Favorite Recipe #2: Cranberry Nut Bagels

This is a recipe that I ALWAYS get compliments on .. you will LOVE IT. I will never need to go to another bagel shop again! These are seriously better. You can transform these into what ever type of bagel you want - These are my ALL time favorite. :)


Cranberry Nut Bagels

Ingredients:
3-1/3 cups warm water (Good rule of thumb: make the water temp the same as you would fill up a baby's bathtub with :))
1 ½ T yeast
1 t sugar
¼ c sugar
½ tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon and 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
8-9 cups bread flour (Just add until dough cleans the bowl)
2 cups dried cranberries
3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Directions:
Combine water, yeast and 1 t sugar. Let sit until bubbly.
Mix together sugar, salt, cinnamon oats and flour.
Add cranberries and chopped pecans.
Let dough in mixer for about 4 minutes or 10 minutes by hand
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; cover and let rest for 15 minutes. Divide into 12 balls. Push thumb through the center of each ball to form a 1-in. hole. Place on a lightly floured surface. Cover and let rest for 5-10 minutes.
In a large saucepan, bring 2-qt. water to a boil. Drop bagels, one at a time, into boiling water. Cook for 30 seconds; turn and cook 30 seconds longer. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain well on paper towels.
Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

This is me and my sweet Sam Man making the bagels :) .. Mike was like "should I take a picture of you cooking?" My first instinct was "Hide the dishes, hold on, let me get out of my jammies.. where's my makeup?" .. and then I was like "No. Yes, it is still light outside and I am in my PJs, my dishes are overflowing... but that's what's real. :) )

This is what your dough should look like. It is really sticky after you are done mixing it, so the floured surface is a must, roll it around in it so it's workable :).


This is the best way I've found to evenly cut the 12 pieces of dough to form the bagels

Punch your thumb through the center of the ball and sort of stretch the dough to make a 1-1 1/2 hole in the middle. Remember! :) They don't have to be perfect :).

This is the fun part! Boil some water and drop those bagels in!! This is what gives the chewy outside texture. :) Plop them in and let them be on each side for about 30 seconds or so. Then with a slotted spoon or spatula, place on cloth or paper towel to let the water soak in.

Then bake following the instructions...... cool on cooling racks then ... waaaLAa! :) BAGELS! :)