Bonnie Antonini

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VEGGIE-CHEESE WAFFLE: It’s What’s For Dinner!

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I’m a gal who’s cooool (notice the extra “o’s”? – oh, yeah!). So when there’s a new food trend, I’m right there with fork in hand.

The pop-food that caught my eye recently was waffles. No longer just for breakfast, dripping in maple syrup, today’s waffles are topped with ice cream for a hot fudge sundae, made into a Monte Cristo sandwich, baked into a 7-layer cookie bar, ice cream wedged between 2 waffles for an ice cream sandwich. I’ve gained 5 pounds just thinking about those luscious delights.

Since I like to think outside the box, I wondered what if I added veggies to the batter and topped it with caramelized onions, thus creating a dinner (or lunch) waffle? Epic win! (See – I’m SOOOO with it!) They were delicious, filling, and the calories were quite reasonable since I left out the oil in the batter and the syrup on top.

So grab that waffle maker you have hidden in the back of the cupboard and go make dinner!

DINNER WAFFLES – makes 2½ large waffles

  • 2 T cider vinegar plus enough milk (I use nonfat) to equal 1 cup
  • 2 onions, sliced
  • 2 T butter
  • 1/8 tsp salt (this is separate from salt below)
  • 1 zucchini, shredded, chopped, or cut into half moons
  • 4 mushrooms, chopped
  • 2/3 cup fresh spinach, chopped & packed
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 T Dijon mustard
  • 1/8 tsp dried dill
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
  • optional: 3 strips imitation bacon (I use Morningstar), cooked crispy, then crumbled
  • oil to grease waffle iron, if needed

Combine cider vinegar and milk – we’re making buttermilk. Let sit as you prepare the rest of the recipe. If you already have buttermilk, then just use 1 cup of it instead.

Caramelize onions by melting butter in a skillet at medium heat and frying onions for about 20 minutes – until they’re golden brown. (Don’t worry about the skillet – an SOS pan takes care of that in no time) Stir often. Sprinkle in 1/8 tsp salt.

In a saucepan, sauté the zucchini, mushrooms, and spinach in a drop of oil until cooked.

In a mixing bowl (preferably one with a spout for easy pouring), beat egg and Dijon. Beat in buttermilk. Gently stir in by hand the dill, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/4 tsp salt. Don’t over mix – there can still be streaks of flour. Add in cooked veggies and cheese, and stir just enough to mix everything.

Preheat waffle iron. Brush with oil, if needed. Pour on batter. If using “bacon”, sprinkle on. Close lid and cook.

NOTE: The secret to prevent waffles from sticking to the iron is not to lift up the lid too early.  If you do that, you’ll have a big mess on your hands. I set my timer for 4 minutes before I check – by then, the waffle has baked enough to hold together. I usually have to cook it another couple of minutes.

Top with onions and serve hot.

 

 

 

 

 

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Wow! I’m Gonna Have A TOMATO-VEG COCKTAIL!

TOMATO VEG COCKTAIL

TOMATO VEG COCKTAIL

Late afternoon is a dangerous time. It’s been hours since lunch and stomachs start getting a little rumbly.

It’s tempting to just grab a cookie or donut (my personal favorite!) to tide us over until dinner. We even rationalize that the sugar boost will cure the lagging energy. If only!

Then I saw the commercial where the guy gets slapped in the head and says, “Wow, I coulda had a V8!”

Extra veggies (and, yes, I’m aware tomatoes are a fruit). Low cal. Delicious pick-me-up with a kick. WOW! I’m gonna have a V8…homemade, of course.

I came up with a recipe that I love, but tweak it to suit yourself. I suggest you peel the tomatoes, then shake out the seeds. These don’t purée well and you’ll get bits on your tongue. However, they are extra fibre, so if you don’t mind them, save yourself a little work.

Note: This makes a good Bloody Mary mix. Just sayin’.

TOMATO-VEG COCKTAIL – makes about 3¾ cups

  • 1½ lbs tomatoes (2 large), skinned, seeded, and chopped in large chunks
  • 1 carrot, sliced
  • 2 T red beet, skinned
  • 1/2 cup spinach, sliced
  • 2 T parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 cup red pepper, peeled & chopped
  • 3 stalks chopped celery, center strings removed
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 1½ cups water
  • juice from 1 lime
  • 1 tsp Tabasco sauce
  • 1½ T vegetarian Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt

Put the tomato, carrot, beet, spinach, parsley, red pepper, celery, onion, and water into a large saucepan. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat to simmer, and let cook for 20 minutes. Stir now and then. Turn off burner and let mixture cool with cover on.

Pour into a blender or food processor and purée. Add in lime juice, Tabasco, Worcestershire, and sea salt. Blend on low speed. Adjust seasonings, if needed.

Refrigerate until it’s super cold.

 

 

 

 

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Twist & Shout With HOMEMADE PRETZELS!

Homemade pretzels

Homemade pretzels

Who doesn’t love the aroma of freshly baked bread? Even a full stomach will start growling at that intoxicating smell.

So when we’re at the mall it’s hard to resist those soft hot pretzels. If you’re only buying 1 or 2, it’s not such a big deal. But if you’ve got your whole family – look out! You’re talking real money! And if teenaged boys are involved is this group…holy moly! My sons can down a pretzel before I’ve had my first bite, and are ready for more.

I decided to try my hand at making them. All the recipes I found were pretty much the same. Most used all-purpose flour, but one called for bread flour. I wanted a pretzel that had some stretch when I broke it apart. Since bread flour has more protein which causes the stretch (please, don’t ask me the science behind this), it surprised me all-purpose flour was used so often.

I donned my lab coat (complete with goggles – just for the effect) to make a batch with all-purpose and a batch with bread flour.

I also noticed that nearly every recipe had you boiling the formed dough in baking soda and water for 1 minute before baking them. Was this really necessary, I wondered? (I’m not averse to cutting corners when I can!) So while I was in my experimental mode with the flour, I decided to test boiling versus non-boiling.

As a good scientist, I did my tests twice. The results were conclusive – bread flour was best as far as taste and stretch, while the all-purpose pretzels looked prettier and rose a bit more. But I’m a person who cares about the beer, not the bottle, so I’ll be using bread flour.

I’m sorry to report to you lazy cooks, there was actually a big difference with the water bath – whether they were made with bread flour or all-purpose, the unboiled were dryer, had no stretch, and weren’t as pretty, as you can see in the photo below:

 

pretzel-baked vs boiled

pret text

 

SOFT PRETZELS – makes 12

  • 1 cup water
  • 2¼ tsp dry active yeast (or 1 packet)
  • about 3 cups bread flour
  • 2 T butter, soft
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 4 tsp sugar
  • 1/3 cup baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp cornstarch

Heat the water to 100º-104º Fahrenheit. Stir in yeast and let proof for 5 minutes.

Put 2 cups of the flour, the butter, salt, and sugar into the work bowl of your food processor. When yeast is proofed, turn on machine and slowly add the water through the pour spout. Keep adding flour a few tablespoons at a time until the dough forms a ball. I use nearly all of the 3 cups of flour. If you don’t own a food processor, you’ll have to do this step by hand, kneading about 10 minutes.

Empty dough onto a floured board. Pick up from the bottom and fold in on itself, so the floured side surrounds the ball. Plop into an oiled bowl, then flip the ball and plop back upside down – now the ball is oiled on both sides. Cover with a tea towel and let rise for 1 hour.

Punch down risen dough and place it on a floured board. Cut into 12 equal pieces. Roll and stretch each piece to a length of 18″ or more. Dough is very elastic, so I’ve found it best to stretch each piece about 12″, then start again and stretch to 15″ or so, and finally do a final round to get each piece to 18″. As each piece reaches its final length, form it into pretzel shape (See photo below).

pret shape

 

Cover with towel and let rise 30 minutes.

In a large NON-ALUMINUM skillet, bring the baking soda and 10 cups of water to a full boil. If you don’t own a large skillet, use a smaller one and cut back on the water and baking soda.

Prepare wash by mixing cornstarch with 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Stir constantly while bringing to boil. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 450º Fahrenheit.

Carefully drop as many pretzels in boiling water as will fit. Boil 1 minute, flipping after 30 seconds. Remove to well oiled cookie sheet.

When they’re all boiled, brush on cornstarch wash. Sprinkle with coarse pretzel or sea salt. Bake at 450º Fahrenheit for 12 minutes. They’ll brown much earlier than the 12 minutes, but don’t remove from oven – they’re still not done. Transfer to wire rack.

Eat immediately for optimum taste. FYI – these pretzels are only 60 calories each! So live a little – have 2….homemade pretzels are cheap!!!

 

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NAVAJO TACOS – Worth The Effort!

IMG_0218Navajo Tacos are one of those dishes I tend to forget about until I flip through my recipe box. (This is the device we used before the days of computers to store our recipes.) When I do make them, I chide myself for not doing so more often – they’re uber yummy…and not as time consuming as I think it will be.

If you’re unfamiliar with this dish, Navajo Tacos are fry bread topped with chili. Really, what’s not to like?!

In order for the chili and fry bread to be done at the same time, start the chili first. Then, as it’s simmering prepare the fry bread.

NOTE:  You can shorten the chili cooking time by using pre-cooked beans. Reduce the vegetable stock to 1 cup since you won’t need the extra 1/2 cup to be absorbed into the raw beans.

ADDITIONAL NOTE:  The fry bread is cooked in oil – not just a tablespoon or two, at least 2 inches. I’m all about saving money. Make sure you strain and save the oil after you use it in a plastic container you designate specifically for used cooking oil – don’t mix it back with the clean oil. Then, you can use the same oil over and over until it’s too grungy to use again. You can actually freeze it, if you like. When it’s time to dispose of it, check online for places to donate used cooking oil (they actually exist!)

NAVAJO TACOS – makes 6 servings

     Chili

  • 1/2 cup raw Great Northern beans
  • 1/2 cup onions, chopped
  • 1 tsp garlic, pressed (1 clove)
  • 1/2 T vegetable oil
  • 1 lb fake ground beef (I use Worthington Redi-Burger – see photo below)
  • IMG_02121½ cups vegetable stock – or 1 cup if using pre-cooked beans
  • 1 T chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp basil
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Put beans in a saucepan and cover with an inch of water. Bring to boil, lower flame to simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off stove, cover pot, and let sit for 1 hour. Drain. You can do this step ahead of time.

Sauté onions and garlic in oil for 5 minutes. Add in fake meat, breaking it up with a flat headed stirrer, if necessary, depending on the brand (I have to do this with Redi-Burger). Add in the stock, beans, chili powder, cumin, oregano, basil, and salt.

Bring to boil, lower flame to simmer mixture, cover, and let cook for 1½ hours, until beans are done.

Chili can easily be frozen so if you like this recipe, next time double or triple the recipe and then freeze for future use. No point in cooking and cleaning more than you need to.

     Fry Bread – makes 6

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup instant nonfat dry milk
  • 1 T baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 T shortening (I use Crisco)
  • 3/4 cup water
  • vegetable oil for deep frying

Put flour, dry milk, baking powder, salt, and shortening into the work bowl of your food processor. If you don’t own a food processor you’ll have to do this all by hand. (During the next 15 minutes of tedious work, think about how you really need a food processor.)

Turn on machine, then slowly add in the water through the pour spout. Allow machine to run 30 seconds after dough has formed a ball. (This is how fast and easy it is to knead with a food processor!) Divide dough into 6 equal balls, then flatten with your hands as much as possible. Cover with a tea towel and let rest while oil is heating.

Heat 2 inches of oil in a wok or deep pan to 375º Fahrenheit.

On a floured board, roll out a dough piece with a rolling pin to make a 5″-6″ circle. (See photo below)

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Carefully pick up dough and gently pat excess flour from bottom. Drop into hot oil. Let cook for 3 minutes, then flip and fry 2 more minutes. Both sides should be golden brown. (See photos below)

fry bread frying

Remove to a large cookie sheet lined with paper towels. Keep warm by storing in an oven heated to 200º Fahrenheit.

While one dough is frying, roll out the next so it’s ready to go. Keep the uncooked dough covered with a tea towel so they don’t dry out.

Assembly

Ladle chili over fry bread. Top with tomatoes, cheese, lettuce, olives, guacamole, or whatever you like.

 

 

 

 

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ASIAN CABBAGE SALAD – A Savory Delight!

Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad

Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad

It all started with leftover cabbage. I had half a head remaining from the Curried Lentil Stew I made two weeks ago. Cabbage has a pretty long shelf-life, but I was at the point of use it or lose it. Well, you know me – I’m not going to throw out perfectly good food if I can help it.

I decided to try my hand at an Asian Cabbage Salad. After reading several recipes, I pulled ideas,  added my own, finally creating a quick and very tasty salad.

You can use red, green, or a combination of cabbage. The red has more bang for the buck in terms of nutrients, and is a bit thicker. I tried it all three ways. It just boils down to a matter of preference and what you have in the house.

ASIAN CABBAGE SALAD – makes a little over 4 cups

  • 4 cups cabbage, shredded (any kind of cabbage will do)
  • 1/2 cup scallions, sliced
  • 8 oz can pineapple rings, drained & sliced
  • 2 T sesame seeds, toasted
  • 1 T sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/3 tsp dried ginger
  • 2½ T sesame oil
  • 2½ T rice vinegar
  • 3-4 T slivered almonds, toasted

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, scallions, pineapple, and sesame seeds.

In a small bowl mix together the sugar, salt, ginger, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. Pour over cabbage mixture.

Toss in almonds at serving time.

 

 

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SPINACH RAREBIT – The Perfect Party Vegetable!

Creamy SPINACH RAREBIT

Creamy SPINACH RAREBIT

Menu planning dinner parties is challenging, even for the most experienced cooks. There must be a variety of food so everyone has at least something they can eat.  Then, you need to organize preparation  to ensure everything is done at the same time. Yikes!

Particularly troublesome is vegetable selection – once cooked, many need to be eaten promptly, since they begin to decline in taste. As soon as my steamed broccoli or roasted carrots are ready, I’m like a mad woman trying to get everyone to the table so they can enjoy the food at its peak of flavor. (For some strange and irritating reason, the announcement that dinner is served seems to provoke a desire in my husband to use the bathroom.)

I serve two vegetables, one generally being SPINACH RAREBIT. Not only is it delicious, but it can be prepared a day or two ahead. I LOVE THOSE RECIPES!!!

But wait, there’s more! It’s forgiving in terms of cooking temperature, so if something is in the oven at a different temperature, go ahead and add the SPINACH RAREBIT anyway – just adjust the time a bit. Plus, as if that’s not enough, it retains its flavor throughout the meal – even for the next couple of days as leftovers. It’s the perfect party dish!

Did you notice I said ‘party dish’? That’s because SPINACH RAREBIT is a little labor intensive.  It’s not hard – just takes time. Not that my husband and kids aren’t worth it….but, let’s be honest – we pull out the big guns for company.

NOTE:  You can save time by buying frozen Welsh rarebit (Stouffer’s makes it). Of course, I encourage you to make your own – you can save money, adjust to your taste, AND you know what’s in your food!

SPINACH RAREBIT – will serve at least 8 people

  • 24 oz frozen chopped spinach
  • 8 oz can water chestnuts, chopped in bite sized bits
  • 6 oz canister French fried onions – (I use French’s)
  • 4 slices fake bacon – (I use Morningstar)
  • Welsh rarebit (recipe follows) – if you buy frozen, you’ll need two 10 oz packages

Oven bake the bacon 15 minutes at 375º, flipping midway. Remove from oven and let sit so it gets crispy. If you have a toasteroven, use it – no point in heating up a big oven for 4 slices of fake bacon.

Rinse spinach in a sieve, then squeeze out water. Wrap in paper towel, then wrap that in an absorbent towel, such a terry cloth. You want to get rid of as much water as you can.

In a large bowl, combine spinach, water chestnuts, and enough Welsh Rarebit Sauce (recipe below) to moisten mixture. Pour this into a casserole dish big enough to hold everything (I use a 10.5″ x 7.5″), smoothing top.

Spread remaining Welsh Rarebit Sauce on top, completely covering spinach mix. Crumble bacon and sprinkle on top. Add the French fried onions (you don’t have to use the entire amount). Cover with foil. Casserole can be refrigerated at this point and baked later – I leave off the onions until just before cooking to make sure they’ll be crispy (not sure it matters).

Bake at 350º Fahrenheit for 25 minutes, then remove foil and bake another 5 minutes.

     Welsh Rarebit Sauce

  • 4 T butter
  • 4 T flour
  • 2 cups milk (I use nonfat)
  • 6 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 tsp dry mustard
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 T chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 T vegetarian Worcestershire sauce

Melt butter in a saucepan. Turn off flame. Add in flour and work a little of the flour into the melted butter at a time, making a smooth paste. Do this slowly, preferably using a flat headed wooden stirrer. This is the only time you’ll be able to prevent lumps. Keep going until all the flour is incorporated (see photos below). Add in the mustard, paprika, and chili powder. Then cook paste for another minute or two, mashing out any lumps from the spices.

white sauce paste

 

Pour in milk and cook over a medium heat, stirring often, until thickened. Turn off flame. Add in cheese, salt, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to blend. Adjust seasoning, if desired.

 

 

 

 

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CURRIED LENTIL STEW – A Slim-Down Special

CURRIED LENTIL STEW

CURRIED LENTIL STEW

I have to admit, I’m not a huge lentil fan. They’re a little bland and mealy, as a rule. But they are a superfood – full of protein, fibre, and all kinds of nutrients, so I was determined to find a recipe that was, at least, palatable.

CURRIED LENTIL STEW goes beyond palatable – it’s downright good! I also found that it actually gets better the next day – thicker and more flavorful. Bonus! That means it can be made ahead of time, which I love. One less thing to do during the dinner-time rush hour.

This dish is low-fat, low-calorie, and easy to throw together.  Who could ask for more?!

NOTE: Lentils are high in phytates, which reduce the bioavailability of nutrients. To counteract this problem, soak the lentils overnight in warm water.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: If you’re daunted by all the spices, you can simply use 1 T curry powder. It’s not as flavorful, but it’s quick.

CURRIED LENTIL STEW – makes about 7 cups

  • 1 cup dry lentils (I used red)
  • 1 cup dry rice (I used Chinese white rice)
  • 4 cups vegetable stock (I used homemade: VEGETABLE STOCK)
  • 1 cup onion, chopped
  • 3 tsp garlic, pressed
  • 1 cup carrots, sliced
  • 1 cup celery, diced
  • 2 cups cabbage, sliced thinly
  • 15 oz can whole tomatoes, diced
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp dry mustard
  • 3/4 tsp cumin
  • 3/4 tsp coriander
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves (or leave it out completely – my husband doesn’t like it)
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ginger powder
  • 1 T lemon juice

If you’ve soaked the lentils, drain them in a sieve. If not, rinse the lentils and let drain.

Cook the rice.

In a saucepan, sauté the onions in a tablespoon of the vegetable stock for several minutes. Add in carrots, garlic, celery, and cabbage. Sauté another 2 minutes.

Add in turmeric, dry mustard, cumin, coriander, cayenne, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and ginger powder. Sauté another minute or two – until you can smell the spices.

Add in lentils, remaining vegetable broth, lemon juice, and tomatoes.  Bring to a boil, lower flame to bring down to a simmer, and cook uncovered for 30 minutes.

Adjust seasoning to taste. Add in cooked rice.

Can be served immediately or refrigerated and served the next day (which is better, IMO).

 

 

 

 

 

 

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LOW-CAL CHOCOLATE DELIGHTS – Watch Your Figure AND Enjoy Dessert!

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LOW-CAL CHOCOLATE DELIGHTS go wonderfully with tea.

I’m a gal who requires (yes, requires) a bit of chocolate everyday. I save it until the end of the day – if I have it earlier, I’m STILL going to have some after dinner.

However, this is a troublesome time of year for us chocoholics. With the weather warming up, the clothes are paring down, and those excess winter pounds are going to show.

Fear not! Have I got a dessert for you: LOW-CAL CHOCOLATE DELIGHTS!

These yummy cookies appeal not only to my sweet tooth, but to my frugal nature. As the self-proclaimed Queen of Freeze, I always have frozen egg whites as a result of recipes that call for only yolks. No way I’m throwing out precious food – waste not, want not!

The calorie count per cookie is going to depend on how big you make them. So I’ve added up the calories for the entire batch – 1267 calories. Divide the number of cookies you make into 1267 and that will be the per cookie calories. I made almost 4 dozen, so each cookie is approximately 30 calories.  Not bad considering even the worst tasting store-bought are at least 60. I allow myself 3 or 4 – this way I feel like I’ve had a full dessert, but only consumed 90-120 calories.

LOW-CAL CHOCOLATE DELIGHTS – I made 43 cookies

  • 2 egg whites
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 tsp vanilla
  • 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

Beat egg whites just until they become stiff (when the peak that forms when you lift up the spatula doesn’t collapse). With beaters going, add in sugar a tablespoon at a time. Whites will become glossy.

Scrap the batter clinging to the beaters into the bowl. Pour in the chocolate and vanilla, and gently fold everything together using a large spoon. It’s okay if it’s a little streaky – they look pretty that way.

Preheat oven to 350º Fahrenheit.

Spoon batter onto greased or nonstick cookie sheets. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cookies set 2 minutes on hot sheet before transferring them to a wire rack. Store in airtight container.

 

 

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SATAY POTATO SALAD – A New Twist On An Old Favorite

SATAY POTATO SALAD

SATAY POTATO SALAD

Easter may have come and gone, but not the multitude of decorated hard boiled eggs. (Hopefully,  all have been found.) Just how many egg salad sandwiches can you serve before everyone cries, “enough”?

While mulling over this dilemma, my mind wandered (as it often does) to the leftover satay sauce in my fridge. It had reached that critical point where I needed to use it or freeze it. As a frugal cook, loosing it was NOT an option.

And then the ah-ha moment:  potato salad to use the eggs, and satay to replace the mayonnaise. I thought scallions instead of yellow onions and some leftover red pepper for color and crunch. The result was delicious. In future, I’ll throw in some toasted peanuts.

Potato salad is not a measure-carefully dish. My recipe is for the amounts that I used THAT time. The next time I’m sure I’ll vary it depending on what I have available.

NOTE: Last year I posted another great recipe to use up those hard boiled eggs: MOM’S “CHICKEN” CASSEROLE.

SATAY POTATO SALAD – makes approximately 3 cups

  • 1½ lbs Yukon potatoes
  • 5 hard boiled eggs
  • 1 stalk celery, chopped
  • 3 stalks scallions, sliced
  • 1/4 cup red pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Satay Sauce (recipe below)
  • optional:  toasted peanuts

Scrub potatoes, leaving skin on. Chop into 1/2″ cubes. Boil until fork can pierce the cubes. Rinse with cool water.

Combine the potatoes with the eggs, celery, scallions, red pepper, and Satay Sauce.  Serve either refrigerated or warm.

Satay Sauce – makes 1¼ cup

  • 1/2 cup peanut butter (I use the grind-it-yourself kind in the store)
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 3 T lemon juice
  • 3 cloves garlic, pressed
  • 1 tsp dried ginger
  • 1 T sesame oil

Mix all ingredients together in a blender or food processor. Pour into a saucepan and simmer for about 5 minutes. (Can be frozen).

 

 

 

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How Clutter Control Lead To ENGLISH MUFFINS

Homemade English Muffins topped with strawberry jam

Homemade English Muffins topped with strawberry jam

Whether it’s because spring-cleaning is in the air, or the fact that I’m being suffocated by the abundance of  unused possessions in my home, I’m on a Purge, with a capital ‘P’. To prevent me from getting sidetracked or feeling overwhelmed, I assign myself a manageable task-of-the-week. This is Week 12 and, I’m proud to say, I’ve remained on point! As my house is being cleansed, thrift shops have been the benefactors of car loads of my discards. Win-win!

Recently I tackled my kitchen desk. One of the drawers contained a lifetime of recipes clipped optimistically from newspapers and magazines, only to be tossed on the pile and forgotten. (You’ve got that pile, too – I know you do!)

Not only did ridding myself of about two thirds of this paper potpourri gain me an organized drawer, but it also reminded me of recipes I’d forgotten. One was my mom’s Curried Cheese And Olive Spread served on English Muffins, and the another was for……English Muffins. Who am I to thwart fate? When she beckons, I come – or, in this case, cook.

Yeast holds no fear for me, so I decided to start with the English Muffins and make the Curried Cheese And Olive Spread for next week’s blog. While I won’t go so far as to say my English Muffins were better than store-bought, they were delicious.

You may be asking why I bother to make something from scratch when I can simply buy the taste equivalent in the market. Well, there are 2 main reasons why I make things from scratch: 1) I like to know what’s in my food – I don’t want preservatives, or bugs, or ingredients that are unpronounceable; and 2) to save money. What it boils down to is I’m a bit paranoid, and I’m cheap.

While English Muffins are extremely easy to make, they take about 3 hours start to finish. This is because of the rising periods – 2 hours for the first, and 1/2 hour for the second. The actual hands-on time is very minimal.

ENGLISH MUFFINS – makes 6 standard size, or 12 minis

  • 3/4 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup water
  • about 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 T salted butter, softened
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • cornmeal for sprinkling (about 3 T)

Heat water to approximately 100º Fahrenheit. Mix in yeast and let proof several minutes.

Put 1 cup flour, the butter, sugar, and salt into the workbowl of your food processor.  When yeast is foamy, turn on the machine and slowly pour in the yeast water. Add in remaining flour one tablespoon at a time – just until the dough starts to form a ball. You probably won’t use all of the flour. Continue to run machine another 30 seconds to knead the dough. If you don’t have a food processor you’ll have to do this by hand. Then start haunting the thrift shops for used machines.

Pour dough onto a floured board. Pick up dough from the floured bottom and fold dough onto itself so the sticky part is encased. Press into a greased bowl, then pick up dough and replace in bowl upside down. Both sides are now greased. Cover and let rise for 2 hours. (This is longer than most breads – you want the air pockets.)

Empty dough onto the floured board and cut into 6 equal pieces (or 12, if making minis). Stretch each piece into a 3″ circle for standard, or 1½” for mini. They’ll be about 3/8″ thick (don’t worry – they’ll rise).

Generously sprinkle cornmeal onto a large skillet or griddle. One by one, press each dough circle into the cornmeal, then flip them and press again. Arrange them in the skillet so they’re not touching. Cover with a tea towel and let rise 30 minutes.

Remove the tea towel and turn on flame to medium. Once the skillet is heated, turn down flame to medium/low. Cook about 5 minutes, until bottom is browned. Flip them and cook another 5 minutes, until browned. The the best way to be sure they’re done is to insert a thermometer through the side of one of the muffins into the center. They’re done at 200º Fahrenheit.

Remove to a wire rack to cool so they don’t get soggy.

The accepted way of splitting English Muffins is to poke a fork all the way around (see photo), then pull apart.

Insert a fork around the side to cut open English Muffins.

Insert a fork around the side to open English Muffins.

Store in a sealed container.