Cheesy but not cheesy SuperBowl Snack

With our beloved Patriots going to battle in the Super Bowl this weekend, the supermarket was filled with every kind of junk food you could dream up (and a few that tested the limits of imagination).  No I will not be buying  pretend cheese food glop to slather over my pizza flavored chips.  I love football and I love snacks but I want to nibble on something delicious while I cheer on the home team.

I tasted some Food Should Taste Good chips at Whole Foods and they were great.  I brought home a bag of their Sweet Potato chips which had much less salt and fat than my usual choice of chip and I had a plan.  When I got home I grated some sharp Cabot cheddar and opened a jar of Evil Apple (my spicy apple & chipotle conserve).  I sprinkled the chips with cheese and melted it in the oven.  I spread the Evil Apple over the cheese and with very little effort had a great game day snack that was healthy, local and full of flavor.  Go Pats!

Mini Cheese Pretzels

I have been making these delicious little cheese pretzels for years.  They are simple to put together and even freeze well so you can make a big batch and have some on hand to quell a snack craving or to serve as a nibble with cocktails.  Recently I bought some Cabot horseradish cheddar and thought I might try it in this recipe.  I replaced half of the sharp cheddar  normally used in  this recipe with the horseradish cheddar .  The result was an extra snappy flavor that we loved.  These crunchy bites are a perfect companion for a crisp glass of hard apple cider or regular cider for the younger crew.  

Cheese Pretzels
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup finely shredded horseradish flavored cheddar cheese
3-4 Tbs cold water
1/4 tsp baking powder
Egg yolk mixed with 1 tsp water for glaze
Sesame seeds for topping (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees
Mix the baking powder and flour in a large bowl
Cut in cold butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles course crumbs
Add the cheese and stir together
Sprinkle in water and mix gently with your hands until a dough forms
Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours
Roll the chilled dough on a floured board into a rectangle 15″ x 6″
Cut into 1/2″ wide strips 6″ long using a knife or pizza or pie dough cutter 
Roll each strip with your fingers until it is round and measures about 8″ in length
Twist into a pretzel shape
Brush with egg yolk mixture and sprinkle with sesame seeds
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until lightly browned

Frozen baked pretzels can be reheated in a 325 degree oven for about 15 minutes.  Do not heat in microwave or you will lose the crunch.