soft pretzels.

well friends, i've been raving for long enough without sharing the love with you all. it's finally time to let you in on all my soft pretzel secrets so that you too can participate in the epic-ness that is super sexy soft pretzel wednesdays. the reason it has taken 5 weeks for me to share this with you is because it took me 5 tries to get the recipe perfect. but let me assure you, friends, that is in fact perfect. 
don't question me on this one.

ingredients

soft pretzels:

1 ½ cups warm water

2 ¼ tsp. yeast (1 package)

1 tsp. oil

1 tsp. honey

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbs. sugar

4 cups flour

½ cup baking soda

1 egg, beaten

coarse salt

cheese sauce:

velveeta cheese

black pepper

greek seasoning

photography by kelli

1. mix water, yeast, oil, honey, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. cool tip: pour the oil first, then use the same tsp. for the honey and the honey won't stick. by the time you'v added all the ingredients, the yeast should have gotten a little foamy.

2. add 4 cups of flour and mix with a large spoon until dough is thick. then use your hands to begin kneading the dough. i usually take the dough out of the bowl and knead for about 10 minutes, adding a little bit of flour as needed so that dough isn't too sticky. roll into a ball. about now is when you should get a big pot of water boiling on the stove.

3. cut the dough into 8 pieces using a serrated knife. i just cut it right through like a pizza--all the way down the middle, and then each piece in half two more times. math and geometry and stuff.

4. this is the fun part! (and the part that i'm worst at...) roll out each piece of dough into a long snake and twist it into a pretzel shape. lyss is the pro at this, so she usually makes mine for me. #realtalk: my pretzels are horrifically ugly. lyss says it's best to roll the dough inside-out, so that when you press the ends together, they stick and the pretzel keeps its shape. 

5. this is the hardest part. once you have your pretzels shaped, pour ½ cup baking soda into your boiling pot of water. using a large spatula (or two, if you're being extra careful) lower one pretzel at a time into the boiling water. let it sit for 30 seconds, and then carefully lift it out of the water onto a pan covered with parchment paper. be careful with this step!!! if you're not super careful in lowering and lifting the pretzels in and out of the water, they will fall apart and lose their beautiful pretzel shape.

6. after your pretzels are all boiled and laid out on cookie sheets, rub the top of each one with beaten egg. as you can see in the pictures, we usually use a folded napkin to do this, because we are domestic college students and stuff. except i just recently purchased a basting brush and it was an awesome gift to myself, so pretzel night just got a little classier, folks. after the pretzels are egg-washed, sprinkle them with coarse salt. i just use sea salt and i use it generously.

7. bake at 375° for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. basically these are going to come out looking like pure heaven, and you might not be able to handle it. it's okay. i've been there.

8. while the pretzels are baking, i make the cheese sauce. i slice up a chunk about 2 inches thick of velveeta cheese, add a few Tbs of milk, and heat on low in a sauce pan. once the sauce is all melted together, i add a dash of black pepper and greek seasoning. most people don't have greek seasoning, but i'm gonna tell you right now that its the secret ingredient in this cheese sauce. i'm 100% convinced that greek seasoning can fix almost every culinary disaster there is. 

9. eat up!



i'm so happy i finally get to share this with you guys! super sexy soft pretzel wednesday nights have been the highlight of my weeks for the past month, and we all know how much i love sharing what i love with everyone else. so make some pretzels this wednesday and tweet me with the pics so i can be a part of your super sexy soft pretzel wednesday too!

oreo truffles.

it's been forevs since i've posted a recipe tutorial. like, i forgot that i know how to cook? this semester my schedule has been pretty crazy, and i'm never home early enough to cook a good meal. combine that with not having a regular grocery shopping schedule and also not having anyone to cook for (ahem, being single...), and my motivation to cook is pretty low. for just myself, i'm pretty dang content with a sandwich or pasta. which is boring, i know. 

but i went to a murder mystery party on saturday, and i was instructed to make a "classy dessert", so obviously i had to come up with something. cue....oreo truffles.

ingredients: 

1 package regular oreos

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1 (12 oz.) package semi-sweet chocolate chips

this is the easiest recipe ever. but i took crappy pictures, so brace yourself.

1. mash 7 oreos as tiny as you can and set aside for later. you can use a food processor if you have one, but i'm a college student, which means i stuck those babies in a ziploc and rolled them out like crazy with my own measly muscles. and a peanut butter jar. cause if you recall from all my recipe posts last winter, i do not own a rolling pin. #collegestudentprobz 

2. mash the rest of the oreos. see step 1. 

3. mix the cream cheese with the second batch of mashed oreos until it resembles something like this: 

4. roll the oreo/cream cheese mixture into little balls and place on wax paper. honestly, the size doesn't matter. mine were about 3/4 inches wide. melt your chocolate chips while you're doing this. (microwave on 50% power for 3 sets of 30 seconds, stirring in between.)

5. dip oreo balls into chocolate and lay out on wax paper. there has to be a more graceful way to do this, but i was in a time crunch and i honestly just used my fingers. it was effective, if not the most beautiful process. 

6. sprinkle the mashed oreos that you set aside at the beginning over the melted chocolate, and then stick the pans in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes. when you take them out....BAM! ready to serve. classy.

easy peasy, lemon squeezy! 

on the menu for this weekend's christmas dinner party:

homemade bread bowls

cream of broccoli soup

tomato basil soup

some kind of hors d'oeuvres

some kind of cheesecake

help me out with some suggestions on those last two, guys! does anyone have any great recipes for me?

link up with totally posted and kara

oreo cool whip cake.

once upon a time i found a really great recipe on pinterest for oreo cool whip cake. except when i followed the link for directions, i discovered that there were very few directions, and what was written was in spanish. 

so, taking the above pictures as my guide, i made my own oreo cool whip cake instead!
and YOU GUYS. it was fantastic.

(EDIT: i found the original website that this picture came from! go here and give them credit, because they did a way better job than i did.)

oreo cool whip cake

ingredients:

two packages oreos (i used one double stuff and one chocolate cream)

one tub of cool whip (the bigger size. i think what is pictured is too much. only use one.)

about 1 1/2 cups of milk

chocolate and caramel syrups

1. dip each oreo in the milk and hold it under for about 10 seconds. it might feel like too long, but trust me on this one. layer the dipped cookies on the bottom of your glass 9x13 pan.

{i did the chocolate cookies first}

{one layer done}

2. spread a layer of cool whip over the cookie layer. i think it serves easier if this layer is thinner than the top layer, so use less than half of the tub. maybe like a 1/3 of it?

{before i was done. i used more cool whip than this.}

3. drizzle the top of that layer with caramel and chocolate syrup.

4. do step one again with your other package of cookies. i filled up the edges by breaking a couple cookies in half.

{had to use my iphone for this cause my camera was dead. hence, the poor quality pictures.}

5. layer the rest of your cool whip on top.

6. mash up whatever oreos you have leftover (i only had like 3 of each kind. but maybe i ate some along the way so...) and sprinkles over top of the cake. then drizzle with more chocolate and caramel syrup. yummmmmm.

then i would stick it in the freezer for a bit before serving, just so the cool whip isn't too melty. 

{i served mine at a picnic and it got a bit melty on the walk over. but still devilishly delicious!}

this cake is super easy, super yummy, and nice and cool for a summer bbq or picnic.
enjoy!

chicken alfredo pizza with pizza hut style crust.

welp.

i made some really fattening and delicious food again. this time it was inspired by a dream. 

it's normal to dream about pizza, right? 

good. 

anyways, i was inspired in a dream to make chicken alfredo pizza with homemade pizza hut style crust, and since i had all the right ingredients, i decided tuesday, may 7th was the day to do it.

chicken alfredo pizza with pizza hut style crust

ingredients:

crust:

1 Tbs sugar
1 package dry yeast

1/4 cup dry milk
1 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp dried oregano

1 1/3 cup warm water
3 1/2-4 cups flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for dough)

more vegetable oil (a little in the bottom of each pan)

sauce: 

3 Tbs butter
1 cup milk (whole is best, but whatever will work)
1/4 cup flour
1/3 cup fresh grated parmesan (the powder kind works if that's all you have)
1 tsp greek seasoning
2 tsp italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
salt&pepper to taste (i put a lot)

toppings: 

grated mozzarella cheese

grates parmesan cheese (not the powder kind)

1 chicken breast cooked and sliced

1 tomato diced small and cooked for about 7 minutes at 350°

(that's all i used, but you could add cooked spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, or pretty much anything else and it would be extra delicious)

i didn't take great pictures for this because i kind of made it in a hurry to get the dough rising, but hopefully my directions will be good enough for that part at least.

first you're going to make your crust dough: 

put yeast, sugar, salt, and dry milk in a large bowl. add water and stir to mix well. allow to sit for two minutes. add oil and stir again. add flour and stir until dough forms and flour is absorbed. you'll probably have to use your hands for this. knead for about 10 minutes. if the dough is too dry, add a little bit of water, and if it's too wet, add a little bit of flour. you know the law drill. (mulan, anyone?)

put the dough in a nice, warm place. i'm the most impatient person when it comes to letting dough rise, so i usually just turn my oven on to the lowest temp (170°) and put the bowl of dough in there for about 40 minutes instead of letting it sit out for 90. this makes the edges a little crispy, but it still works for me. 

while this is happening, you can prepare your 4 pans. i used 9" round cake pans, but you could use 2 9"x13" cake pans or 2 larger round pans if you wanted to.  

prepare the pans by putting a drop of vegetable oil in the bottom of each and spreading it all over the bottom and sides with a paper towel. this is where you would sprinkle the pans with cornmeal if you had it, but since i didn't, i sprinkled them with garlic salt and oregano instead. 

after it's risen, split your dough into 4 even balls, and place each ball in a pan. then flatten them out all along the bottom and up the sides. i just did this with my hands. actually, i had canadian roomate do it, and she did great. once all the dough is flattened, let it rise a little bit more in the pans while you finish your sauce and toppings.

chicken: 

i've taught you how to do this a hundred times, so go here for the old directions. all i changed this time was that i also covered each half of the chicken breast in pesto sauce as well, and since i only cooked one breast, it took about half the time.

{this is a picture from another recipe. i only used one breast cut in half.}

sauce: 

melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a small sauce pan. add about a quarter of the milk and then the flour. whisk it like crazy before it gets clumpy. then add the rest of the milk and the parmesan. then season the crap out of that sauce. y'all know i don't actually use measurements, but what i listed above should be close enough. whisk it all together and then let it come to a boil for a couple minutes to thicken. if it gets too thick, add a little bit of milk until it's the right consistency.

and now for the assemblage:

put a big scoop of sauce on each crust, and spread it out leaving a little lip of dough for the crust. then sprinkle a tiny bit of mozzarella cheese over top. then lay out slices of chicken over the whole thing, and sprinkle with your cooked tomatoes. then load a bunch more mozzarella cheese on top, and a handful of freshly grated parmesan over that. 

{in the process}

put two pizzas in the oven at a time, and cook for about 15 minutes at 350°, or until the edges of the crust are brown and the center is fully cooked. 

the crust will be nice and thick and fluffy, just how we like it.

bon appétit!

and p.s. don't forget about throwback thursday tomorrow! link-up starts at midnight!

chicken enchiladas.

so hey guys!

remember when i fangirled about my own homemade enchiladas in this post?

well i decided to make them again and to document it this time so that i can share the recipe with y'all! 

this idea came after my boss was astounded that i had made homemade enchiladas just cause my brother JR wanted them. i'm sorry, but how else would you make enchiladas? is it really an arizona thing to know how to whip these bad boys up in an hour flat? i thought everyone was obsessed with them like i was, but my boss seems to have fallen folly to the myth that chicken enchiladas are hard to make.  

myth debunking now: chicken enchiladas are not hard to make.  

and i'ma prove it to you.

homemade (GASP! I AM SHOCKED AND IN AWE!) chicken enchiladas

ingredients:

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 Tbs butter

garlic salt

cayenne pepper

ground black pepper

greek seasoning (on mexican food? yes. on all food.)

ground turmeric

2 cans diced green chiles

3 green onions, chopped real tiny

lots of shredded medium cheddar cheese

8-10 flour medium-sized tortillas (mission brand are always the best)

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

(utahrds....no western family brand. don't do that to yourself.)

1. cook your chicken breasts. you're probably as sick of me telling you how to do this as i am of telling you, but i'm gonna reiterate it again, cause i have this process down to an art. thaw your chicken, cut each breast in half, throw in a couple tbs butter, and stick in the oven at 350° for a couple minutes until the butter is melted. then take it out, flip your breasts around (i cannot believe i just typed that phrase) until all covered in butter, and then go crazy with your spices. i just did a couple big dashes of each spice and made sure all sides were covered. except go light on the turmeric. that stuff is cray.
stick them in the oven for about 10-15 minutes. please, please, please don't overcook them! if you can get them just right, your chicken will be so juicy and moist. i always cut the thickest part of the thickest breast to check them, and i take them out right when the juices run clear. 

2. mix up both the cans of soup in a small bowl. spread part of that mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 glass casserole dish. you just want enough of the soup on the bottom to keep the tortillas from sticking.

2. next, shred all your chicken and mix it with both cans of green chiles and the diced green onion. add some garlic powder or cayenne pepper if you feel so inclined.

3. the assemblage! a couple big scoops of the chicken/chile/onion mixture and a big sprinkle of cheese in the center of each tortilla. 

then roll those enchiladas and place them edge-down in the casserole dish.



my pan fit 9. sometimes it fits 8, sometimes 10. doesn't matter.



if i have leftover chicken at the end (and i usually have a bit since i tend to try really hard to not overfill the tortillas and over-compensate), i just scoop it into the ends of some of the smaller enchiladas with a spoon.
who am i kidding? i use my hands.

4. now you can scoop the rest of your soup sauce onto the top of the enchiladas. i use a spatula to push some of the sauce down in between each enchilada and all around the sides. (the scraping kind of spatula, not the flipping kind. let's just take a moment and all question together, why the heck are these two utensils called the same thing?!?! i digress.)



5. now put these beauties in the oven for about 15 minutes. technically, nothing in them is uncooked, so the oven is really just heating everything and drying out the sauce a bit. take them out after about 15, sprinkle copious amounts of cheese over top, and then bake for another 5.



and then....BAM!



homemade chicken enchiladas!
serve with homemade guac, sour cream, and tortilla chips.

two things:
1. consider this my profuse apology for how pretentious i get over mexican food.
2. if you want my guacamole recipe, i am prepared to share it with you. however, that act will feel like giving you the key to my soul, so you have to really want it. if you ask, i will provide.