Pretzel Dogs & Smokies

For Blake's birthday I made him his favorite, Pretzel dogs!

This time, I added lil' smokies!

This recipe is so fun for parties and such. 

You can make lil' pretzel smokies, pretzel bites or pretzel dogs!

The steps might seem a little intimidating but it's hard to mess up on this recipe.

I thought I totally bombed it the first time, only to come out perfectly fine.

Ingredients:
makes 5 pretzel dogs 
OR 3 pretzel dogs, 14 smokies

3/4 c warm water (microwave 30 sec)
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1/6 c brown sugar
2 1/4 c flour
5 hot dogs OR (like me, 3 hot dogs, 14 smokies)
3-4 c water
2 Tbsp baking soda
1 egg white, beaten
course salt, to sprinkle

Instructions:

1. Mix 3/4 c warm water and 1 1/2 tsp yeast. Stir until dissolved. Whisk in 1/6 c brown sugar.
2. Add 2 1/2 c flour, 1/2 c at a time.
3. Knead dough for 2-3 minutes. 
4. Divide dough into 5 balls of dough ( I divided my last two sections into 14 pieces for my smokies)
5. Stretch dough into an oblong rectangle, long enough to wrap a hot dog.  Pinch ends to seal the hot dog in the dough. Continue for all hot dogs and smokies. 
6. Fill a medium sized pot with 3-4 c water and 2 Tbsp of baking soda on Medium heat. 
7. Carefuly place hot dogs into the pot with a spatula or something that will be able to hold most of the dog.
8. Boil hot dogs/smokies for 30 seconds.  Place dogs on a cooling rack with paper towel underneath while you're finishing with the other dogs.
9. Place dogs on a greased pan.  Brush dogs with beaten egg white and sprinkle with course salt.
10. Bake in 475 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.

Instructions with pictures

Mix 3/4 c warm water and 1 1/2 tsp yeast. Stir until dissolved.

Whisk in 1/6 c brown sugar.

Add 2 1/2 c flour, 1/2 c at a time.

Knead dough for 2-3 minutes. No dough should be sticking to the walls of your bowl.

Divide dough into 5 equal sections of dough.
( I divided my last two sections into 14 pieces for my smokies)

Stretch dough into an oblong rectangle, long enough to wrap a hot dog.

Pinch ends to seal the hot dog in the dough. 

Continue for all hot dogs and smokies.

Make sure your counter is nicely floured so the dough doesn't stick!

Fill a medium sized pot with 3-4 c water and 2 Tbsp of baking soda on Medium heat. 

(Your water should become a little frothy, that's when you know the water is ready.)

Carefuly place hot dogs into the pot with a spatula 

or something that will be able to hold most of the dog.

I used a fork first time I did this and it almost fell apart...eek!

Boil hot dogs/smokies for 30 seconds.  

Place dogs on a cooling rack with paper towel under neath while you're finishing with the other dogs.

Place dogs on a greased pan.  Brush dogs with beaten egg white and sprinkle with course salt.

Bake in 475 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.