Ham and Cheese Pretzel Bites

And our second recipe of the day was Ham and Cheese Bagel Bites. First off, these take a while to make as you have to wait for the dough to rise and let the rolls set for a while before you cook them. In the end, though, they are delicious.

Ingredients:
2 Tbs Brown Sugar
1 cup of warm milk (110-115 F)
2 and 1/2 cups flour
1 package (1/4 oz.) dry yeast
Olive Oil
2 cups ham (or bacon, pepperoni, etc.)
2 cups cheese (I used mozzarella and cheddar)

Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large bowl, combine the milk and sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Add the flour and dry yeast and stir until a soft dough forms. Add more flour if needed (up to 1/2 cup) Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead a few times, forming a smooth ball.

Brush the inside of a large clean bowl with olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow it to rise in a warm, draft-free area for about 2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size and bubbles appear on the surface.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it into 4 equal pieces. Lightly dust a rolling pin with flour and roll each piece of dough into roughly a 12x4-inch rectangle.

Chop the ham and shred the cheese.

With the long sides facing you, place equal amount of the chopped ham and shredded cheese onto the bottom third of each piece of dough:

Roll the dough as tightly as you can, starting with the long edge holding the ham and cheese.

Cut the rolls into equal sized pieces.

Transfer the pieces to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let them rest, uncovered, at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add 4 teaspoons of baking soda to the boiling water and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.

Boil the pretzels in batches, cooking for about 20 seconds each and turning once.

They should look slightly puffed when they are done. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them back to the baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven until they are puffed and golden, about 15 minutes.

Brush with 4 tablespoons of melted butter and sprinkle with 1-2 tablespoons of coarse kosher salt.