From scratch English Muffins

Adapted from King Arthur Flour recipe.

I love english muffins but buy them rarely for one reason or another, I will never buy them again! I have been wanting to making these for ages but couldn't find the time. I didn't realize that I didn't need the time. I found this recipe incredibly forgiving. The first time I made this I completely skimped on the rise time (45 min first rise, 5 minute second) and they turned out amazing anyway. I cooked these in a cast iron skillet which was fine, but if you have a griddle, I can see how that might be better since my middle muffin got quite toasty while the ones on the edges were a little more doughy, but a quick pop in the oven solves that. Quite possibly the best part about this recipe is that it freezes very well. Now when I make these I double the recipe and pop most of them into the freezer. You can then pull them directly out of the freezer and toast them for a quick breakfast.

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups lukewarm milk
• 3 tablespoons softened butter
• 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, to taste
• 2 tablespoons sugar or honey
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 4 1/2 cups bread flour
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast 
• corn meal, for sprinkling the griddle or pan

Directions:

1) Combine all of the ingredients (except the corn meal) in a mixing bowl

2) This is a very soft dough, so you'll need to treat it a bit differently than most yeast doughs. If you have a stand mixer, beat the dough using the flat beater paddle until it starts coming away from the sides of the bowl, and is satin-smooth and shiny; this will take about 5 minutes at medium-high speed. When you lift up the beater, the dough will be very stretchy. If you have a bread machine, simply use the dough cycle.

3) Scrape the dough into a rough ball, and cover the bowl. Let the dough rise until it's nice and puffy; this will take 1 to 2 hours or so.

4) Prepare your griddle(s). Using two griddles allows you to cook all the muffins at once; but since you probably don't have two griddles, you'll need to cook the muffins in shifts. Whatever you use — an electric griddle, stovetop griddle, frying pan, electric frying pan — sprinkle it heavily with corn meal. If you're using a griddle or frying pan that's not well-seasoned (or non-stick), spray it with non-stick vegetable oil spray first, before adding the corn meal.

5) Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into 16 pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball, then flatten the balls until they're about 3" to 3 1/2" in diameter.

6) The easiest way to handle and cook these muffins is to lay them right onto the cold surface you'll be frying them on. That way, you don't have to move them once they're risen; and they won't mind cooking very slowly as you fire the griddle up to its desired heat. If you don't have enough griddle space to do this, sprinkle a baking sheet heavily with semolina or farina, and place the muffins on the sheet; they can be fairly close together. Either way, sprinkle the tops of the muffins with additional corn meal.

7) Cover the muffins (a piece of parchment works well), and let them rest for 20 minutes. They won't rise like crazy, but will puff a bit.

8) Cook the muffins over low heat for 7 to 15 minutes per side, until their crust is golden brown, and their interior is cooked through. When done, the center of a muffin should register about 200°F on an instant-read thermometer. If you find the muffins have browned before they're cooked all the way through, no worries; simply pop them into a preheated 350°F oven for about 10 minutes or so, or until they're thoroughly cooked.

9) Remove the muffins from the griddle (or oven), and let them cool thoroughly before enjoying. Remember: use a fork to split, not a knife to cut. Fork-split muffins will have wonderful nooks and crannies; knife-cut ones won't.

Yield: 16 large (3" to 3 1/2") English muffins.

Sunrise Frittata

I am a huge fan of breakfast for dinner! Not only is it delicious, but usually quick and easy. I was surprised how quickly this came together for a weeknight dinner. To make this easier you can use frozen diced potatoes and pre-chopped ham. I also served this with homemade bread
and it really made the meal a knock out.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups diced potatoes
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1-1/2 cups cubed fully cooked lean ham
• 8 eggs
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese, divided
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano or 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 cup julienned sweet red pepper
• 3/4 cup salsa

Directions

• In a large ovenproof skillet (preferably cast iron) coated with cooking spray, cook and stir the potatoes in oil over medium heat until tender. Stir in ham; heat through.
• In a bowl, whisk the eggs, 1/4 cup cheese, milk and oregano; add to the pan. Arrange red pepper strips over egg mixture to resemble the spokes of a wheel. Cover and cook over low heat for 8-12 minutes or until almost set.
• Uncover; broil 6 in. from the heat for 3-5 minutes or until eggs are set and frittata is golden brown. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; let stand until melted. Cut into wedges.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine salsa and cilantro; heat through. Serve with frittata. Yield: 6 servings.

Mediterranean Summer Squash

This is a perfect summer recipe to use with ingredients fresh from the garden.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow summer squash, thinly sliced
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 plum tomato, seeded and chopped
1/2 tsp dried oregano or 1/2 Tbsp fresh oregano
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

In a large skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Add the squash, zucchini and garlic; saute 6-8 minutes longer or until tender. Stir in remaining ingredients; heat through.

Easy Homemade Catsup

Makes approximately 1 1/2 cups 

Ingredients

7 oz (approx 3/4 cup) tomato paste
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 Tablespoons sweetener of choice, or to taste.  (I used 2 T vegetable glycerine and 1/64 tsp stevia.  See stevia usage info here.)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated garlic (if using powder, use 3/4 tsp)
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated onion (if using powder, use 3/4 tsp)
3/8 teaspoon allspice
1 Tablespoon molasses
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2/3 cup water

Method

1.  Place all ingredients in a bowl.

2.  Stir to blend completely.

3.  Store in the refrigerator.

Potato-Crusted Chicken Casserole

This is an awesome recipe for leftover whole chicken. My husband claims that he hates casseroles, but really liked this. This is basically chicken pot pie without the crust. It takes a little effort but is well worth it.

Ingredients

• 1 large potato, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• FILLING:
• 1-1/2 pounds chicken tenderloins, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 teaspoons Olive Oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 cups fat-free milk
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 cups frozen peas and carrots
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• Dash rubbed sage
• CRUMB TOPPING:
• 1 cup soft bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

• In a large bowl, toss potato slices with oil, salt and pepper. Arrange slices onto the bottom and sides of an 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until potato is tender. Reduce heat to 350°.
• Meanwhile, for filling, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook chicken in oil until no longer pink. Remove from skillet. In the same skillet, saute onion in butter. Stir in flour until blended; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in cheeses until melted. Stir in vegetables and seasonings. Spoon into potato crust.
• Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over chicken mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes or until bubbly and topping is golden brown. Yield: 6 servings.

Chicken Diable

This recipe is fantastic served with rice and steamed veggies. Sweet and spicy with a very aromatic

sauce. Heavenly! Make this as hot or as mild as you want with your choice of curry and mustard. Feel free to use chicken breasts if you prefer, although thighs make this more budget conscious. The best part of the this recipe is that you can easy half it to make 4 servings or multiply it for a crowd.

Ingredients
8 chicken thighs (bone in - skin on)
1/4 cup prepared mustard
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter

Mix all ingredients (minus chicken) in a 9x13" pan and sauce it. Add chicken thighs and roll them in the sauce. Cook uncovered 350º for 1 hour and baste them once during cooking. Serve over rice. Yield: 8 servings.

Cheesy Penne with Broccoli

• This recipe is great for kids. My kids and I like this for a easy and light lunch, my husband needs something extra like a chicken breast.

  

  Ingredients

• 8 ounces uncooked mini penne pasta
• 5 cups broccoli florets (about 1 medium head)
• 1 1/3 cups fat-free milk
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese 
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 2.5 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2/3 cup)

Preparation

1. 1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. During the last 3 minutes of cooking, add broccoli to pan; drain. Place pasta and broccoli in a large bowl.
2. 2. Combine milk and flour in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thickened; remove from heat. Add 2 tablespoons Parmesan and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Add cheese mixture to pasta mixture; toss. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.