I’m not sure why I haven’t done this up until now.  English muffins are truly one of my favorite things!  When I’m in the states I’ll eat half an english muffin with a scrambled egg almost every morning.  Or if we make turkey burgers or something at home, I always want to use an english muffin for my bun!  I’m kinda crazy like that sometimes, but I can’t help it if I’m just lovin the muffin!

I actually tried out 3 different recipes for my english muffin baking adventure, but I’m only going to share one (the best one!) of them with you here and just give you some variations for how you can make different kinds.  The three recipes I tried out were all very similar, but the recipe from Annie’s Eats was the best so I think from now on I’m just going to use that one and adjust some of the ingredients for different kinds.

I made so many English muffins I was able to package some up in some Ziplocks and share them with other friends in Moscow.  And we still have a whole bag to use ourselves in our own freezer!  I put them in the freezer so that we could just eat them a little at a time rather than having to worry about them going bad.  Real english muffins won’t last nearly as long as the one’s in the package from the grocery store (preservatives, preservatives!)  So if you make some too, after they cool completely, you can put them in a zip-top bag, store them in the freezer, then just defrost in the microwave for 20 seconds or so, slice and toast!

Here’s the recipe! You are going to love it!

English Muffins (+ some adaptations) from Annie’s Eats

(Makes 12 muffins)

Ingredients:
4 1/2 C. flour
3 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp. instant yeast
2 TBS. butter, at room temperature
1 & 1/2 – 2 C. low fat milk, at room temperature (it is important to use low fat…if you use a high fat milk content, it will definitely affect the texture of the muffins)
Cornmeal, for sprinkling

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and yeast.  Use a mixer to mix in the butter and 1 & 1/2 C. of milk.  Add just enough of the remaining milk to form a dough and incorporate the dry ingredients.  Flour your hands and knead the dough for about 8 minutes.  Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and roll to coat.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a dish towel and let the dough rise for about an hour, until doubled in size.  (Alternately you can mix the ingredients with a stand mixer and then switch to the dough hook to knead the dough for 8 minutes.  Sadly I do not have this option!)

3 batches rising of dough rising... (You can probably tell which one I started and ended with!)

After the dough has risen and doubled in size, gently pour the dough out onto a cutting board.  Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and shape into balls.  Lay parchment paper on a few baking sheets and spray or coat lightly with oil.  Sprinkle the parchment with cornmeal.  Move the dough balls to the baking sheet, spacing them evenly with room to rise.  Cover the pans loosely with plastic wrap or a dish towel and allow to rise another hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  After the dough balls have risen again, sprinkle the tops with cornmeal as well.

Risen balls of dough

Heat a skillet on medium heat on the stovetop.  Brush the skillet lightly with oil (or use cooking spray) and gently transfer the dough balls to the skillet a few at a time.  Allow them to cook for about 5 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly browned.  Carefully flip and cook the other side for 5 minutes more.  They should flatten slightly as they cook.

Browning the muffins on the skillet!

Remove the muffins from the skillet and transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes.  Do not wait until all the muffins have been browned in the skillet before moving them to the oven.  As the first batch is baking, move the second batch to the skillet.

Transfer the baked muffins to a cooling rack and let cool at least 30 minutes before slicing or serving.  Store in an airtight container or in zip-top bags in the freezer.

Aren't they purrty?

Variations:

For wheat English muffins: Use 3 C. whole wheat flour and 1.5 C. AP flour.  Add in 1 TBS. of honey to the mixture as well.  You can use all wheat flour if you want, but it will turn out a much denser muffin.  You could even add in a Tablespoon or so of ground flax if you’re really feeling wild!

For Cinnamon Raisin English muffins:  Use 1/2 C. whole wheat flour and 4 C. AP flour to give  it a bit of a wheaty flavor.  Or use more or less based on your tastes.  Add 3/4 tsp. cinnamon and 3/4 C. raisins in with the dry ingredients.  Also add in 1.5 TBS. honey to the milk before adding it in to the dough.

The finished product!

Clockwise from top left:

Snickerdoodle Sheet Cake

Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites

Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Men

Milk Chocolate Ganache Tart

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake

Cinnamon Roll Pumpkin Vanilla Sheet Cake

Creamy Chicken Baked Flautas

Low Fat Multi Grain Pancakes

Peaches and Cream Muffins

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bread

Baked Oatmeal

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Cranberry Coffee Cake (center)

Cranberry Orange Bread adapted from Ezra Pound Cake

Ingredients:

• 3/4 C. unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4. C. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 C. orange juice
• 1/2 C. sour cream
• 1 TBS. freshly grated orange zest
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 C. AP flour
• 1/2 TBS. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 C. dried cranberries
• 1 C. powdered sugar (for the glaze)
• 3 -4 TBS. orange juice (for the glaze)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Butter or spray one loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.
4. Add orange juice, sour cream, orange zest, and vanilla; mix until blended.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
6. Add flour mixture and cranberries to wet ingredients, and mix just until dry ingredients are absorbed. (Do not overmix.)
7. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers of bread comes out clean, 70-75 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and 7 tablespoons orange juice. (Glaze should have consistency of thick syrup. If it is too thick, thin with an additional tablespoon of orange juice.)
9. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove and transfer to a cooling rack set over a large baking sheet. Poke holes in the top of the bread using a fork. Drizzle with glaze so that it coats the top, runs down the sides, and seeps through the holes.
10. Let bread cool completely, then slice and serve.

P.S. Want that awesome looking monkey bread pictured in the background above?  I have never posted a recipe for monkey bread on here before because I figured everyone in the world knows how to make it!  But if you really want to make it – like –  AMAZING – I.E. without using refrigerated biscuits – UGH! – the recipe is here!  Come on, you know you want to try it!

But Nutella?  Come on that is like a staple of every good Russian’s diet.  Well, at least the ones who aren’t watching their figure!

I actually don’t really like Nutella on it’s own.  Lots of people in these parts just slather it on a piece of bread like its peanut butter or something. (Another item that is highly inaccessible in Russia!)  But in this fudge, it just gives a slightly nutty flavor to it that is devine!

Quick and tasty!  Make some today!

Chocolate Nutella and Sea Salt Fudge adapted from Two Peas and their Pod via Tasty Kitchen

Ingredients:

• 1 TBS. butter, (or I just used cooking spray)
• 1 can (14 Oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 8 oz. Bittersweet (60%) chocolate (chopped)
• 1 C. Nutella (chocolate-hazelnut Spread), Room Temperature
• 3 TBS. Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
• ½ teaspoons (approximately) Sea Salt

Grease the bottom and sides of an 8- by 8-inch baking pan with butter. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overlap on the sides.

In a medium glass bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, bittersweet chopped chocolate, Nutella, and butter.

Heat on medium heat in 30 second increments, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and smooth.  Chocolate should be fully melted and not have any chunks left in it.  Do not heat it too long, as you do not want to scorch the chocolate mixture.

Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan, spread the top smooth with a spatula, and sprinkle with sea salt. Refrigerate until the fudge is firm, at least 2 hours.

Once the fudge is chilled, run a knife under hot water, dry it off, and run it around the edges of the pan to loosen the fudge. Using the overhanging parchment paper, lift the fudge out. Peel off the parchment paper. Cut the fudge into squares. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

#11 Chipotle Chicken Tacos

#10 Cheese Muffins

#9 The BEST Sugar Cookie Cutouts- EVER…no, seriously!

#8 Easter Kulich

#7 Lemon Cream Fettucini with Prosciutto and Peas

#6 Classic Homemade Limeade

#5 Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

#4 Candy Cane Cookies

#3 The BEST Lemon Bread/Cake in the WORLD

#2 Chocolate-covered Cheesecake Pops

#1 Homemade Cheese Ball

The oatmeal cookies themselves are chewy and wholesome and yummy.  These come from the people who must know everything you could possibly know about oatmeal cookies – Quaker!

Oatmeal Cranberry “2-chocolate” Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 C. (226g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 C. firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 C. granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1.5 C. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 C. old fashioned oats
• 1 cup dried cranberries/cherries
• 1/2 C. white chocolate chips
• 1/2 C. semi sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350°F.

In large bowl, beat butter and sugars until creamy.  Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Mix well. Add oats and dried fruit.  Mix well.

Ingredients:

2 & 1/8 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
12 TBS. butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. granulated sugar
1 large whole egg + 1 large egg yolk
2 tsp. vanilla
2 C. chocolate chips

1. Melt the better and put it in the fridge to cool to room temperature.

Chewy Double Chocolate M&M Cookies adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients:

• 1 & 1/4 C. butter, softened
• 2 C. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tsp. all-purpose flour
• 3/4 C. cocoa
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 C. semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 C. M&M’s

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.  Gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips and M&Ms. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes or until edges are set. Cool on pans for 1 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Taco Soup from Katherine

In a large stock pot, mix together:

2 lbs (900g) ground beef or turkey

2 med onions, diced

1 pkg taco mix (or mix together 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. oregano, 1 tsp. chili powder, 1 tsp. paprika, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. onion powder, 1 tsp. coriander, Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste)

Add:

2 cans corn

2 cans red beans

2 cans white beans

2 cans diced tomatoes

2 sm. cans diced green chilies (or chop up a couple chili peppers)

1 pkg buttermilk dressing (dry mix)  - or make your own.

Mix all together and add a bit of water to stretch it.

Simmer for 20 minutes or so.  Serve into bowls and top with grated cheese, sour cream, diced green onions, and/or broken up tortilla chips.

So I looove this stir fry!  It is quick and easy and so yummy!  Make it tonight!  I enjoy it with pork, but I’m sure it would be good with beef or chicken too.

Pork and Veggie Stir-Fry with Cashew Rice adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients:

• 3/4 C. uncooked long-grain rice
• 1/3 C. chopped green onions
• 1/4 C. cashews, salted and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2/3 C. chicken broth
• 2 TBS. cornstarch, divided
• 3 TBS. soy sauce, divided
• 2 TBS. honey
• 1 lb. (453g) pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 TBS. oil, divided
• 2 cups frozen asian veggie mix
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 tsp. dry ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed (can be frozen)
• 1 chopped red bell pepper (about 1)

1. Cook the rice.  Stir in green onions, cashews, and salt.  Set aside, and keep warm.
2. Combine 2/3 cup chicken broth, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and honey in a small bowl, and set aside.
3. Combine pork, remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce in a bowl, tossing well to coat.
4. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork; sauté 4 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan.
5. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to pan. Add asian veggies, snap peas, and 1 cup onion; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in ginger and garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add bell pepper to pan; sauté 1 minute. Stir in pork; sauté 1 minute. Add reserved broth mixture to pan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly. Serve over cashew rice.