Real Snacks (14 page)

Pretzel sticks take on a whole new life when you make them with something other than standard white flour. I love this mix of whole-wheat, bread, and barley flours. For a different flavor, skip the egg wash and lightly brush each pretzel stick with a mixture made from 1 tablespoon honey and ½ teaspoon dry mustard before baking
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Sift the whole-wheat flour, bread flour, and barley flour together and set aside.

Warm ½ cup of the water to 115°F. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the warm water, yeast, sugar, and brown rice syrup. Mix well on low speed and let stand for 5 minutes. Add the salt and half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed to create a loose dough, about 1 to 2 minutes. Switch to the dough hook and, with the mixer on low speed, add the remaining flour mixture a little at a time until the dough comes together into a ball. Increase the mixer speed to high and knead for 3 minutes. Punch down the dough and continue to knead on medium-low speed for another 2 minutes, until the dough is smooth and not sticky. If the dough is very sticky, add a bit more bread flour.

Cover the dough and let it proof for 1 hour in a warm spot.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and set aside.

Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Keep the dough you aren’t working with covered. Working with one piece at a time, pinch off tablespoon-sized pieces of dough and roll into long ¼-inch-thick logs. Place the logs on the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg whites with the baking soda and remaining 1 tablespoon water. Brush each pretzel generously with the egg wash and sprinkle with the coarse salt.

Bake until the pretzels are a deep golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheets every 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack, and serve long or break into smaller sticks.

To make peanut butter–stuffed pretzels
, prepare the pretzel dough as directed, but roll the dough into a ⅛-inch-thick rectangle. Cut the rolled dough into 1½-by-1½-inch squares. Place ¼ teaspoon of peanut butter in the center of each piece of pretzel dough and roll the dough around the peanut butter filling, pinching the edges together to seal. Place the filled pretzels, seam side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with the egg mixture, sprinkle with coarse salt, and bake in a 425°F oven until the pretzels are a deep golden brown, about 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheet every 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Forget those little packets of spice mixes stirred into sour cream. While this dip may take a bit more time, it’s hardly what you could call hard work, and slowly caramelized onions put those little dehydrated ones to complete shame
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Place the butter in a heavy skillet and melt over medium-low heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and, stirring occasionally, let the onions sweat and caramelize, 20 to 30 minutes. Don’t be tempted to turn up the heat; you want it low and slow to get the onions to their sweetest without charring.

Once the onions are an even golden color, remove them from the heat and allow them to cool to room temperature. You can put them in the refrigerator, covered, to speed up the process.

Once the onions are cool, stir them and any collected juices into the sour cream and season to taste with salt and pepper, and a pinch of smoked paprika if using. If the consistency is too thick, add a splash of buttermilk to thin it out. You can eat this dip immediately, but I think it’s even better after sitting, covered in the refrigerator, for an hour or two to let the flavors meld.

Pimentos are sweet peppers with a flavor subtly different than a typical bell pepper. They are slightly sweeter, without the bitter edge that bells can sometimes have. Pimentos are delicious when paired with a good sharp cheddar cheese. If you can’t find fresh pimentos, you can substitute just about any fresh sweet pepper. For a creamier spread, mix in two tablespoons of cream cheese
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In a medium bowl by hand, or in the bowl of a food processor, mix the peppers and cheese. Season to taste with the salt. Allow the mixture to sit in the refrigerator, covered, for 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld.

It’s hard for me to imagine a more perfect food than chile con queso. The melty, creamy cheese with plenty of kick from chiles is heavenly whether spread on a chip or poured over a piece of toast. To make sure your dip is creamy and not grainy, it is important not to rush the melting
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Combine the butter, onion, and chiles in a sauté pan over medium heat and cook until the onion softens and becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato and oregano and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in the cream, buttermilk, and flour and bring to a simmer to thicken slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in the Monterey Jack cheese and gently stir to melt. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, topped with the queso fresco.

Forget about those cans of brown mush that look more like dog than people food. This dip is flavorful and beautiful, in a dip sort of way. Instead of using the traditional pinto beans, I prefer to use red lentils, which retain a little of their rosy color. Black-eyed peas are also great in this recipe, but if you aren’t starting with canned peas, make sure you soak the peas overnight and then drain them before proceeding with the recipe
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Combine the lentils and onion in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add enough water to cover the lentils. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover the saucepan and cook on low until the lentils are quite soft and have lost any of their mealy texture, 5 to 10 minutes, adding a little more water if the lentils look dry. Remove from the heat and let the lentils cool.

Remove the onion and discard. Add the olive oil and lemon juice and mash the mixture with a fork. Transfer the dip to a bowl and stir in the chives. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil before serving.