Perfect for Snacking Pretzel Bites

If ever there was a time for snacking, the time is now.And the answer for "what should I eat?" is definitely these soft pretzel bites.

Who Ate My Quarantine Snacks?

Covid-19 has left us all stuck in our homes and held captive by our snacks. Here on the Texas Gulf Coast, we only know one way of preparing to stay put for a while - and that's "hunkering down" hurricane style, i.e., with plenty of bottled water, toilet paper, and packaged sweets and chips that will stay good for a while.Most of the time, those snacks are gone in the first few days. And that might be the case for you in quarantine now too. But this season of staying home is much different than those hurricane-like days in the past. It's been an endless array of groundhog days were every day seems to feel exactly like the day before - and we still have electricity and running water (thank the Lord!).So with every day feeling like the next, it's that much more important to keep our spirits up with cheap entertainment. In our house, that means going outside to explore and cooking.

Cooking is Interactive Learning!

Yesterday, that meant my daughter and I got in the kitchen and made some soft pretzel bites. My kids love pretzels and these soft ones are perfect straight from the oven. We pretended the dough was Play Doh and made long skinny "snakes" of dough and after they were cut into bite-size pieces, she"painted" the pieces with egg wash.This recipe makes approximately 120 pretzel bites and I can guarantee you that they will all be gone in a day. Or if you serve them when you have a party, they will most definitely be a hit!

Soft Pretzel Bites Recipe

Pretzel Bites

The perfect salty snack for any party or afternoon munch session are these soft pretzel bites. They're fresh bread dough topped with coarse salt and served with a cheddar cheese sauce!

Soft Pretzels:

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 package active dry yeast ((2 1/4 teaspoons))
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4 1/2 cups bread flour (or all purpose)
• Vegetable oil
• 3 quarts water
• 1/3 cup baking soda ((for boiling the pretzels))
• 1 whole egg beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
• Coarse sea salt

Cheese Sauce:

• ½ Tablespoon unsalted butter
• ½ Tablespoon all-purpose flour
• ½ cup milk
• 8 ounces Cheddar cheese (grated)

For the Pretzels:

1. Combine the 1 1/2 cups water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.

   

2. Add the salt and 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 side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands.
   
3. 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.
   
4. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
5. Bring the 3 quarts of water to a boil in a small roasting pan over high heat and carefully add the baking soda. It will boil over, so add slowly and be careful!

6. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 ounces each. Roll each piece into a long rope measuring 22 inches and shape. Cut the dough into one inch pieces to make the pretzel bites. Boil the pretzel bites in the water solution in batches.

   

7. We did about 15 bites at a time. Boil for about 30 seconds. Remove with a large slotted spoon. Place pretzel bites on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure they are not touching. Brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with the salt. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.

   

8. Remove to a baking rack and let rest 5 minutes before eating. Serve with cheese sauce.
   

To make the Cheese Sauce:

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the Cheddar cheese until smooth and all of the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

*If you want to make cinnamon and sugar pretzel bites-instead of adding salt, sprinkle the bites with cinnamon and sugar. For the frosting mix-soft cream cheese-about 3 T, powdered sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a little bit of milk. Whisk together. Add more milk if it is too thick, if it is too thin, add more powdered sugar. I don't measure. I just guess until the consistency is right.*

Appetizer, Snack

American

pretzel, pretzel bites, soft pretzel

Products Used:

If you'd like to make the traditional twist soft pretzels, check out the recipe here.[activecampaign form=1]

Red Bean Hummus

This post contains affiliate links and is sponsored by Flavor Your Life. All photos and opinions are mine and should not be used without permission.

There are a few things that I always have ready in my pantry. A selection of spices, baking supplies, and a good quality European Extra Virgin Olive Oil are always on hand.

What is EVOO?

Extra Virgin Olive Oil comes from the fruit of an Olive tree. It's made by pressing the fruit without using heat or chemicals. Olive Oil is qualified as "Extra Virgin" when it has lower peroxide values. Lower peroxide levels indicate a fresher oil and a faster processing time. In addition to this, oils must be judged by expert tasters that will deem it as a higher quality.

Why European EVOO?

Olive trees all over Europe are revered for the "liquid gold" they produce. Farmers there have spent hundreds of years cultivating the land, trees, and caring for their orchards in order to give optimal growing conditions. Because of this expertise in growing these fruit trees, the taste of European EVOO is absolutely incredible! The different regions of Europe also produce different flavor profiles (sort of like how honey tastes like what plants it's next to). For instance, Spanish oil is typically a golden yellow with a fruity, nutty flavor while Italian olive oil is often dark green and has a grassy flavor. Greek olive is also usually more green in color and packs a strong flavor, while French oil is typically lighter in color and has a mild flavor.These olives that are typically harvested during the months of late November and into December taste mild and buttery, while olives harvested too early (around late August) are typically bitter and pungent.In the recipe below, I used the EVOO brand Olitalia, but any European Extra Virgin Olive Oil will do. I really enjoyed being able to taste this Italian EVOO and cooking with it! I can't wait to make an herb dip to really get the most out of that delicious flavor it has.What do you get when you combine an eggplant with red kidney beans? Red Bean Hummus, of course! Just picture refried beans that are actually good for you! Here's how to make them:

Red Bean Hummus

This veggie-packed dip is perfect for colder weather days and makes for a healthy light meal when served with pita bread or on a salad.

• 3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 egg plant
• 15 oz can red kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• juice of 1 small lemon
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp ground coriander

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Place the eggplant on a baking tray and roast for 40 minutes until soft. Allow to cook and then remove the skin.

2. Place the roasted egg plant flesh with all the ingredients, except the extra virgin olive oil, into a food processor.

3. Pulse until smooth.

4. Slowly add in the extra virgin olive oil until it becomes a smooth dipping consistency.

5. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Spoon into a deep serving bowl and finish with a swirl of extra virgin olive oil.

Olitalia believes all great cooking revolves around great oil. Olitalia is the #1 brand most used by chefs in Italy and is now available for home cooking in the US. Look for Olitalia at Eataly locations. Go to Olitalia's website here to learn more and be sure to follow them on Instagram!If you'd like to see more recipes like this, follow me on Pinterest!