Fall recipes: Pretzel bread

October 16, 3:01 PMPittsburgh Cooking ExaminerShannon McConnell

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I usually only make bread around the holidays simply because bread is a very dangerous thing. If we’re getting down to the nitty gritty of it, any starch is a danger in my home. My mother and I have been known to dispatch of an entire sleeve of saltines with a butter knife and a tub of country crock or a block of cream cheese. To my mind there is no greater comfort food experience in life than curling up on the couch with a warm blanket, a bowl of hot soup and an enormous chunk of freshly baked Italian bread to dunk into the broth. The smell of freshly baked bread will rival that of the chocolate cookie and win hands down, any day in my book. Consequently, our love of starches is also the reason we have never owned a bread machine. We would all be slaves to the little red light that signifies the bread is finished baking. Better safe than sorry, and in my opinion, bread just tastes better when it’s made my your own hand and not a machine, so put the mixers up on the shelf, and roll up your sleeves.

Shannon’s Incredibly Addicting Pretzel Bread
Ingredients:

• Olive oil or Pam spray for greasing
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 6 tsp brown sugar
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 cups 4 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

Directions:
In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, brown sugar, buttermilk and salt. The "dough" is actually more of a batter like consistency. Prep a baking dish by spraying it with Pam or lightly rubbing olive oil on the bottom and sides. Pour batter in to a 9 x 11 baking dish and bake for 15 minutes at 410 (preheated) and then lower the heat and bake for another 35 minutes at 370.

Check the middle of the bread with a tooth pick and if it comes out dry in the middle take it out of the oven and rub the top down with butter so the bread stays moist and pliable on top. Let the bread cool for at least fifteen minutes before cutting and serving. Tastes good hot or cold! Enjoy.