Homemade Glazed Donuts and Apple Fritters

The most delicious tender, melt-in-your mouth donuts and apple fritters.  Very labor intensive...but worth it!  Adapted from Mels Kitchen Cafe.

YIELD:  20 DONUTS + FRITTERS  PREP TIME:  1 HOUR  COOK TIME:  1 HOUR ADDITIONAL TIME:  14 HOURS  TOTAL TIME:  16 HOURS

INGREDIENTS

DONUTS:

 7 cups (35 ounces) all-purpose flour (see updated note!)
 3/4 cup (5.5 ounces) granulated sugar
 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast (see note for active dry yeast)
 2 cups cold milk (I use 2%)
 2 large eggs
 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
 12 tablespoons butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces and softened to room temp (I use salted)
 2 to 3 quarts vegetable oil, for frying

APPLE FRITTERS:

 2 large apples, peeled and diced

 1 T lemon juice
 1/4 cup brown sugar

 1 t cinnamon

GLAZE:

 6 cups (24 ounces) powdered sugar
 3/4 cup hot water (see note)
 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
 Pinch salt

INSTRUCTIONS

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the flour (see note!), sugar, yeast, milk, eggs and mix until combined. The dough will look a little shaggy, that's ok. Add the salt and continue mixing until well combined and the texture looks fairly smooth, 2-3 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes.

With the mixer running on medium low, add the butter a piece at a time until all the butter has been added and is incorporated into the dough. The dough will have softened considerably and may be sticking to the middle or sides of the bowl. Scrape down the middle and sides as needed.

Knead the dough on medium speed for 10-12 minutes. Start the kneading time after the last of the butter has been added. The dough will be very sticky but as it kneads, it should come together better. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed.

You'll know the dough is done mixing if you can pull up a handful and it stretches easily. It will be very soft. And it may even be sticking to the sides or middle a bit (depending on the mixer you have), but it shouldn't leave very much residue on your fingers when you pull a handful up. If it is wet and sticky, add 1/4 cup more flour and mix for a few more minutes (resist the urge to add this flour if at all possible unless your dough is a sticky mess).

Transfer the dough to a greased container. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. The dough should rise or even double in the refrigerator. 

Immediately out of the refrigerator, roll the chilled dough on a lightly greased countertop to about 1/4-inch thick (or slightly thicker). It should be about a 12X16-inch rectangle. Line half sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly grease the parchment.

Cut the donuts 3-inch donut cutter (with a 1-inch center) and place them on the prepared pans. Save any excess dough for apple fritters*. Reroll scraps, if desired (donuts will be bumpier and not quite as tender - it helps to let the combined rerolled scraps rest for 15-20 minutes before rerolling to relax the gluten so the dough doesn't spring back while rolling).

Let the donuts rise, uncovered, until noticeably puffy. I warm my oven to 140 degrees. Turn it off and place the sheet pans of donuts inside to rise for 20 minutes or so. On the counter, it may take 1-2 hours for the donuts to rise.

Place a double layer of paper towels on a half sheet pan.

Heat oil in a heavy pot to at least 2-inches deep or in an electric deep fryer following the manufacturers directions to 350 degrees F (or 365 degrees for darker donuts).

Gently pick up the puffy donuts so they don't stretch and quickly place them in the hot oil (the bottoms of the risen donuts will be very soft from rising on the greased parchment; the donuts fry best with less air bubbles if they are placed in the oil SOFT SIDE UP). Don't overcrowd the pot or the oil temperature will fall too quickly.

Cook the donuts until golden brown on the bottom, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Flip with tongs and continue cooking for another minute or so until golden. Lift the donuts out of the oil with the tongs, drain any excess oil, and transfer the cooked donuts to the paper towel lined baking sheet. (Donut holes should cook in about half the time)

Let the oil come back to temperature before adding subsequent batches of donuts or donut holes.

Prepare the glaze by whisking all the ingredients together until smooth. See the note below for thinning out the glaze. Place a wire cooling rack over a half sheet pan.

Let the donuts cool until just warm to the touch before dipping fully in the glaze (if the donuts are too warm, the glaze will drip almost completely off). Place the glazed donuts on the wire rack so excess glaze can drip on the sheet pan below.

For donut holes, I toss a couple dozen of them in the glaze at the same time, roll them around with my hands until evenly coated, and then transfer them to the wire rack.

Once the glaze is set on the donuts, they can be transferred to a plate or other serving dish. The donuts are best served fresh but can be reheated the next day - a quick 12-15 second zap in the microwave has them tasting *mostly* fresh.

Apple Fritters:

• Cut out all the regular donuts like normal
• Chop all the scraps into small little nubbins with bench scraper, probably 1/2-inch pieces or a little smaller
• finely
• Chop about 2 large apples (right around 2 cups chopped apples) and toss with a squeeze of lemon juice, 1/3 cup brown sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• Toss all the dough pieces and apples together in a bowl
• Scoop out small handfuls of dough and apples (it’s going to seem weird, like it will never stick together) and gently form it into balls, set them on a greased baking sheet, and press gently to flatten into a thick disc-shape
• Let the fritters rise and puff a bit
• Fry the fritters last (since little bits of apples invariably fall out into the oil – spoiler alert: those little bits are super tasty) 
• Glaze with leftover glaze or sprinkle with powdered sugar on one side after they cool

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

Fresh strawberries and rhubarbs with a crunchy crumble topping.  Serve with vanilla ice cream or a tart buttermilk whipped cream.  Adapted from Cakes by Courtney.

Ingredients

Crumble
3/4 cup (90 g) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (133.3 g) sugar 
Large pinch of salt
6 tablespoons (84.75 g) 3/4 stick chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup (67.5 g) old-fashioned oats

Filling

1/2 tablespoon (6.5 g) vanilla bean paste

1/2 cup sugar (100 g)
1 pound strawberries hulled, halved (about 4 cups)
12 ounces rhubarb preferably bright red, ends trimmed, stalks cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces

For the Buttermilk Whipped Cream (recipe from Orson Gygi)

1/2 cup (120 g) buttermilk
1/2 cup (115.5 g) heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup (31.25 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted

Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine flour, 2/3 cup of the sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine.

Add the butter and use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture sticks together in clumps.

Mix in the oats.

This is a great step to do ahead of time. In fact, it's best to do it ahead of time. Try to make it the day before and refrigerate it covered well. At the very least, try to make the crumble topping a couple hours before you bake the crumble so it has time to chill in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 11x7x2-inch (or about that size) glass baking dish with non-stick spray.

Mix 1/2 cup sugar and the vanilla bean paste in a large bowl. Mix well. Add the strawberries and the rhubarb to the sugar mixture and toss to coat well.

Pour the fruit filling into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle oat topping evenly over filling.

Bake the crumble until filling bubbles thickly and topping is crisp, about 45 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes. Spoon warm crumble into bowls. Serve with buttermilk whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

For the Buttermilk Whipped Cream

In a mixing bowl fitted with the whisk attachment, combine all the ingredients and whisk on medium-high until stiff peaks form.

Citrus and Soy Marinated Grilled Pork Tenderloin

 Super moist, easy, and delicious grilled pork recipe.  Family favorite!  Adapted from Mels Kitchen Cafe.

CITRUS AND SOY-MARINATED GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN

YIELD:  6 SERVINGS  PREP TIME:  10 MINUTES  COOK TIME:  20 MINUTES ADDITIONAL TIME:  7 HOURS 55 MINUTES  TOTAL TIME:  8 HOURS 25 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

 2-3 pounds pork tenderloin
 3/4 cup olive oil
 1/3 cup soy sauce
 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
 1 tablespoon dry mustard
 1 teaspoon salt
 1 teaspoon black pepper
 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine all the ingredients except the pork and mix well. Pour the marinade into a ziploc bag or baking dish and add the pork tenderloin, making sure the marinade completely covers the pork. Marinade for 8-10 hours.

Preheat an outdoor grill (charcoal or gas). Grill the pork tenderloin about 3-4 minutes on each of its four sides (the exact time will depend on the temperature of your grill) or the internal temperature is about 150 to 155 degrees. Remove from the grill, tent with foil, and allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Easy No Knead Overnight Artisan Bread Cast Iron Pot

Amazingly simple artisan bread that requires no kneading.  From Our Best Bites based off the original 

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast* 
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups warm water (about 110 degrees, like warm (not hot) bath water)

Instructions

In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy, sticky, and quite loose. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at room temperature.

Dough will be dotted with bubbles. Flour a work surface- I recommend parchment paper to make this process really simple, but you can also work on a cutting board or silicone mat and then transfer your dough to a piece of parchment before baking- and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and very gently fold it over on itself once or twice. If your dough is super loose here, like so loose you can’t even form it into a ball, it’s more of a blob, you can generously flour so it doesn’t stick to your hands.   Let rest about 30 minutes**.

While dough is resting, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put a covered 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Pick up parchment paper with dough (blow off excess flour sitting on parchment if you need to) and place directly in pot.  Cover with lid and bake 35-40 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 10-15 minutes, until loaf is golden and browned.

Notes

*Jim Lahey’s original recipe (featured in the NY Times, here) only uses 1/4 teaspoon yeast, whereas recipes dotting the internet often use up to a full teaspoon . I tested batches at 1/2 teaspoon all the way up to 1 teaspoon and did not find much difference in the finished loaves.  So I usually use 1/2 teaspoon.

**Jim’s original recipe also involves a second rise of 2 hours . I’ve found, along with the rest of the internet, that the quick 30 minute rest featured here works just fine, and I actually had better results with the 30 min rise than I did with the 2 hour one!  But you can certainly make this a few times and play around with it- it’s a very flexible recipe.

Sheet Pan Chicken Tzatziki Wraps

One (two) pan meal that comes together quickly and is a crowd-pleaser.  The tzatziki sauce is delicious!  Slightly adapted from Mels Kitchen Cafe.

CHICKEN:

 3 tablespoons olive oil
 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
 1 teaspoon minced garlic, about 2 medium cloves
 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
 1/2 teaspoon salt (I use coarse, kosher salt)
 1/4 teaspoon pepper
 1 1/2 to 2 pounds chicken breasts, cut into thin slices (see note)

VEGETABLES:

 2 bell peppers (any color), cored and sliced thinly
 1 medium zucchini, sliced into strips (no need to peel)
 1 medium red onion, sliced thinly
 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
 Salt and pepper

TZATZIKI:

 1/2 to 1 cup grated English cucumber
 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
 1/2 cup crumbled feta (optional, but super tasty)
 Salt and pepper, to taste

EXTRAS:

 Naan, flatbread, or other wrap bread
 Diced cucumbers
 Chopped tomatoes
 Spring mix lettuce (or other lettuce or spinach)

INSTRUCTIONS

For the chicken and marinade, in a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Place the chicken strips in a shallow dish or ziploc bag.

Pour the marinade over the chicken, toss to combine, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours).

For the tzatziki sauce, squeeze excess liquid from the grated cucumber (can use a kitchen towel or lightly wring out with hands). Combine the cucumber with the remaining tzatziki ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Lightly grease 2 half sheet pans.  Place the chicken pieces on one pan in a single layer (leave excess marinade in dish or bag).

On a second sheet pan, toss the bell peppers and zucchini with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer.

Place both sheet pans in the oven on separate racks and cook for 5-6 minutes. Rotate sheet pans. (At this point, if there is a lot of liquid on the chicken sheet pan, drain it off). Continue cooking until the chicken and veggies are tender (they may finish cooking at different times so watch closely).

Serve the chicken and veggies on flatbread with tzatziki sauce and other toppings.

NOTES

Vegetables: if you don't have zucchini or want to change up the vegetables, feel free to sub in a favorite roasted veggie combo.

Broiling vs Roasting: for more golden color on the chicken or veggies, you can cook one sheet pan at a time on the broil setting (watch closely!).

Chocolate-Drizzled Strawberries and Cream Pie

This makes the perfect cream cheesy base to showcase fresh fruit.  Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites.

1 9″ graham cracker crust (store-bought or homemade)
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 8-oz. package cream cheese at room temperature (light is fine)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 c. packed light brown sugar
1 quart fresh strawberries (NOT frozen, the smaller fresh picked strawberries are ideal)
1-2 ounces chocolate (chocolate bar cut up or chocolate chips)

If making homemade graham cracker crust do that first.  (see recipe below)

Beat the whipping cream and powdered sugar until medium peaks form.  Scrape out and put in a separate bowl and put in the fridge.  In the mixer beat the softened cream cheese, brown sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy.   Add about 1 c. of the whipping cream mixture to the cream cheese mixture. Beat until smooth and well-combined. Add the remaining whipping cream mixture and mix until just combined.  Spread in the graham cracker crust and refrigerate for a few minutes while you prepare the strawberries.

Wash the strawberries and cut off the stems. Blot dry with a paper towel and then gently press, cut side down, into the whipped cream mixture. Set aside.

Place chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1-1 1/2 minutes, stopping the microwave every 20 seconds to stir. You want the chocolate to be melted but not hot at all. When the chocolate is melted, drizzle it over the strawberries with a fork or put pipe it on with a bag. Refrigerate for at least three hours before serving. Serves 8.

Graham Cracker Crust:

9 graham crackers , broken into rough pieces
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and warm

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. In food processor, process graham crackers until evenly fine, about 30 seconds (you should have 1 cup crumbs). Add sugar and combine. Then add warm melted butter in steady stream; stirring until mixture resembles wet sand. Transfer crumbs to 9-inch glass pie plate; form crust using 1/2-cup dry measuring cup to help pack down and mold crumbs to the pie plate. Bake crust until fragrant and beginning to brown, 15 to 18 minutes; transfer to wire rack and cool completely while making filling.

Zucchini Texas Sheet Cake

Delicious moist and fluffy chocolate zucchini cake with a rich buttermilk chocolate frosting that comes together in under an hour.  Adapted from dashofsanity.com

INGREDIENTS:

Cake
2 cups sugar
¾ cup oil
3 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon vanilla
2 ½ cups flour
½ cup milk
2 cups grated or shredded zucchini* (about 10 ounces dry zucchini).

Frosting
1/2 cup butter
6 tablespoons buttermilk
4 tablespoon cocoa
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Prepare a jelly roll pan by spraying a baking sheet with cooking spray. Set aside.

Blend together sugar, oil, and eggs in mixer until thickened.  Add vanilla. 

In a separate bowl whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, cocoa, and cinnamon and baking powder. 

With the mixer on medium, add flour mixture to the sugar and egg mixture. Then slowly add milk and *zucchini until well combined.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

In a microwave safe medium sized mixing bowl add the butter, cover, and heat for 1 minute in the microwave.

Remove from microwave. Stir in vanilla and buttermilk, place back in the microwave and heat for 30 seconds, stir, then heat for another 30 seconds, stir, heat for 30 seconds and stir and then heat for another 30 seconds.

Remove from microwave and stir in cocoa and powder sugar, until well combined. Place back in the microwave and heat for 30 seconds, stir. Heat for another 30 seconds and stir, repeat 1 more time if needed until frosting is smooth and there are no clumps.

Pour over cake while cake and frosting are still warm, and spread evenly.

Can serve warm or at room temperature. 

*zucchini prep.  I usually shred zucchini in a food processor.  Then put it in a thin kitchen towel and wrap it up like a candy or tootsie roll and wring out all the extra moisture.  

Our Favorite Zucchini Bread

This is our favorite zucchini bread recipe, I prefer to make it in mini loaves.  Adapted from:  Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

INGREDIENTS
 1 pound zucchini (you’ll end up with about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of zucchini after shredding and wringing dry)
 2 cups (10 ounces) flour (see note)
 1 teaspoon baking powder
 1 teaspoon baking soda
 1 teaspoon salt
 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 1 teaspoon allspice (allspice is best, but you can sub pumpkin pie spice or Chinese 5 spice instead)
 1 cup granulated sugar
 2 large eggs
 1/4 cup plain yogurt (not fat free, can sub sour cream)
 1 tablespoon sour cream or more yogurt
 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) butter, melted

INSTRUCTIONS
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350-355 degrees. Generously coat a 9X5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray or a mini loaf pan.

Chop the ends off the zucchini (just 1/4-inch off each end) and finely shred the zucchini, peel and all. Place the shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel (or nut milk bag), wrap the towel, and wring the ends to squeeze out all the excess water over the sink. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of dry zucchini. Set the zucchini aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, and salt.

In a smaller bowl, whisk the sugar, yogurt, eggs, lemon juice or sour cream, and butter until combined.

Gently fold the yogurt mixture and zucchini into the dry ingredients, using a rubber spatula to fold the ingredients together until just combined - don't overmix!

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.  Bake until golden brown and a thin knife or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached, 45-60 minutes for a 9x5 loaf pan, 18-22 minutes for a mini loaf pan. Cool for 10 minutes then turn out into wire rack to cool for at least 1 hour. Store well-covered for up to three days.

NOTES
Loaf Pans: the recipe calls for a 9-inch by 5-inch sized loaf pan but also works in an 8 1/2-inch by 4 1/2-inch loaf pan. This recipe is also great in mini loaf pans or even muffins.  Also, if you have overly large zucchini, cut them in half lengthwise first, scoop out the seeds, and then shred. If you don't have enough zucchini you can sub in shredded carrots to make up the difference.

Whole Wheat Flour: I often use half to 3/4 finely ground white whole wheat flour with good results - and sometimes I get crazy and use 100% whole wheat flour (always finely ground white wheat); it is a bit more dense with 100% whole wheat flour but still nutty and hearty and delicious.

Baked Cheesy Zucchini Bites

Simple and delicious, these baked cheesy zucchini bites are so easy to make and are a healthier alternative to a classic fried zucchini fritter! From Mel's Kitchen Cafe

INGREDIENTS
 1 1/2 cups (7.5 ounces) packed shredded and dried zucchini (no need to peel zucchini)
 1 large egg, lightly beaten
 1/4 to 1/2 cup (1 to 2 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese or a blend of cheddar and Monterey jack
 1/4 cup (.75 ounce) panko or regular bread crumbs (I use whole wheat panko)
 1/4 teaspoon dried basil (or 1-2 teaspoons fresh)
 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
 1/4 teaspoon salt
 1/8 teaspoon pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat with cooking spray or lightly grease an unlined baking sheet.

Place the shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and wring out all the excess water over the sink until the zucchini is really dry. You should have a little over 1 cup after squeezing out the water (if you have a scale, you'll want about 6 ounces of zucchini that's been squeezed dry).

Place the zucchini and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until combined.

Drop the mixture by tablespoonfuls on the prepared baking sheet and press the mounds with your hands to flatten.  We like ours very thin (about a quarter inch) so they're slightly crispy.

Bake for 14-18 minutes until the edges are golden.

Za'atar Chicken Thighs and Roasted Green Beans

Adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe this is one of our family's FAVORITE dinners.  Nice enough to serve company, but simple enough to make on a weekday.  The chicken is super moist, and the green beans are delicious.  We don't always do the roasted pita, but that is a nice extra touch!

INGREDIENTS:
1 lemon, quartered
3 lbs bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, (about 4-6 thighs)
2 1/2 Tablespoons of Za'atar spice
3 T olive oil
2 t salt
1/2 t pepper

1 lb green beans
1 clove of garlic minced or 1/4 t garlic powder
2 T olive oil
1/2 t salt and pepper
3-4 pitas (optional)

1.  Preheat oven to 450 with rack in the upper third of the oven.  Place baking sheet in the oven to preheat.
2.  Quarter lemon.  Pat chicken thighs dry, then transfer to a large bowl.  Toss and coat with 2 1/2 T of za'atar, lemon quarters, 3 T olive oil, 2 t salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.
3.  Place lemon quarters and chicken on preheated baking sheet, skin side up.  Roast until chicken is cooked through 18-20 minutes.
4.  While the chicken is cooking, trim ends of green beans.  Toss the green beans with 2 T olive oil, 1/2 t salt and pepper and garlic.  (Optional) cut pitas into 1-inch pieces.
5.  When chicken is cooked through, add green beans to baking sheet around the chicken (remove lemon wedges if more room is needed).  Roast until green beans are barely tender about 5 minutes.  Then switch the oven to broiler.  Broil on the top oven rack until the chicken is crisp and the green beans are cooked about 2-3 more minutes.  Watch closely. Transfer chicken thighs to a plate to rest.
6.  Add pitas to baking sheet if using, stir to coat in the pan juices.  Broil on the top oven rack until lightly toasted with the green beans for 1-2 minutes.  Stir then broil again for 1-2 more minutes.  Watch closely.

*NOTE: In a pinch, I've used a half of an orange instead of lemon and still tasted great.

Pretzel Bites

These are super quick, fun, and delicious!


INGREDIENTS

DOUGH:
 2 1/4 cups (11.25 ounces) all-purpose flour (see note)
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 1 teaspoon sugar
 1 tablespoon instant yeast
 1 cup (8 ounces) warm water

TOPPING:
 1/2 cup (4 ounces) very hot water
 2 tablespoons baking soda
 Coarse, kosher salt or pretzel salt
 3 tablespoons butter, melted

INSTRUCTIONS
1. In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, add the flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Mix. Add the water. Mix well, adding more flour, if needed, a bit at a time to form a soft, smooth dough that clears the sides and bottom of the bowl. It should be soft but not overly sticky.
2. Knead for 4-5 minutes until the dough is soft and stretchy. Grease the inside of a gallon-size ziploc-type bag with nonstick cooking spray and place the dough inside. Close the bag, leaving room for the dough to expand, and let it rest for 20-30 minutes (or up to 60 minutes) until doubled in size. Alternately, the dough can rise in a lightly greased, covered bowl.
3. Preheat oven to 500°F. The high heat ensures the pretzels will brown beautifully on the outside while staying soft and chewy on the inside. Line two half sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly grease with cooking spray.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased or floured work surface, and cut the dough into four thick strips. Cut each strip of dough into about 6-8 pieces. It doesn't have to be exact.
5. Combine the very hot water and baking soda and whisk to combine well.
6. Dip each pretzel bite in the baking soda solution (this helps give the pretzels a nice, golden-brown color and flavor). Let the excess liquid drip off before placing the pretzel bites a couple inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
7. Sprinkle the pretzel bites with coarse, kosher (or pretzel) salt. Allow them to rest, uncovered, for about 10 minutes.
8. Bake the pretzels for 7-8 minutes until golden brown.
9. Remove the pretzels from the oven, and immediately brush them with the melted butter. Keep brushing the butter on until you’ve used it all up; it may seem like a lot, but that’s what gives these pretzels their ethereal taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.   Excellent with dipping cheese sauce.

NOTES
Yeast: to sub active dry yeast for the instant yeast, use the same amount and proof it in 1/4 cup warm water with a pinch of sugar. Add it to the ingredients and decrease the overall water by 1/4 cup.

Flour: I often use half to 3/4 finely ground white whole wheat flour with good results.

PREP TIME 15 MINUTES  COOK TIME 8 MINUTES  ADDITIONAL TIME 45 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 1 HOUR 8 MINUTES. From HTTPS://WWW.MELSKITCHENCAFE.COM/CHEWY-PRETZEL-BITES/

Puppy Chow (aka Muddy Buddies)

A favorite treat, that's easy to make and naturally gluten free!  Adapted from HTTPS://WWW.MELSKITCHENCAFE.COM/BROWNIE-BATTER-PUPPY-CHOW/.

INGREDIENTS

•  9 cups Rice Chex cereal (about 9 ounces which is half of a family-size box)
•  2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
•  1/2 cup (4.5 ounces) creamy peanut butter
•  Pinch of salt
•  1 1/2 cups (7.5 ounces) powdered sugar* (see note for substitutions)
•  4 cups small pretzels (about 4 ounces), optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pour the cereal into a large bowl.
2. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips and peanut butter. Microwave at 1-minute intervals, stirring in between, until the mixture is smooth and creamy (don't overheat). Stir in the salt.
3. Drizzle the chocolate mixture over the cereal and using a flat rubber spatula gently fold the mixture until the cereal is evenly coated with the warm mixture.
4. Place the powdered sugar* in a large bag and add the chocolate-covered cereal (you may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your bag). Close the bag and shake like your life depends on it until the cereal is coated with the dry mixture.  
5. Let the mixture cool completely and add pretzels.
6. This keeps for several days well-covered at room temperature.

NOTES

Substitute: You can use brownie mix instead of powdered sugar for an extra chocloately, brownie flavor.  If you don't have brownie mix you can sub powdered sugar and cocoa powder that's been whisked together (about 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar + 1/3 cup cocoa powder). You won't get quite that same "brownie batter" taste but it's still delicious.

Zucchini Brownies

These are some of my favorite brownies, they're fudge and velvety and taste sooooo amazing when chilled.  Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

INGREDIENTS

•  3/4 cup (6 ounces, 12 tablespoons) butter
•  6 ounces (1 cup) chopped semisweet chocolate or good-quality chocolate chips that melt well 
•  1/4 cup (1 ounce) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
•  1/2 cup (3.75 ounces) packed light brown sugar
•  1 cup (7.5 ounces) granulated sugar
•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  1 large egg yolk or 1 whole egg
•  1 teaspoon baking soda
•  3/4 teaspoon salt
•  2 cups lightly packed finely shredded zucchini that has been wrung dry (see note)
•  1 1/4 cups (6.25 ounces) all-purpose flour
•  1 1/2 cups (8 ounces) chocolate chips (we like to use regular and mini)--1 cup for batter, 1/2 cup for the top

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9x13-inch aluminum pan (see note) with nonstick cooking spray or line with foil and coat with cooking spray (for easier cleanup and to lift out the brownies in one slab after baking, if desired).

In a microwave-safe bowl (you can also do this in a pan on the stovetop), add the butter, chocolate chips, and cocoa. Cook for one minute increments, stirring in between, until the mixture is melted and smooth (don't overheat).

Add the brown sugar and white sugar; mix well. Add the vanilla and egg yolk and mix again until well-combined.Stir in the baking soda and salt until well-combined.

Add the zucchini and stir until evenly mixed. Add the flour and ONE CUP of the chocolate chips (or chunks) and stir until just combined (don't overmix).

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining cup of chocolate chips over the top.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the edges are set and the middle is soft (a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean or with a few moist crumbs - but if there is wet batter on the toothpick, bake for a few more minutes). Don't overbake or the brownies can be dry. Let the brownies cool in the pan before cutting. These taste amazing chilled.  And freeze well!

NOTES
Cut the zucchini with the shredding disk on the food processor.  Then to dry the zucchini, place zucchini in a tea towel.  Wrap up and twist the ends like a peppermint or tootsie roll candy.  Then squeeze tightly with a twisting motion over the sink and let the excess liquid drip out.   You do want it as dry as possible (a key to not ending up with zucchini CAKE instead of zucchini BROWNIES).  1 small zucchini yields about 1 cup.  A medium zucchini can yield 2-3 cups.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Brown Sugar Streusel

This is one of our favorite zucchini dessert/snack recipes.  Adapted from Mel's kitchen cafe (lowered sugar a bit, added whole wheat flour, added weight measurement for zucchini, etc).

INGREDIENTS

CAKE

•  1/2 cup applesauce (can substitute melted butter)
•  1/3 cup oil (melted coconut, canola, vegetable)
•  1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
•  2 large eggs
•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  1/2 cup buttermilk (1/4 cup sour cream or yogurt mixed with milk plus 1 t vinegar)
•  2 cups all-purpose flour (1 cup white whole wheat, 1 cup all-purpose)
•  1/2 cup cocoa powder (dutch processed or regular)
•  1/2 teaspoon baking powder
•  1 teaspoon baking soda
•  1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•  1/2 teaspoon salt
•  2 cups shredded zucchini loosely packed (about 9-10 ounces)

TOPPING:

•  1/2 cup sliced almonds or chopped almonds
•  1 cup chocolate chips
•  1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan with cooking spray and set aside.  Shred zucchini, and squeeze out excess moisture in a hand towel.  Set aside. In a large bowl with an electric mixer (handheld or stand mixer), cream together the applesauce, oil and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix. Add 1/2 of the buttermilk; mix. Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add the remaining buttermilk and mix followed by the last of the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Stir in the shredded zucchini.

Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the almonds and chocolate chips. Sprinkle the brown sugar on top of everything.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs (don't overbake!).

Let cool completely before serving. This cake tastes best at room temperature (and is great the next day, too!).