Pretzels



Delicious, super yummy pretzels!  I've made them before with a different recipe and it never was right.  This time it was perfect!  YUM!

Try them, I dare you!

Maybe you would like the recipe?  Yes?  Ok....here it is...

Makes 12 pretzels (I got 13)

4 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp white sugar
1 1/4c. warm water
5c. all purpose flour
1/2c. white sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp. vegetable oil or olive oil
1/2c. Baking Soda
4c. hot water
1/4c. kosher salt, for topping

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast & 1 tsp. sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, 1/2c. sugar, & 1 1/2tsp. of salt.  Make a well in the center; add the oil and yeast mixture.  Mix and form into a dough.  If the mixture is dry, add 1 to 2 tbsp of water. (I had to use about 1/4c. more of water)  Work that dough and knead it until smooth, about 7 to 8 minutes.  Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size; about 1 hour (I did it about 1 hr. and 45 mins!). 
Preheat oven to 450.  In a large bowl, dissolve baking soda in hot water.
When risen, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces.  Roll each piece into a long rope and twist into a pretzel shape.  Once all the dough is shaped, dip each pretzel into the baking soda solution and place on a greased baking sheet.  Sprinkle with Kosher salt.
Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes, until browned!

EAT AND ENJOY!

Update

Well, our Bison is doing better.  The medicine the vet get him has been working.  His fever went down and he started to get spunky like his normal self.   He is still favoring his back leg and not putting all his weight on it.  I worry when the meds run out he will go back into severe pain!  We will see.  Not sure what to do after that point.  The medicine will last through next week, so we will just keep watching to see how he does.

It is crazy how a book can draw people in so much that they make a movie out of it.  How a movie can almost hypnotize us into only thinking about it.  I am guilty of this.  I just hope that kids and adults can always come back to reality.  To remember who they are and why they are here on this earth!  Just remember our Lord is first.
Ok...like I said I am guilty!  I do love this series.  I am just finishing the second book "Catching Fire".  I truly enjoyed the Hunger Games book and I went to see the movie last night with my daughter.  It was fantastic.  Super good!  The acting was perfect and the characters were perfect.  Hollywood has drawn us in again!  Can't wait for the second movie!

Our Baby is Sick

Over a week ago we noticed that Bison was having back right leg problems.  We thought maybe he hurt a muscle on the ice or pulled something running in the snow.  His pain was going off and on, but then it got worse.  We were not sure if we should take him to the vet or see if it would heal on it's own.  We were given some advice to give him half dose of Ibuprofen, so we did, and I am here to tell you DO NOT GIVE YOUR PETS IBUPROFEN!!!!!  It made Bison sick.  We thought for a little while he wouldn't make it.  It was scary, but that evening he seems to snap out of it.  So...today, Bison wouldn't even get up.  He didn't even want his food.  He ate laying down!  BISON NEVER DOES THAT.  He will eat anything at anytime.  I was concerned. 
I took him into the vet this morning.  He has a fever. They took two x-rays.  The vet told me he "thinks" it's panosteitis.  It is a bone disease that is common in young large breed dogs.  It can transfer from one bone area to the other and last up to 2 years!  So far it's only in Bisons back right leg.  Still there is a chance that it is something more or worse.  We went home with a huge bill and expensive medication.  Bison has been sleeping all day long.  He won't get up!  I am worried.
We are going to wait a couple days to see if he needs blood work or more x-rays.  I am praying he will just feel better.

He is miserable!  Ouchie. 

He just wants love.  He just wants us to cuddle with him.  He just wants his pain to go away!

Water Everywhere



We were fortunate to attend another swim meet last weekend.  The girls did so well.  They improved all their times and had a blast!  Here is Coach helping Olline with her dives!  I love this photo!

Our girls after the big day of swim races!  So very proud.  Melina was even feeling sick and she did so well!!! 

Melina diving!  Woo Hoo!

Olline's "cat like" dive!  Yeah!

This is today!  We may be introuble with this rain!  I don't think we've ever had the water come up to the deck before!  It has been raining non-stop since last night!  HELP!  Where's our boat?  We will need it pretty soon!

Things have been busy!  I am trying to keep up with it all.  Blog posts have slowed, but I will try and update as much as I can!

God Bless