Happy National Pretzle Day

Happy National Pretzel Day!

I honestly had no idea there was such a holiday until this afternoon when Rob saw the homemade soft pretzels I had made (which are my favorite) and said, "How did you know it was National Pretzel Day?" I guess he had heard it on the radio.
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So here are some fun facts about pretzels:

• National Pretzel Day is always April 26th
• Pretzels are believed to be the worlds oldest snack
• Pretzels date back to 610 AD in Southern France
• Monks baked thin strips of dough into the shape of a child's arms folded in prayer

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How do you like your pretzel?

Personally I like homemade soft pretzels the best. Here's my favorite recipe (and I've tried several):

HOMEMADE SOFT PRETZELS

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 package active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp.)
• approximately 4 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• vegetable oil, for pan
• 10 cups water
• 2/3 cup baking soda (yes that's correct)
• 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• pretzel salt (or coarse salt)

DIRECTIONS:
Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approx. 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from bowl, clean bowl and the oil it with vegetable oil. Return dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it sit in warm place for approx. 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Oil or spray baking sheets.

Bring 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in a large pot.

In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 16 equal pieces for smaller pretzels or 8 pieces for larger pretzels. Roll out each piece of dough into a long rope. Twist ends over each other and press onto the bottom of the U to form the pretzel shape.

Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large, flat spatula is drainage holes. Put pretzel on baking sheet and brush the top of each with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture. You can sprinkle with salt now or wait until baking is complete. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approx. 12 minutes. Cool on rack before serving.

Try dipping in mustard or brushing with butter and adding cinnamon and sugar.

ENJOY!

What I Did This Week

Catch up time.

For the past few weeks I've put off house cleaning, laundry and lingering projects due to a self inflicted project headache for my neighborhood. I've been working on renovating our neighborhood pool. It was in much need of new furniture, umbrellas and structures and you know what they say, if you want a job done right do it yourself. I didn't really trust anyone else to do the job right so I volunteer myself and my dear friend, Sandy, who is an interior designer. We came up with a great plan that included building some pergolas and adding some landscaping as well as new furniture. Since then I've been working hours and hours researching the best prices and styles of furniture, coordinating colors and trying to get it improved by our HOA board. The project is now approved and rolling. We just hope everything gets here in time for opening on Memorial Day weekend. Cross your fingers.

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This week I also got cracking on training. Did I mention I'm signed up to do a triathlon in 3 weeks? It's a "sprint" which means about a 300 meter swim, 11.6 mile bike, and a 5K. I good starters distance. So official training started this week and I was pleasantly surprised by how well I did. Granted I've been going to the gym for a while, but I got in the pool this week to swim laps for the first time since I was a kid. Now my swim is only 300 meters, but long enough that I can't fake it. I was able to swim most of it without stopping. I also got on a road bike for the first time ever this weekend and I must say I'M HOOKED!!! I truly loved the feeling of flying down the road. For a girl who's only done aerobic classes and running for exercise her whole life, this was much loved change. Saturday my training group and I biked 10 miles then ran 5K. I finished strong and it felt good.

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Since Rob was out of town this week, I took advantage by ignoring the house and after catching up on weeks of laundry I was able to catch up on a couple other forgotten projects. I finally finished my chest. I painted it a cream color, added the legs and hardware and distressed the look (since most of my furniture ends up looking distressed on it own). Now I just need to put my sheet music in the drawers.

This is the piece I refinished a year and a half ago. This is definitely my favorite piece. I stained it a dark espresso brown and distressed it. I just wish I would have taken a before picture. It was truly hideous.

Our Garden

After finishing the garden retaining wall too late last year, we finally have a garden this year. Rob has been planting every weekend for over a month and it's really starting to take off.

We have over a dozen tomato plants of different varieties.

I definitely will be doing some canning, salsa and spaghetti sauce later this summer. Send me any great recipes you have. I've never canned by myself before.

Here are the green beans and peas.

Some cucumbers popping up.

Strawberry plants.

Rob and the kids thinning the carrots and green onions.

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We're also growing red onions, green peppers, herbs, summer squash, zucchini, watermelon, cantaloupe, corn and pumpkins.

Quotes of the Week

Addie's quote of the week came after the kids had watched Star Wars. She was trying to figure out why, if Darth Vader was Luke's dad, he would want to kill his son. After some pondering she said, "Is Darth Vader so mean because he drinks a lot of coffee?" Did I mention we're trying to clarify the word of wisdom. I guess that one needs some work.

Maycie's quote of the week is entitled, "finding beauty in all things." While inside a public restroom Maycie says to me, "Isn't the sound of my pee beautiful, mom?". 'Nuf said.

In this picture Alex is giving me the "stink eye" which he has mastered.
His quote of the week came after Rob had scolded the kids several times for not obeying. After the final more serious scolding Alex timidly asked, "Dad, you sell us to the gypsies?" What parent hasn't threatened to sell their child to the gypsies for bad behavior?

Easter and Visitors From the West

Yay! We love visitors from the West - or any visitors really. We were so lucky to have Grandma and Grandpa Mann come to stay with right after the Shurtliff cousins left. The kids adore their grandparents and relished the attention and activities Grandma came up with. Here's what we did during their stay (not necessarily in order).

We ate at a delicious pizza joint in Blowing Rock called The Mellow Mushroom. Super yummy pizza.
The week of Easter and the kid's spring break was gorgeous. It stayed sunny and in the 80's all week. Perfect weather for sand playing at Jetton Park beach on the lake. Grandma and Grandpa soaked up the beautiful weather. It was even more enjoyable knowing that it was snowing in Utah that week.

The kids wanted to try out their new swim wear from the Easter bunny. Who needs a pool when you have plastic bins?

And who needs a stage. A table works just great for the kid's impromptu show.

Every great once in a while General Conference falls on Easter Sunday. This was the year and it makes the day extra special. Every conference we make 7 layer dip and other yummies. The kids enjoying playing Conference Bingo and coloring in the Conference packets. They actually listed to quite a bit of it and Addie kept saying, "I love conference". She was sad, as was I, when it was over. I think she really enjoys the good food and the feeling conference brings.

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We had the missionaries over for Conference and Easter dinner on Sunday. After dinner the Elder's inner child came out with an inventive game of "hippity-hop bop" where you try to knock your opponent over by bopping into them with the hippity hop. The kids thought it was hilarious. Even Rob gave it a try.

Alex sporting his new goggles, or as he says "gwobbles".

Since we didn't have regular church on Easter Sunday due to General Conference the kids got new play clothes rather than Easter dresses. I wasn't up to making dresses this year and they have plenty anyways. Alex just wanted to wear his swim suite and "gwobbles". The girls looked adorable in their rainbow plaid shorts.

Here's what this year's Easter basket looked like.

We played "hot/cold" to help the kids find their Easter baskets. Maycie was the last to find hers. I can't tell you how many times the kids walked right under the basket hanging on the dining room light. Good hiding spot Easter Bunny.

Every time we went to Target (which was often) Alex would sit and play with the airplane candy toy while I checked out. Every time he asked if he could get one, I said no. And every time I told him to put it back when it was time to go, he did so without much of a fuss. So, the Easter Bunny rewarded him with an airplane candy thingy that lights up and spins it's propellers- just like the ones at Target .

The annual rock hill Easter egg hunt.

The big rock hill across the street is the perfect place for an egg hunt. Lots of nooks and crannies to hide stuff in. We joined in with our neighbors, the Sixts and Alex's little neighbor buddy, Dillan.

Maycie insisted on wearing a size 12-18 months bunny costume to the egg hunt.

Dying eggs with Grandma Marilyn.

I think Maycie and my hands were the worst. It took us a week to get all the dye off.

We took a trip to the mountains up to Blowing Rock, NC. It's a touristy little town with a great community park. The kids played in the huge climbing trees, made sand angels (see Maycie above) and messy with ice cream cones. It was a perfect day and the drive was beautiful with all the pear trees and red bud trees in bloom.

Thank you so much, Grandma and Grandpa, for taking time to come and see us. We had so much fun with you.

MARCH 2010- Visitors from the Windy City

Trying to find relief from the harsh Chicago winters (which go well into spring), my sister Liesl and her kids graced us with their presence the last week in March for a fun-filled visit.

Baby Topher was a hit. He is such a sweet tempered baby, not to mention incredible cute. Alex thought it was great to have a baby around.

Here's the sugar cereal feast. Sugar cereal is a rare occasion at our house. Fruit Loops and Lucky Charms are the specialty when special visitors come.

Cousin computer geeks.

Whitney and Addie, both sporting their glasses and lap-tops, shared web game secrets.

Topher quite enjoyed Tiger, our cat, and Tiger tolerated Topher. Once again, Tiger shows his look of indignation, but remains gentle, despite little hands pulling and poking.

For the kids, the highlight of the week was our visit to Chuck E Cheese where they got to play games till their hearts content. Maycie spent most of her time on this virtual ride (above). She ended up sharing with a few strangers because she didn't want to get off.

Ty, the basketball champ brushed up on his skills playing hoops. I must say that kid has quite a knack for basketball.

Alex loved the ski-ball, but choose the violent over-hand throw versus the more effective under-hand roll. He still managed to get some in.

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As for Liesl and I, we did our traditional cookie dough and chick flick thing. We managed to get a child-free girls night out where we ate at Melting Pot (mmmm) and got to do a little shopping.

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Thanks for coming to see us Shurtliff family. We look forward to the next visit.