If you’re looking for snack fare for the Super Bowl, or warm, aromatic soft pretzels anytime, here are two recipes for your consideration: a Pepperoni Soft Pretzels recipe with marinara dipping sauce, and a Parmesan Soft Pretzels Recipe with a cheese-beer dip.

If you’re looking for ways to celebrate the pretzel:

 
Below:

> The recipe for pepperoni soft pretzels.

> The recipe for Parmesan soft pretzels.

> More soft pretzel recipes.

Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> The history of pretzels.

> The year’s 90 snack holidays.
 
 
RECIPE #1: PEPPERONI PIZZA STUFFED PRETZEL

We love all good bread, and a soft, doughy pretzel (with mustard, please) is one of our favorites.

If the pretzel is warm, it’s our idea of pretzel heaven. And for pepperoni lovers, pretzel heaven doesn’t get more welcoming than this recipe. It’s like a pepperoni pizza in pretzel form.

Thanks to Pampered Chef for this recipe. If you don’t have a pizza stone, here are five alternatives.

Here’s a video to help you with rolling the rope and twisting the pretzels (photo #3).
 
Ingredients For 8 Large Pretzels

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 425ºF (220ºC). Spray the pizza stone with oil. If you don’t have a spritzer, lightly brush with a pastry brush.

2. UNROLL the pizza dough onto a pastry mat. Roll the dough into a 17” x 12” (43 cm x 30 cm) rectangle. Cut the dough in half lengthwise.

3. SLICE the cheese sticks in half lengthwise to create 8 pieces. Grate the parmesan a fine grater. You should have at least 1 tablespoon (30 mL). Note: String cheese comes in several shapes and sizes; any one works. For the best results, no matter the string cheese size, line the slices up without overlapping, and make sure to trim any that hang over the edges of the dough.

4. LIGHTLY BRUSH the upper edge of each dough half with the egg white. Arrange 8 slices of pepperoni along the lower edge of each dough half, then top with cheese stick pieces. Trim any excess cheese that hangs over the dough.

5. TIGHTLY ROLL each dough half and filling to create a rope, pinching the edges firmly to seal. Slightly stretch the dough ropes.

6. MOVE the dough ropes to the center of the stone to begin making the pretzels. Form one long rope by pinching together one end of each small dough rope. Bring the free ends of the rope together to make an open circle. Twist the free ends of the dough one time, then bring the twisted end toward yourself and fold it down onto the base of the pretzel. SEE THE VIDEO.

7. Brush the pretzels with egg white (some egg white may be left over) and top with the remaining pepperoni slices and grated parmesan cheese. Bake for 14–18 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Serve with optional dipping sauce(s).
 
 
RECIPE #2: PARMESAN PRETZELS

The dipping sauce for these pretzels (photo #3), from Wisconsin Cheese, is warm beer-cheese dip, similar to cheese fondue.

Ingredients

 
For the Warm Beer-Cheese Dip

[1] This pepperoni pretzel, with mozzarella and marinara dipping sauce, is a brother to pepperoni pizza (photo © Pampered Chef).

[2] Quality pepperoni from DeLallo (photo © DeLallo).

[3] The dipping sauce is parmesan and beer (photo© Wisconsin Cheese).

[4] Pepper Jack for the Warm Beer-Cheese Dip that accompanies the Parmesan Pretzels (photo courtesy Eau Galle Cheese).

[5] Rolling the dough into a pretzel (photo © Pampered Chef).

1. PREHEAT the oven to 425°F. Line two 15 x 10-inch baking pans with parchment paper.

2. UNROLL the pizza crust on a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough width-wise into 12 strips, each about 1-inch wide. Carefully stretch each strip into a 24-inch rope.

3. FORM each rope into a U shape. Overlap the ends, twisting once. Fold the ends down; press them tightly onto the bottom of U to secure the pretzel shape.

4. BRING the water and baking soda to boil in a Dutch oven over high heat, stirring occasionally. Drop the pretzels, two at a time, into the boiling water. Boil for 30 seconds, submerging the pretzels in the water.

5. REMOVE with a slotted spatula and drain on paper towels. Transfer to the prepared pans and brush the tops with egg wash. Bake for 10 minutes. Meanwhile…

6. COMBINE the Parmesan and garlic powder in a small bowl. Sprinkle each pretzel with about 1 tablespoon of the parmesan mixture. Bake for 2-3 minutes longer or until the pretzels are golden brown.

7. MAKE the beer-cheese dip while the pretzels cool. Bring the beer just to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low; simmer for 2 minutes.

8. WHISK in the cream cheese and cayenne pepper until smooth. Gradually stir in the pepper jack until melted. Serve warm with pretzels. Makes 2 cups.

[6] Warm from the oven (photo by David Nuescheler | Public Domain).
 
 
MORE SOFT PRETZEL RECIPES

 
 
RECIPES WITH HARD PRETZELS

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*Monterey Jack is a semi-soft cheese. When young, it resembles muenster; when aged, it resembles cheddar. Pepper Jack cheese is Monterey Jack with red and/or green jalapeño peppers added.
 

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[1] Beef cacciatore: Hearty food for a cold day (photo courtesy Touchwood Editions).

[2] Fig is one of several flavors of Lucero fruit-infused balsamic vinegars.

[3] The cookbook “Italy: Recipes For Olive Oil & Vinegar Lovers,” from which the Beef Cacciatore recipe is excerpted (photo courtesy Touchwood Editions).

It’s freezing across 75% of the country today: a day for hearty fare like this braised rump roast (photo #1).

That’s why we were glad that we already had the ingredients for this delicious roast, and didn’t have to set foot outdoors.

The recipe is excerpted from Italy: Recipes for Olive Oil and Vinegar Lovers, by Emily Lycopolus, photography by D.L. Acken (photo #3). It was reprinted by Lucero Olive Oil with the permission of TouchWood Editions.

If you can lay your hands on some fig balsamic vinegar for the recipe (photo #2), you get even more of a rich sweetness than with plain balsamic. You also need an ovenproof, flameproof roasting pan.

Most of us know cacciatore only as chicken cacciatore. When you check out the history of chicken cacciatore, below, you’ll understand why there was no beef cacciatore until the affordable beef of the 20th century and beyond.
 
RECIPE: BEEF CACCIATORE

Ingredients For 4-6 Servings

 
Preparation

Slow cooker instructions are below.

1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Rinse the beef with hot water and pat it dry. Season with the rosemary and salt and pepper, and let sit for 5 minutes. Meanwhile…

2. CHOP the onion, slice the mushrooms, and crush the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife, keeping the cloves whole.

3. HEAT the ovenproof, flame-proof pan over high heat on the stove top and drizzle in the olive oil. Sear the roast on all sides. Don’t rush the searing, but allow the meat to brown fully and evenly, including the ends. Remove the roast from the pan and turn the heat to medium.

4. PLACE the onion and garlic in the pan and sauté them in the beef drippings. If the pan is dry, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté until just translucent, then add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms start to soften, 3–5 minutes.

5. POUR the juice from the tomatoes into the pan and stir to gently scrape off any bits from the bottom of the pan. Gently crush the tomatoes in your hands before adding them to the onion-mushroom mixture. Continue to sauté the mixture for 3–5 minutes, just until the tomato juices begin to reduce and the sauce starts to thicken.

7. BAKE until the internal temperature of the roast reaches 160°F, about 1-1/2 hours. Let the roast sit for 10–15 minutes before carving. Serve with a spoonful of braised mushrooms on the side.

For slow cookers: Place the roast in the bowl of the cooker, cover with the mushroom mixture, and pour in the balsamic and stock as directed. Cover and cook for 6–8 hours on low. Let sit for 15 minutes before carving.
 
 
CACCIATORE HISTORY

Most of us are familiar with Chicken Cacciatore (cah-cha-TAW-ray), which is an Italian country dish. Beef would have been a luxury.

Cacciatore means hunter, so the dish is “hunter-style” (in Italian, it’s pollo alla cacciatora). The game that the hunter brought home was braised in olive oil with garden vegetables—a light tomato sauce with garlic, herbs, onions and bell peppers, plus wild mushrooms and a bit of wine (white wine in the north, red wine in the south).

The family’s chickens got the same treatment as game. Chicken cacciatore had been called a “hunter’s solace,” with poultry from the yard or purchased at the market replacing the pheasant or hare that got away. The wild mushrooms were foraged in the forest by the hunter, so he didn’t come home empty-handed.

The dish has its roots in in central Italy in the Renaissance, and has many variations, both there and throughout the country. One of the more unusual is salamino cacciatore, made with a small salame. Remember, back in the day, in most homes there wasn’t a kitchen stocked with more food than could be eaten short-term, or a market down the street loaded with options. If you had it, or found it, you used it.

Here’s a classic recipe for Chicken Cacciatore.

Beef has never been a major food source in Italy, and even today, it’s pricey (that is, even pricier than elsewhere). That’s why “Beef Cacciatore” never joined the standard culinary repertoire.

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*We love mushrooms, so doubled the amount and included a blend of cultivated wild mushrooms, so we had mushrooms enough for a “side.”
†A robust olive oil, as opposed to a delicate or medium profile, has a bold flavor, a balanced bitterness, and a peppery finish. Tuscan varietals like Frantoio and Leccino—or Tuscan blends—tend to be robust in style.
  

January 24th is National Peanut Butter Day; March 1st is National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day. April 2nd is National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day.

We’re obviously a PB-loving nation.

It won’t take you long to make this PB…and B…and B sandwich. That’s peanut butter, bacon and banana.

The recipe comes from King’s Hawaiian, one of our favorite supermarket breads. It’s slightly sweet, a cousin to challah.

The recipe was developed by Chef Neens from Ono Yum restaurant in Carlsbad, California.

Here’s our review of King’s Hawaiian bread, a NIBBLE Top Pick Of The Week.

You can make a two-slice sandwich or a triple decker (photo #1). It’s even more fun if you have a large round cookie cutter, but you can make these sandwiches old style (just regular slices of bread).

Prep time is 10 minutes, plus 5 minutes to cook the bacon.
 
 
PB & B & B SANDWICH (PEANUT BUTTER, BACON & BANANA)

Ingredients Per Sandwich

 
Preparation

1. CUT circles from each slice of bread. This de-crusts the bread for a great presentation, as well.

2. SPREAD the peanut butter on the bottom slice, and add the chopped bacon.

3. SPREAD the mashed banana evenly over the top slice. If you’d like a third layer, spread more peanut butter on the top slice, with any leftover bacon or banana. Stack and enjoy with a side of fresh berries.

[1] Have you made a PB & B & B sandwich before? It’s easy…and so yummy (photo courtesy Kings Hawaiian).

[2] This slightly sweet bread adds a lift to your PB sandwich (photo courtesy King’s Hawaiian).