Kitchen Experiments

I enjoy making holiday gifts that come from my own kitchen for neighbors, friends, teachers, and Brian's co-workers.  I have no signature gift that everyone excitedly anticipates from me each year (hmmm...why don't I?  Maybe I should hang up the apron already), so I like to switch it up.  To go against the grain with all of the sweets that are given out during the holidays, I was inspired to make something savory this year.  Some magazines have led me to a few new recipes that I put through the test this morning (and afternoon too because it took so much longer than expected).

From Cooking Light, I tried Lemon-Parmesan Popcorn.  With a tree full of lemons, I'm always looking for ways to use them at this time of year.  This recipe turned out well, even though I used an air popper.  Twelve cups of popcorn are going to pop in a medium saucepan on my electric stove?  Somehow I don't see that happening, and that also sounds like it could be my worst nightmare.  So I popped the corn and then drizzled the olive oil on top of the popcorn before adding the seasonings.  I liked it!

The second recipe I tried was a lot more labor-intensive.  I wasn't even searching for gift ideas while reading the latest issue of Country Living, but Pretzels with Brown-Sugar Rosemay Dijon caught my eye.  Who doesn't like soft pretzels with mustard?  And these are homemade pretzels with fancy mustard!  I gave it a shot, and they turned out good, but from start to finish these things took me four hours.  There were a lot of steps--mixing the dough, allowing it to rise, cutting it into 24 equal pieces, rolling it out and twisting the dough into pretzels, letting the pretzels rest again, floating the pretzels in a simmering water/baking soda concoction, brushing them with egg whites, and then baking them.  Let's just say that if you get these from me for Christmas, I must really love you.

A pretzel with mustard made a tasty lunch for me (thank goodness I love myself), and my kids are going to be ecstatic with their after school snack today.  I don't think I'll spend another four hours in the kitchen for 24 pretzels to give away, but if you invite me to a Super Bowl party, I could be persuaded to bring them.