Adventures in Bread Land

I'd like to introduce you to my new friend, Breadmaker.

When I first got Breadmaker I thought to myself, "I'll probably never use him. I mean, I can cook and I really hate the big hole he leaves in the bread." Then one day I thought, "Well, I suppose I should use him at least once so I can tell my sister (the one who gave him to me) that I actually opened the box." So out he came and made the most yummy tasting Hawaiian Sweet Bread. And there wasn't even a giant hole in it! I was very excited by this and began to look through the recipe book. It turns out you can make all kinds of things with Breadmaker. So far we've made white bread, french bread, cinnamon raisin bread, garlic herb bread, carrot cake and today we made . . .

Soft Pretzels

I have been craving soft pretzels for about four months now and every time I get close to having one, something happens. Usually it's my husband saying, "I don't think you should get one. I mean, do you really need it?" Twice I went past a pretzel place in the mall when Ty wasn't around, but both times I had just eaten. Then, to crown it all off, when I was in AZ in January I went to Sam's Club with my sister. I was complaining all about my soft pretzel woes and she offered to buy me one. So we get in line, wait our turn, order a pretzel and the woman says, "Oh, the pretzel machine is broken." Can you believe it!?! I'd just about decided that soft pretzels were just nowhere in my future when I found the recipe in the bread book. It was complicated. Did you know you have to boil them before you bake them?

I didn't know either. It's kind of a lot of work, but it was so worth it. We ate them all today. Sick, I know, but I am one happy camper.