Soft Pretzel Bites!

I LOVE pretzels and am ready to get home to try this out! 

Soft Pretzel Bites

1 1/2 cups warm water (about 110 F)
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast (I used instant)
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled just slightly
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
3 quarts water
3/4 cup baking soda
1 whole egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
coarse sea salt

On low speed, mix the water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Add the salt and 4 1/2 cups of the flour and mix on low speed until combined.  Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough clears the sides of the bowl.  Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a lightly floured surface and knead into a ball with your hands.

Spray a bowl with cooking spray (or oil with with vegetable oil), add the dough and turn to coat.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 425 F.  Spray two baking sheets liberally with cooking spray.

Bring the water to a boil in a small roasting pan over high heat and add the baking soda.

Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 ounces each.  Roll each piece into a long rope measuring about 22 inches.  Cut the dough into one inch pieces to make pretzel bites.  Boil the pretzel bites in the water solution in batches of about 10-15 for 30 seconds.  Remove with a large slotted spoon and place the pretzel bites on the prepared baking sheets, making sure they aren't touching.  Brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with the salt.  Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove to a cooling rack and let rest 5 minutes before eating.

TLAM

I made it back and finished finals! 

   Indy was A-MAZ-ING! I met so many awesome Thetas, I cannot believe I call them my sisters. My roommate was from out west so we had tons of interesting things to talk about, esp since I have never been to Washington State, it was really cool to hear about her life. Naturally I met up with my Southern gals. The big t shirt and norts guided me to my SEC and Texas sisters. We had so much in common, it was so awesome to hear all about their chapters and got some great ideas to take back to my own. Needless to say I have some amazing sisters and can't wait to be reunited with my own sisters. 

My SEC Sisters! 

Oklahoma & TCU Sisters

Finals!

Who doesn't enjoy Finals week! 

I know I don't! 

Lab Practical on Monday

&

A meeting with my advisor

Followed by:

Two tests on Tuesday

And Then,

I am done! I decided to not do July 

Class, it isn't worth the stress.

So back to NOVA I go. 

And then my summer can officially start!

Packing My Bags For Indy!

I am off to Theta headquarters! 

I couldn't be more excited to be going to the Theta Leadership Conference in Indy this weekend. It is going to be an awesome break from a small town PLUS I get to meet sister's from all around the US.


 I applied through our my chapter and was selected to represent us! The application was why I wanted to be chosen, in my essay, I included how proud I am of my letters, how coming to the Theta house is like a home away from home, it's a safe place full of my sisters and how I desperately want to strength our chapter, I could go on and on about how much I love it but I will save that for this weekend and save myself from tearing up. Anyway a few lines of my application are included below! I love and miss my Theta sisters and can't wait to be living in the house come Fall <3 

    "During rush I kept an open mind and heart, looking for the place where I could see myself as being a proud sister.  The morning of bid day, excitement does not even begin to describe my emotion. When I opened my envelope and found I was going to be a baby kite, right away I began my sprint down Rebel drive to join my new pledge class and soon to be sisters. Even while on the phone screaming to my own sister who is a proud member of Theta I made it down to the house first. At that moment I did not understand how much these girls, who I now call sister would grow so close and change my life. Right away I began to immerse myself in this newfound sisterhood. I wear my letters proudly as I am just one of thousands of women who understand our special bond.  Walking down to the house is not a chore but something I enjoy doing as the house is now a home away from home. I wanted to be active as an officer and help improve the chapter."

Ruche Love

 This Summer it seems like the printed are back

esp the florals and ruffles

like usual Modcloth had tons of 

adorable dresses but lately they have 

not had 5 star reviews

Lucky for me StumbleUpon 

presented me with 

Ruche!

They have the same style 

but with a better price

and better quality.

Not to mention that Ruche 

offers more accessories! 

Some Items that I am obsessed with:

My absolute favorite! 

(I know leather is heavy but it's so chic) 

 

(I have an uncontrollable love for lockets) 

Green for Go

I know I have been lacking major (here comes the excuse) 

 but

 with classes and studying 

my brain is mush by the end of the day

I haven't seen 6am for this long since I started driving in 

high school, needless to say

coffee = my best friend

I even broke down and got a toaster 

for bagels (whole wheat of course!)

Classes from 8-12 with two ten minute 

breaks, then comes the studying

I am not whining though

b/c

with the job market like it is

I am glad I am actually doing something

productive this summer!!

I still need a job thought...

I am learning alot...

like living in a small town 

is nice but not for me

I need more then a one stop light town 

Homemade Oreo's

Need I say more?! I found the recipe on Stumble-Upon and just had to try it! 

It is a keeper to say the least. I encourage you to try it, although it is time consuming. 

Homemade Oreos

From Smitten Kitchen

Makes 25 to 30 sandwich cookies

For the chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

For the filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.
2. In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
3. Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.
4. To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
5. To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream. Dunk generously in milk.