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Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Summer Lunch Program >> Pigs in Pretzels

Summer Lunch Program

a semi-sporadic series
with
fun lunchtime menus

Just In Time For Summer Vacation


Pigs in Pretzels, or Dunkin' Dogs

1-1/4  Cups  Warm Water
1  Tablespoon PLUS 1/4  teaspoon  Yeast
3-3/4  Cups  Flour
3/4  Cup  PLUS  2  Tablespoons  Powdered Sugar
1-1/2  teaspoons  Salt
2  teaspoons  Vegetable Oil

Soda Bath:
4  Cups  Warm Water
1/2  Cup  Baking Soda

Hot Dogs
Coarse Salt
1-2  Tablespoons  Cold Butter

In a small bowl, combine the Warm Water and Yeast; set aside.

Stir together the Flour, Powdered Sugar, and Salt in mixer work bowl.

Gently mix the Oil into the Warm Water and Yeast; slowly stir into the Flour mixture.  Stir, using the mixer's dough hook.  Knead in mixer on slow (#2 for Kitchen Aid) for 5 minutes.  Let rise, covered, until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Preheat over to 400*.  Combine Water and Baking Soda in a deep pan and heat over medium-high.  Divide dough into equal portions.  (12 portions if you are using bun-length hot dogs, 16 portions for traditional-size hot dogs.)  Roll dough into long ropes, about 9-10 inches.  Working one rope at a time, dip the pretzel ropes into the boiling Soda Water; boil about 30 seconds.  Remove from water, let drip dry on paper towel.  Wrap pretzel rope around a hot dog; place on a greased baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse salt.  Repeat with remaining pretzel ropes and hot dogs.  Bake at 400* for about 10-12 minutes, or until dough is cooked through.  Rub the hot Pretzel Piggies with Cold Butter.  Serve warm, with Ketchup and Mustard.



Many, many thanks to my sister for suggesting this to me.  I think she knows how I hate to drag out the same old sandwich ingredients day after day after day.  I tripled this dough recipe and used 3 12-count packages of bun-length beef hot dogs from Costco.  The majority of these went into the freezer.  When I need something quick for lunch, we'll just do a quick defrost in the microwave and (maybe) toast them in the oven for about 10 minutes--if we're not in too big of a hurry, that is.



Most of the 'Dogs looked lovely.
But some of them did turn out a little wonky:






Alternately, of course, you CAN use this dough to make Hot Pretzels.  Just divide the dough into 8 portions and twist the ropes into pretzel shapes before dipping in the Soda Water.  Bake at 425* for about 8 minutes.  Rub the baked Pretzels with the Cold Butter, then sprinkle with a mixture of 1/2 Cup Sugar and 2 teaspoons Cinnamon.  Better than Auntie Anne's!

Homemade Soft Pretzel recipe from Serving One Another cookbook, page 19.

4 comments:

  1. Love it! Please keep doing the lunch ideas! Perfect for homeschool crews.. Kelly H.

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  2. Great idea...my kids thank you in advance for the break from pb&j:)

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  3. This recipe was great, Carolyn...have to admit I got tired of the soda/water step and just wrapped the last few in dough and baked. They liked them both ways:) Win.Win. Thanks for the recipe~

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  4. Looks so yummy!! We like to make soft pretzels every so often! My kids have never liked pigs in blankets made with crescent dough, but maybe they would like Pretzel Pigs! :)

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