English Muffin Bread

Yeast breads typically intimidate me. I don't really know why, because when I actually start, there's nothing to be afraid of. But still, it always gives me pause.

Anyway... am I ever glad I didn't let my fear of yeast get the better of me when I found out about English Muffin Bread!

I think I found this while browsing Pinterest. It's from a website call blisstree.com.

This is wicked easy and soooooo good!!



English Muffin Bread
5 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup warm water
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 1/4 cups warm milk
butter and cornmeal for greasing and dusting the pans

Mix the yeast, honey, and water. Set aside.
Sift the salt, baking powder, and flour.
Add the milk and one cup of the flour to the yeast mixture. Blend well.
Add the remaining flour and beat. You should have a very soft, goopy dough. (she really said goopy... and it totally is!)
Spoon the dough into 2 loaf pans that have been greased and dusted with the cornmeal. Set aside in a warm place until the batter has doubled and is at the top of the pans, or a little above.
Preheat the oven to 425F
Dust the tops of the loaves with cornmeal and bake for 15 minutes or so. Loaf will sound hollow when tapped. Bake for 20-25 minutes if you want a crisper, more golden crust.
Cool and slice.
Yield:2 loaves.

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Ok, so mix the yeast, honey and water and set it aside.

You can see it grow and come to life in my glass measuring cup.



Now right up to the spout.


mmmmm.... yeasty....

Anyway... whisk your flour, baking powder and salt.


That didn't really make for a very interesting photo, did it?

Add the milk and one cup of flour mixture to the yeast mixture.

Blend well; add remaining flour and beat.

This will be a loose sticky gooey dough.


Butter your loaf pans and dust them with cornmeal.


Spoon the dough into the loaf pans.


No kneading at all, because you don't want to squish all those voluptuous air pockets that will totally cradle the silky melty butter when you toast it.

Let them rest in a warm place until batter has doubled and is at least to the top of the pans.


Now pop them into the oven, preheated to 425F. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes. Loaf will sound hollow when tapped. If you want a crisper more golden crust, bake 20 - 25 minutes.



Doesn't that look beautiful?

Be sure to let it cool before slicing.

Look at those big nooks and crannies!


Now since this made two loaves, I was totally going to give one to my friend Erin across the street.

But look at this toasted golden goodness!!


And it made the BEST breakfast sandwiches!!


We rolled through both loaves in no time at all!!

Sorry Erin!!

But I didn't actually tell her that I'd planned to give her a loaf, so it's not like she really missed it or anything!

This was crazy easy and so totally delicious!!

What are you waiting for?! Go make some!

Orange Cranberry Bread

I love Orange Cranberry Bread and Muffins. Tangy, tart and fresh. A perfect start to the day!

I found this on allrecipes.com.



Orange Cranberry Bread (slightly adapted)
4 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon grated orange zest
12 oz fresh cranberries
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cup white sugar
2 egg
1 1/2 cup orange juice

Preheat oven to 350F.

Grease & flour two 9x5 loaf pans or line them with parchment paper.

Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Add orange zest and orange juice. Mix well.

In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir flour mixture into orange juice mixture, until just combined. Fold in cranberries and nuts.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pans.

Bake at 350F for 50 - 60 minutes.

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Cream together butter & sugar & eggs.


Add orange juice.


And orange zest.




Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.


Stir into orange mixture until just combined.


(it did get a little more stirred before I added the cranberries & nuts)

Fold in cranberries & nuts.




Pour batter into prepared loaf pans and bake at 350F for 50 - 60 minutes; or until pick comes out dry.

That's it!



This was wicked good! A nice bright, tart, tangy flavor and very moist. I've been dying for Orange/Cranberry baked goodies and this totally satisfied that craving!

I like that it makes two loaves. One to eat and one to share (or to throw in the the freezer for later!) I brought the extra loaf to work and it got very favorable reviews! I also like that it uses the whole bag of fresh cranberries.

This is definitely a keeper!!

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

The weather is finally cool... really cool... we might get snow tonight!! I know that makes lots of you groan... but I'm wicked psyched!! I LOVE snow!!

Tonight

Mostly cloudy. A chance of snow after midnight. Snow accumulation around an inch possible. Lows around 30. East winds around 5 mph. Chance of snow 50 percent.

I love seeing that little snow icon in my weather window! This is my favorite time of year!

It gets dark early... I can't wait to go back to standard time... it's cold and the chance for snow! What makes those nights even more perfect?

Baking something delicious of course!!

Ok... well... enough with the weather report!

I know I've mentioned before how much I love Penzey's. This recipe is from the Thanksgiving 2011 catalog, page 37.



Pumpkin Streusel Muffins
1/2 C butter, softened
1 C brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 C plain pumpkin puree, (I used fresh)
1/4 C evaporated milk
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp powdered ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 2/3 flour

Streusel topping:
2 TBLS flour
2 1/2 TBLS white sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 TBLS butter

Preheat oven to 375F.
Cream together butter and brown sugar. Beat in egg. Mix pumpkin with evaporated milk and mix in with butter/sugar mixture. In a separate bowl whisk together, flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Stir flour mixture into pumpkin batter, until just combined. Don't over stir.

Spoon into 12 standard sized, greased or lined muffin cups.

In a small bowl combine streusel topping ingredients with a fork until the topping is about the size of small peas. Sprinkle evenly over muffins and bake for 18 - 22 minutes at 375F.

Enjoy!

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Cream together butter and brown sugar.


Beat in egg.



Mix pumpkin with evaporated milk and add to butter/sugar mixture.


Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt & spices.


Stir flour mixture into pumpkin mixture, until just combined.


Fill prepared muffin cups.


Mix up streusel topping.


Sprinkle evenly over muffins.


Bake at 375F for 18 - 22 minutes.


These came out wicked good!!!

Moist, tender muffins... with the sweet, buttery, cinnamony streusel topping...

The streusel topping really puts these muffins over the top!



SO GOOD!!!

I made these for a staff meeting at work. Everyone said they really liked them! I also gave one to my morning bus driver and a lady who gets off at the same stop as me every day. They both also told me how much they loved them!



This recipe is definitely a keeper! If you try no other pumpkin recipe this fall, try this one!! You definitely won't be disappointed!

Eggnog French Toast

It's that time of year again.

Eggnog is in the grocery store!



Jon loves French Toast, so I decided to make him some with Eggnog!

It's wicked easy.

A few eggs...


A big splash of Eggnog...


Some freshly grated nutmeg...


Whisk it all together...


And some nice thick Texas Toast bread...



Into a hot buttered skillet...


Give it a flip...


And it's time for breakfast!


French toast is not usually my first choice for breakfast. I definitely prefer pancakes. But I have to say, this French Toast was insanely delicious!!!

This is perfect to serve to your overnight holiday guests!