Mini Soft Pretzel Bits

So, I've mentioned my daughter with the hollow leg, right? Well, when she comes home from school, she is ravenous! I send a sandwich, cheese stick (sometimes 2), carrots, ranch dressing, fruit roll-up and sometimes a treat of some kind. I feel like that is a darn good lunch. However, when she walks through the door bemoaning her condition of starvation, I feel unprepared. I have to have food ready for that girl the moment she walks in or I hear, "I'm starving" about 10 times or more...you have to play that in your head with a whiny voice. The day I made these and had them ready when she walked in was one happy day for me. I got this recipe from a cooking website I frequently use. It was made with white flour and I've adjusted it with for whole wheat. We dipped them in honey butter and my hollow-legged child silently devoured them until they were gone. They were DELICIOUS! I hope you like them as much as we did!!!

Mini Soft Pretzel Bits

1 T active dry yeast

1 C lukewarm water

1 tsp. sugar

2 1/2 C freshly, finely ground whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dough enhancer

1 tsp. gluten

Dipping Liquid

1/2 C warm water

2 T baking soda

1/4 C melted butter

salt/cinnamon sugar (optional for flavoring)

Mix sugar, yeast and lukewarm water and let sit until fizzy (about 5 minutes). Add whole wheat flour, gluten, dough enhancer and salt and knead for 5-6 minutes. Sprinkle dough lightly with whole wheat flour and put in a sealed bag (I used bread bags with a twist tie). Let rise for about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Remove dough from bag and let it spread out on the counter for a few minutes. Cut into ropes about 1 1/2 in. thick and about 8 in. long. Cut into 1 1/2 in. cubes. Lay on parchment lined baking sheet.

Mix together baking soda and water. Mix with a spoon each time before adding a pretzel bit. Sprinkle with salt, brown sugar, or cinnamon/sugar (whichever you prefer). Drop each pretzel into the mixture and place on parchment sheet again. Bake for 6-7 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve with cheese dip, honey butter, or any other creamy sauce.

P.S. If you are looking for my St. Patty's Day entries, I'll but putting them back up in a couple of days. I'll have them all up or the week of St. Patrick's Day, don't worry!