredients first, then olive oil to emulsify
• toss fresh pesto with warm strained pasta and 1/2 C. shaved romano
• serve