Seasoned Pretzels

 I recently fell in love with seasoned pretzels. They’re perfect with a glass of wine or when you’re in need of a flavorful snack. The store-bought seasoned pretzels I tried were tasty, but they seemed a greasy to me and had a high calorie count. Plus, they are mega expensive! Times are hard and families everywhere are trying to spend less. I’ve come up with a recipe that costs less, contains less fat (healthier?), and are cheaper, by far. I hope you’ll give this recipe a try. Let me know what you think.

 

Seasoned Pretzels

 

Ingredients:

• 4 cups pretzel sticks (about 3/4 pound)*
• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil 
• 2 teaspoons water 
• 3 tablespoons cheddar cheese powder*
• 2 tablespoon dry ranch dressing powder*
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (A lipped baking sheet works best.)
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the cheddar cheese powder, ranch powder, and cayenne pepper until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg white, oil, and water until fully emulsified. Don’t worry about any air bubbles or froth that forms.
4. Add pretzel sticks to the large bowl and gently toss until completely coated with the egg white mixture. Using 2 silicone spoonulas for this step in a scooping, turning motion, will assure that no liquid remains in the bottom of the bowl and are gentle on pretzels.
5. Sprinkle the dry seasoning mixture over pretzels and continue scooping and turning to evenly coat the pretzel sticks.
6. Spread pretzels evenly on the baking sheet.
7. Bake 20–25 minutes, turning halfway through, until dry to the touch and seasonings are set.
8. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

*Notes:

Aldi has great pretzel sticks that are inexpensive.

The Cheddar Cheese Powder I’ve linked to ($16.99 at the time I posed this) is the lowest unit price I could find. The 2-pound bag is enough to make the above recipe over 20 times. This powder is great for making mac & cheese. It’s good sprinkled on popcorn, too.

The Ranch Dressing Powder I’ve linked to ($4.14 at the time I posted this) contains enough to make 3 batches.

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Almond Cookie Recipe #GlutenFree

 Usually, when people describe their baked goods as “gluten free,” I pause. The phrase usually means the cookies or cakes are dry, or the texture is off, or the flavor needs a little… help. Well, I’m offering this almond cookie recipe that is just scrumptious. Think of these as delicious cookies that happen to be gluten-free.

Almond Cookies

Makes about 18 cookies

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup light brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups almond flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Wholealmonds for decorating

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place sugar and butter in a mixing bowl and cream together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add egg and almond extract and beat until fully incorporated.
3. Add almond flour, salt, and baking powder to wet ingredients and stir using a spoon until just combined.
4. Scoop the dough onto the cookie sheet. (I used a medium size cookie scoop.) Press the dough lightly to flatten a bit. Top with almonds and press them lightly into the dough.
5. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until edges are golden.
6. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

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Fresh Pink Lemonade #Recipe

 It’s hot here on the east coast of the USA. One of my favorite ways to cool off in the summertime is to make a pitcher of fresh pink lemonade. The ingredient that puts the “pink” in this drink is cranberry juice. What are some of YOUR favorite chilled drinks for hot weather months? Leave a comment below.

Fresh Pink Lemonade

6 cups water

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/3 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice

2/3 cup cranberry juice

Add all ingredients to a large glass pitcher and stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour over glasses of ice and garnish with lemon slices. Enjoy!

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