I love brownies and I love pretzels, so why not put the best of both worlds together?  The combination of sweet and salty is a perfect combination in our home and it is the 2nd day of cookies, cookie for my list.  It is a simple recipe and a quick fix for that last minute cookie swap!

Pretzel Brownies

Ingredients

1 box favorite brownie mix or favorite recipe - I prefer Ghiradelli

1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

3 C large pretzels, plus large chunks for garnish

1 C melted butter



Directions


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a 9 x 9 pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
Make the brownie batter according to the recipe/box directions. Stir in the chocolate chips and set aside.
Crush the pretzels in a food processor, or have your little one smash them up in a ziplock bag with a rolling pin, making small piecs, but leaving some slightly larger pieces. Combine with the melted butter and press into the prepared pan.
Pour the brownie batter over the pretzel crust. Spread the batter over the crust with an offset spatula.  Bake according to the brownie directions.  In the last 5 minutes of cooking, sprinkle the large chunks of pretzel over the top and lightly press in. Continue baking until set.
Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Once cool, cut into bars.
Makes approx. 9

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Tis the season for cookie swaps, church pitch in's, holiday parties, and edible gifts for friends, family and neighbors.  So for the rest of the month I am featuring a different cookie each day.  I have a handful of what I call my go to holiday cookies, but I have been wanting to add to this list for some time now and what a perfect opportunity.  Don't forget to share any cookies or holiday gifting ideas of your own in the comments!  Today's cookie is vrom the Barefoot Contessa and I have been making these cookies for the last 6 Christmases.  They are just about everyone's favorite.  You can use any kind of jam you like and can leave off the coconut if you wish as well.  These are a wonderfully tasty cookies.  Happy Baking.

Jam Thumbprint Cookies By Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Family Style

Ingredients


3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
Raspberry, apricot or your favorite jam

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until they are just combined and then add the vanilla. Separately, sift together the flour and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix until the dough starts to come together. Dump on a floured board and roll together into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
Roll the dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. (If you have a scale they should each weigh 1 ounce.) Dip each ball into the egg wash and then roll it in coconut. Place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and press a light indentation into the top of each with your finger. Drop 1/4 teaspoon of jam into each indentation. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the coconut is a golden brown. Cool and serve. 

Tip: I place them in a cellophane bag tied with a pretty ribbon to give as gifts.
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We had a fantastic Easter Sunday.  We heard wonderful talks about the Savior in Sacrament Meeting and our choir sang a beautiful piece, Alleluia.  It brought such a sweet spirit to the meeting. After church we had two egg hunts, thanks to my good friend Claire and her daughter Abigail, who orchestrated all of the fun!  We had a lovely dinner and everyone was quite stuffed.  We played quite a few heated rounds of BOGGLE;  who knew 15 yr. olds could be so insistent on using Latin words!  I know I say it often, but we have such awesome friends.  I hope all of you were able to share your holiday with loved ones.


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Photo by Courtney Salas

I am not much of a fan of ground beef, especially when it is in compact form.  You will probably never see any type of meatloaf recipe or otherwise from me in any capacity.  I frankly just don't care for it, neither do my kids and my husband just has to suffer because he is the only one who appreciates ground meat shaped into a bread like form.  Majority rules for the most part in our home.
As for meatballs, well, that is another story.  We love 'em, be they Swedish, Italian, on a bun, in pasta, soup -you get the drift.  This one is a semi-homemade recipe, for simplicity, and really it's just dang good.  I buy frozen Italian precooked meatballs.  The key to this recipe is the sauce which I have posted before in my blog Table for 5: YOU SAY TOMAYTO, I SAY TOMAHTO .  Use the basic tomato sauce recipe (I usually double the recipe using two 36 oz. cans of plum tomatoes.  When the sauce is finished I pour it into a crock pot and add the meatballs.  Place the crock pot on high replace the lid and let everything heat up until simmering.  This is a great recipe for parties, dinner, and potlucks.  We use it on buns, in a bowl with a side of crusty bread and side salad, or over pasta.  It will not disappoint even the pickiest eaters! 


Italian Meatballs