Soft Pretzel Bite Recipe

Soft Pretzel Bites or Twists

4 tsp yeast

1 tsp sugar

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tbs vegetable oil

4 cups water

1/2 cup baking soda

Kosher salt for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tsp sugar in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes. 

2. In a mixer, combine 3 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tsp salt. Make a well in the center, add oil and yeast mixture. Mix with dough hook. Add more flour if dough is too sticky. Knead 3-4 minutes. 

3. Cover dough with plastic wrap and set on a greased plate in *proofing oven to rise until it has doubled in size, approximately 30 minutes. 

4. Gently punch dough down. Before shaping, start preheating the oven to 425 degrees.
5. Cut the dough into 12 pieces. Roll each one till it's about 15 inches long and the thickness of your finger. For pretzel bites, cut into 2 inch pieces. For regular pretzels, shape each into a twist.
6. Mix water and baking soda in large pan. Bring to a boil.
7. Dip each pretzel in boiling soda water for 5-10 seconds. Place on greased baking sheet, lightly sprinkle with kosher salt and bake for 6-7 minutes or until golden brown.

*HOW TO MAKE A PROOFING OVEN:
1. Boil water in a saucepan. Place on the floor or bottom rack of your oven.
2. Turn oven to 175 degrees.
3. When oven is heated, turn oven off.
4. Oil a plate and put prepared dough on it. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the oven.
5. Leave the dough in the oven for as long as recipe says to let it rise. For this recipe, leave in for 30 minutes.
6. Before baking, remove the bowl of water from the oven.
NOTE: once you remove the dough from the proofing oven it will continue to rise. 

Arizona Trip May 2013

Every Summer we spend a week or so in Arizona. Being about 6 months pregnant we decided to go earlier in the Summer rather than later in hopes to beat the Arizona heat (somewhat) and have a smoother drive. We picked the perfect week to be there! The heat hadn't quite settled in yet, we were able to go to my sisters High School graduation and my moms peach tree was perfectly ripe and ready for picking. As for a smoother drive? We still had to stop about every two hours but I don't think there's much we could do about that one. 

On the drive down we made our usual stop in Kanab for the Lotza Motza Pizza Buffet. This place has really grown on me. It's such a small town joint but they have pretty good pizza and salad that fills you up for the rest of the trip. If you're ever in Kanab...and hungry, check it out. The end. 

In Arizona my wonderful sister Connie helped me shop for some cute maternity clothes. I love my new dress! Thanks Con Bon! 

My family also threw me a baby shower and it was perfect! So cute and I got to see so many family and friends! I wish I would have taken more pictures. 

We made a stop at Capriotti's while we were there as well. I think this should become a new tradition! That huge sub you see is pretty much a Thanksgiving dinner put into a sandwich and is one of the most delectable things I've ever eaten! 

We were even able to squeeze in a mini trip to St. David to visit my grandparents old house. St. David holds so many good memories for me. Days spent with my awesome cousins! Walks down the lane and down to the river. Cookouts, late night family chats around the porch swing and so many night games! Its changed since I was a kid but it will always be a special place to me. 

Piccacho Peak. When I was little I used to call it the yawning mountain....Ya, I don't get it either. 

It marks the halfway point though and I still get excited to see it. 

Checking out the cool stuff in grandpa's shed.

The porch swing. SO many memories on that thing. 

It's dirty and old but I love it. 

Swingin on the rope swing. 

Cooking hot dogs. 

3rd Anniversary

For our Anniversary this year we decided to head on up to Logan, UT and stay at the Anniversary Inn. It's a hotel where they do theme rooms and they really do an amazing job. We stayed in the Swiss Family Robinson room. I've loved the movie since I was little and it was just like staying in their tree house! 

When we got there they tell us there's complimentary cheese cake and sparkling cider waiting for us in our room...and I'm already in love with this place! You walk in and there's a fish tank and a "cave," which is really a huge jacuzzi tub. Again, I'm in love! Then there's a huge tree in the middle of the room with a tree house/loft where you sleep. They have these awesome little twinkle lights built in to the ceiling above the loft that really make it feel like you're sleeping under the stars. The pictures really don't do it justice and you can't see all of the little details they put into this room.






The Inn is right down the street from the Logan Temple. It is such a cool temple. I liked how different it was.



We found an Indian food place to eat for dinner that night and it was delicious as usual!


Then the next morning the hotel brought breakfast to our room. It wasn't your typical hotel breakfast, this was actually really tasty and impressive.


That day we went to the Mummies of the World Exhibit in Salt Lake and loved it! I don't think I had ever seen an actual mummy before this and this exhibit had some pretty impressive ones. It took me a moment at first to know how to react to it. They are very direct in the presentation that you respect that these were actual people who lived and had families and friends just like you. But then one of the very first mummies you see is just a mans head and it kind of freaked me out for a little bit. I got over it though and it was really interesting. The religious aspect of the mummification process is so curious to me. They went to such great lengths to make someone's after life enjoyable and rich and yet they could never even comprehend how glorious it could be and how perfect the resurrection will be!

It was such a fun get away. Our actual anniversary was on a Monday and when we were planning what to do we considered just going the weekend before but then decided it would be more fun to just get away on a Monday and Tuesday and I'm so glad we did. There were no crowds, no hustle and bustle, just us. And that's the best!

Jason's Graduation!

April was a CRAZY month! Jason had to finish up a bunch of projects for school. Those awesome ones that keep your husband at school all day and all night. My sister came up for conference one weekend. Conference week means I work Ladies Night at Deseret Book which is insane but awesome! Another weekend we found an apartment we knew was perfect for us so now all of the sudden we are moving at the end of the month too. Then lastly Jason's graduation and family coming to visit! Oh, and of course, I get a huge cold right as our families come to town. 

But man! I think that about covers April. 

I don't know why but I love graduations! Jason's was especially nice. I was so proud of him. He truly works so hard and gives his very best on everything he does. Elder Perry spoke at the Commencement ceremonies and I can't remember the name of the speaker who spoke during his Convocation but it was excellent. The weather was perfect and I loved having our families here! 

    

    

My parents drove up all day and made it just in time for Commencement. Their timing was rather impressive. They sat behind us and halfway through the ceremony I look back and both of them are sound asleep. Must have been a rough ride!

We were trying to explain how to zoom in to take a picture with your iPhone and we ended up looking like we were doing the Chicken Dance! Flashback to Skateland anyone??

We had dinner at Goodwood BBQ. Best BBQ around! Their onion rings are amazing! 

I really can't say how proud I am of Jason. He is amazing and I'm so grateful for all the hard work that he does for our family. Love you Jas! 

It's a Boy

In March we found out we are having a boy! It really wasn't a huge surprise to me that it was a boy. From the very beginning I could just tell that it was. We were both so excited though to see the little guy on the ultra sound and know that everything was ok. While the ultra sound tech was getting things ready and everything, the first thing she starts talking about is how she had done an ultra sound the day before and the baby had no arms or legs and it was really sad. Both Jason and I look at each other like, Um...is this a common thing?! Should we be worried? We're pretty new to all of this. She assured us that she'd never seen anything like that before. But really? What an excellent conversation starter for first time parents. So we were especially grateful to see that he was ok and that everything was looking normal. I can't imagine how those parents felt though. That would be so hard.

Calling our parents with the news was so fun! When I told my dad it was a boy he didn't believe us. "Really?? A boy? On your first try?" He had five girls before a boy ever came around.

First family photo

An Ode to Scalloped Potatos

Janelle: “So…how are we gonna split the leftover scalloped potatoes tomorrow? Because…you kinda just had yours?”

Jason: “WHAT!? Well you had two servings at dinner and I only had one!”

Janelle: “Well…who made the potatoes? Oh wait…we both did. hee hee”

Jason: “Ya!”

Janelle. “Ya…Well, who got the CREDIT for making the potatoes at your grandparents house?!” 

Jason: “You did! What’s up with that? You get the credit for the food we make, the Christmas presents we buy. It’s like what do you people think I do all day, sit around and watch tv while she’s doing all these amazing things? NO! I’m right there helping her do them!”

Janelle: “…ok, we can split them.” 

"Coincidence? I think NOT!"

Friday night at work I happened to pick up a children's picture book entitled, "Seven Miracles that Saved America."I got the chapter book for Christmas a few years ago so i was curious to how it was as a picture book. There are SO so many little miracles that took place in order to bring about religious freedoms and the climate necessary to restore the Gospel of Jesus Christ to this Earth. Two days later, in Sunday school, we brainstormed a list of all the events throughout history that made the Restoration of the Gospel possible. In High School, I remember reading about those events and having a strong impression that all of those events took place miraculously for the purpose of preparing our nation to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I feel so strongly about this point: It was not a coincidence. This land was discovered and founded for the sole purpose of creating a place that would have religious freedom; as well as many other freedoms, but the pilgrims came first purely to have a place to practice their religion freely.

I'm not saying these things in response to any political things going on. I just felt I needed to write down the feelings I've had. I know this nation, it's constitution, and government are not just a coincidence or man-made but founded and created by God and it continues to be so and will continue to be so as long as we uphold what is right and good.  

I know the things that take place in our lives everyday aren't just coincidences either but that our lives have meaning and purpose and our Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us, if we choose to look for it. 

P.s. Kudos to you if you can guess the movie this blog title comes from!