You can call me Betty Crocker......but you may want to reconsider.....

Maya and I have always loved to buy pretzels at the mall when we go shopping.  I know my little sister, Callie, shares the same affinity for them as well!  There's just something about their carb-filled goodness that makes a girl smile.  I've often wondered what makes a pretzel taste like a pretzel, instead of just bread.  Today, I decided to look up some recipes and give making them a whirl!

I found a recipe for "Giant Soft Pretzels" on food.com and went to work.  Let me just preface this by saying.....those people at Auntie Anne's and Pretzel Time have got it going on!!  I don't know how they make all pretzels look the same....not to mention actually looking like a pretzel.  The dough was easy enough, and with the help of my Kitchenaid mixer dough hook, it was a sinch.  Next came the "pretzel" making.

Now......you may be saying "Those pretzels look OK. What is she talking about?" Not so fast. After this step came the boiling in Baking Soda/Water. Did you know that it is nearly impossible to keep a pretzel in pretzel form when moving it from counter to water to paper towel for drying??  I stumbled upon that tidbit of info today.


Some of my not-so-fortunate creations



Even though some of them turned out less-than-perfect looking (please refer to picture at right :), it was still fun and they still tasted JUST LIKE a vendor bought pretzel.  In that case, I will consider this venture a success!!  Maya was so excited and thought they tasted perfect!  I plan to freeze them and thaw for snacks for the rest of the week!  So, now it's up to you.....Betty Crocker or not??  I'm voting "not," but I'm sure that even Betty had a flop or two in all her years of cooking.