Soft pretzels with jalapeño cheese dip

I have an update on our yard glacier! I will post about it in the morning. Hurry and get your guess in for your chance to win $200 before the polls close!

The sun is shining today, but it is still only in the 30s. I stepped outside to get my cutie off the bus and was shocked by the wave of cold air that smacked me in the face. Goodness, SPRING! Where the heck are you?!

Onto these pretzels and the totally gooey cheese dip that I made last night. They are almost gone because my boys have been munching on them non-stop since the moment they came out of the oven. "Another pretzel, Mom. A big one, please."

And the cheese dip? I am trying to shed my winter pounds, so I had to really pull myself together after I took a few bites of this stuff. I limited myself to three bites. It was tough.

First, get the pretzels started!

(adapted from the Food Network.)

In a small saucepan, warm 1 cup of milk until it reaches 110 degrees F. This took less than 5 minutes, if you do not own a candy thermometer. Do not let the milk boil!

Pour it into a medium bowl.

Sprinkle one 1/4-oz. package of acrive dry yeast over the top.

Let it sit for 2 minutes.

Add:

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons light brown sugar (mine drowned in the milk before I could snap the pic!)

Mix until incorporated.

Cube 2 tablespoons of salted butter and soften it in the microwave.

Add it to the mixture and stir.

Add:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon fine salt

Stir until a sticky dough forms. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding more flour if needed, until smooth (3 to 5 minutes).

Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl.

Cover the bowl and place it in a warm place until it has doubled in size, between 60 and 90 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

When the dough is ready, punch to deflate it and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into 5 equal pieces. Roll and stretch each piece with your hands to form a 20- to 24-inch rope. Cut each rope in half, making ten 10- to 12-inch ropes.

Form each rope into a pretzel shape.

In a shallow dish, dissolve 1/3 cup of baking soda in 3 cups of hot water. Gently dip each pretzel in the soda solution, covering each one completely.

Arrange the dipped pretzels on the prepared baking sheets.

Sprinkle the pretzels generously with coarse salt. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until the pretzels are golden-brown.

In a small bowl, melt 8 tablespoons of butter in the microwave. Using a basting brush, spread the melted butter over the entire surface of each pretzel once they are out of the oven.

What should you serve with these soft, delicious pretzels, you ask? The jalapeño cheese dip I am about to share with you is a perfect match, and you can prepare it in 10 minutes or less (while the pretzels are cookin' in the oven).

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.

Add 1 diced jalapeño pepper and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until it is softened and fragrant.

Add:

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Stir until lumps form (this happens quickly, so have your milk ready).

Add:

1 cup milk

Whisk the mixture until the lumps are gone. Heat to boiling. Lower the heat and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from the heat and add:

Salt and pepper, to your liking

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or whatever shredded cheese is hanging out in your fridge)

Stir until the cheese is melted. 

Ding! The pretzels are done and both are ready to serve! ENJOY!

Printable recipe: Soft pretzels

Printable recipe: Jalapeño cheese dip

Cheesy noodle bake

Dan and I used to make a version of this dish years ago. We have often remembered it fondly, but for some reason we haven't replicated it until now. How silly! Our original version contained jalapeno peppers and I recall them adding the perfect zing. This version was made sans jalapenos in order to not burn the mouths of our young ones. I have found myself many times over the past few days crouched down in front of the open fridge, fork in hand, sneaking just "one more" teeny bite. It's a keeper. We will not be waiting another seven years to make it again!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large saucepan, cook a 12-oz. package of egg noodles in boiling water according to package directions. Drain and rinse.

Place the following in a medium skillet:

1/2 large onion, chopped

1 pound ground beef

Salt and pepper, to taste

Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the meat is no longer pink and the onions are soft. 

Remove from the heat.

Layer the prepared baking dish as follows:

Ground beef-onion mixture

Half of the cooked egg noodles

14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes

8-oz. package cream cheese, cut into 10 slices (omit this if you wish to slim down the dish)

8 oz. frozen corn kernels

Remaining egg noodles

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

If you haven't already, be sure to leave a comment on this post for a chance to win a copy of my ecookbook!

Printable recipe: Cheesy noodle bake

Chicken bacon artichoke dip

I love the couple of weeks leading up to the Superbowl because I have an excuse to make yummy, gooey dips with the intent of sharing them with you! Dan and I have a weakness for dips, which makes the Superbowl a fun event for us every year. Someone told me once that there is actually FOOTBALL being played that day?! Ha! Nice try.

I was inspired to make this recipe after seeing this on Allrecipes. I just about squealed when I saw all of these delicious ingredients swimming together in my baking dish. When it came out of the oven, Dan and I both pounced. Mmmm, it was everything I expected and more.

Preaheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a medium-sized baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine:

2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded

6 strips bacon, cooked and chopped

14-oz. can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 cup fresh spinach, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup milk

3-oz. package cream cheese, softened

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Mix well and transfer to the prepared baking dish. Top with 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Serve warm with chips or crackers.

More Superbowl options to come!

Printable recipe: Chicken bacon artichoke dip

Chicken and cheese casserole

Wow, you guys! I am humbled and so very grateful for your comments on my giveaway post (please enter to win $50, if you haven't already!). I love my blog and all of you, and I want to deliver the best product possible. Thank you so much for your valuable input and for reading my blog. Thank you, thank you!

My three boys and I have a little vacation planned for the next few days, so I am trying to get a few tasks accomplished tonight. Laundry is done, dishes are done, boys are in bed and now I am sitting down to deliver you an easy dinner recipe that my family and I loved.

After this comes packing. Ughh, how I dislike packing.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the following ingredients:

Meat from 1 Rotisserie chicken

1/2 of a small onion, chopped

3 stalks celery, sliced

5-oz. bag croutons

1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup milk

Mix well. Pour into the prepared baking dish. 

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese over the top and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Serve warm.

Enjoy!

Printable recipe: Chicken and cheese casserole

Cheesy vegetable soup

Another whirlwind of a week has begun! Blogging, baking, cooking, photographing, editing, mothering, wifing and preparing to spend time with Santa in a mall this coming weekend. Life is crazy, but so much fun, isn't it?!

A fellow heart mama of mine generously gave me this recipe, and I am so thankful that she shared it. Dan and I had some friends over last week and we made it for them. It was delicious and creamy and it pleased all of our bellies. Thanks, Hollie! We will make this one again and again.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 3 cups of water. Add 3 chicken bouillon cubes and stir until dissolved.

Add to the skillet:

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

4 stalks celery, sliced

3 carrots, sliced

1 cup broccoli florets

1 cup cauliflower florets

1 medium Russet potato, skinned and chopped into 1/2-inch cubes

Simmer for 30 minutes.

Add 2 cans of cream of chicken soup and bring to a boil.

Add 1 1/2 pounds of Velveeta cheese, cut into cubes. We used 1 pound of Jalapeno Velveeta and a 1/2 pound of the Original Velveeta, but feel free to mix and match flavors as you wish.

Stir until smooth, and do not bring to a boil once the cheese has been added.

Serve in a bread bowl or with bread. 

Enjoy! Happy early Thanksgiving! Here's hoping you enjoy the food and precious time with family this week.

Printable recipe: Cheesy vegetable soup