It’s so hard to find a good bagel in rural Virginia. The people here seem to prefer donuts. Growing up in South Florida you get to feast on all kinds of fresh baked bagels. One of many things I miss. So I thought I would take matters into my own hands and make some from scratch. These were pretty darn tasty, too!

Recipe courtesy of John D. Lee.

• 4 cups bread flour [I used whole wheat]
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil [I used a blend of canola, soy, & olive oil]
• 2 teaspoons [1 pkg] instant yeast
• 1-1/4- 1-1/2 cups of warm water
• Optional - sesame seeds

Mix all ingredients except sesame seeds until dough feels stiff. If it feels too stiff add extra water.

Knead dough on counter for about ten minutes or until the dough is uniform and smooth. Added benefit - a bit of a workout for the arms.

Cut dough into 8 equal sized balls. Let sit for 10 - 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 425º.

Next, take each ball of dough and roll into a little snake on the counter until it is longer than the width of your two hands. Wrap it around your dominant hand overlapping the ends. Pinch the ends together. Let sit for another 20 minutes. Bring a pot of water to a boil and grease a large baking tray with some vegetable oil.

Add bagels to boiling water, as many as will fit without crowding them. Boil for about a minute, then flip and boil for a minute more.

If you want to add toppings, then place desired topping on a plate and dip bagels into topping after boiling. Then place bagels on baking tray.

Bake for 10 minutes, flip bagels and bake another 10 minutes. Let cool for about 20 minutes, then add cream cheese or your other favorite bagel topping!

anneonlife