Soft Pretzels Serves: 12 Difficulty:  Easy/medium Prep time:  30 minutes to 1 hour (plus one hour of rise time) Cook time: 8-10 minutes Freshly baked pretzels taste best right out of the oven. These are addictive and easier than you’d think! 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 1/8 teaspoons salt 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C) 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup bread flour 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C) 2 tablespoons baking soda 2 tablespoons vegan margarine, melted 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast, brown sugar and salt in 1 1/2 cups warm water. Stir in flour, and knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover, and let rise for one hour. Combine 2 cups warm water and baking soda in a shallow dish. After dough has risen, cut into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a 3-foot rope, pencil thin or thinner. Twist into a pretzel shape, and dip into the baking soda solution. Place on parchment covered cookie sheets, and let rise 15 to 20 minutes. Bake at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush with melted margarine, and sprinkle with coarse salt, garlic salt or cinnamon sugar. Notes All-purpose flour can be used for the entire recipe if you don’t have bread flour on hand. Let the yeast “bloom” for a few minutes before adding the flour to ensure that it is still active. Any type of sugar will probably work well in this recipe. Try brushing the finished pretzels with water instead of melted margarine before adding the salt or cinnamon sugar if you’d like less fat. These are great dipped in marinara sauce. This would be a wonderful project and learning experience to share with the kiddies.