(When one of your favorite witches asks for a recipe, on the new moon to boot, it can only be the reason you were looking for to post.)
Hurrah! Success for the second day in a row. I have found my bread-making medium, at least for the time being: English Muffins.
I got hooked on them when they were $1/package at the grocery store: oh-so-good with pools of butter and over-easy eggs. Then they got more expensive, and then I noticed they had HFCS in them, and then I promised myself I'd make them when I took the last package out of the freezer.
That was yesterday. It was the last bread product in the house, and without thinking about it at all, I found the recipe and started making our own.
And yum. Hands-down favorite over store-bought any day, with one recipe lasting through snack with Jonathan yesterday, breakfast and snack with the Faulkners this morning. (And I'll add that both visits were splendid and fun.)
Even today, when I doubled the recipe, had only half the yeast, and strayed from the suggested timings: still yum.
So it's just what I needed in this new month of finding what I need: a forgiving recipe with delicious results.
And in case you need the same thing, here it is:
English Muffins (based on the recipe in More with Less)
Heat until butter is melted:
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup butter
In large mixing bowl, combine:
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp dry yeast
1 cup white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
Beat on low until mixed, then on higher speed for two minutes, or beat vigorously by hand.
Beat in:
1 egg
2 Tbsp honey
1 cup white flour
(2 Tbsp ground flax seeds)
Stir in by hand:
1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
(or enough to make stiff dough)
Turn out and knead until well mixed, only about 2 minutes. Shape into a ball, roll in oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down, turn out, let rest under bowl for 15 minutes. Place cornmeal in pie plate. Roll dough about 3/8 inch thick, cut into 3" circles (I used a wide-mouth mason jar), reroll scraps. Dip both sides in cornmeal and place on cookie sheet. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. Brush large skillet with olive oil and heat. When medium hot (I used low with a gas stovetop and cast-iron pans), put in muffins, cook 8 minutes (or 3, or 6) on each side until brown. To serve, split with fork and toast. Delicious with butter and honey, or butter and strawberry jam, or just butter.
Enjoy!
