day one

Last November I used my posts to express thanks for day to day things that I sometimes take for granted. I loved doing it--opening my eyes each day and realizing how much we have. 

The big things, the little, and the in-between.

so, ah-ah-AHEM. Here we go.

Day one.

I am thankful for dreary afternoons that beg me to bake something.

"Make us some bread!" they shout.

I am thankful that I can make bread because I want to, and it's fun, not because I have to, to survive.

I am thankful I can go to the store (and have a car to take me there!)and purchase flour and butter--whatever I need-- all at my finger tips. 

I am so very thankful I found this recipe.

I am regeretting that I didn't double triple this batch--these are gooooooood and went way too fast.

I am an English Muffin lover (side note: I know I have readers in England.....do you call them English Muffins too?)

Anyway......I really like them, whatever they may be called around the world. I figured they couldn't be that hard to make, and I found this recipe by Alton Brown that I knew I had to try. 

The recipe and text are his--I just substituted butter for shortening (didn't have any), and changed out the white flour for whole wheat and added vital wheat gluten. They were very simple to make, and like I said above I really wish I would have made a bigger batch when I had all the stuff out to do so.
So that is my advice....make 200 of them.

Whole Wheat English Muffins

recipe adapted from Alton Brown
makes 8-10 muffins

Ingredients

1/2 cup non-fat powdered milk

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup hot water

1 envelope dry yeast

1/8 teaspoon sugar

1/3 cup warm water

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour, sifted

1 TBS vital wheat gluten

Non-stick vegetable spray

Special equipment: electric griddle, 3-inch metal rings,

Directions

In a bowl combine the powdered milk, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, shortening, and hot water, stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Let cool. In a separate bowl combine the yeast and 1/8 teaspoon of sugar in 1/3 cup of warm water and rest until yeast has dissolved. Add this to the dry milk mixture. Add the sifted flour and beat thoroughly with wooden spoon. Cover the bowl and let it rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes.

Preheat the griddle to 300 degrees F.

Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt to mixture and beat thoroughly. Place metal rings onto the griddle and coat lightly with vegetable spray. Scoop a little less than 1/3 of a cup into each ring and cover with a pot lid or cookie sheet and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the lid and flip rings using tongs. Cover with the lid and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes or until golden brown. 

Place on a cooling rack, remove rings and cool. 

enjoy!

What are YOU thankful for today?