German Bread Pretzels

Heat oven to 475. In large bowl, mix hot water and yeast until dissolves. Stir in warm water and brown sugar. Slowly add 5 cups flour, stir constantly. Continue stirring til mixture is smooth and does not stick to sides of bowl. Put dough on lightly floured counter. Flour your hands, knead dough til stretchy and smooth. Push down and away from you with palms of hands. Keep turning dough. Grease two cookie sheets very well (this is the key - heavy on the crisco). Sprinkle each with Kosher salt (go heavy on the salt, then brush off after baked - this will keep the pretzels from sticking.) Pinch off a piece of pretzel dough about the size of a golf ball. Shape into pretzel shape. Fill a pan with water. For each cup of water add 1 Tablespoon of baking soda. Bring to a gentle boil. Lower pretzel with spatula into water. Count very slowly to 30, lift pretzel onto greased cookie sheet after water is dripped off. Repeat till all dough is used. Bake for 10-15 minutes or till golden brown. Eat while warm. Makes about 30.

The key to making nice looking pretzels is to pinch where the pretzel overlap, otherwise they will come undone in the water. This however is only cosmetic, as even the ugly ones taste great.