English muffins

I like to bake bread. Not just plain old white bread, which I have been forced to use my bread machine for this winter because my kitchen has been too cold for anything to rise. But lots of breads, in different shapes and sizes. Yeast is my friend (except when the kitchen is too cold!), and kneading is good for the soul.  And I don't shy away from trying something new.

So yeah, I went there. This recipe has been taunting me as long as I've had this cookbook. It was a gift at my wedding shower, so that tells you how long I've been thinking about this. But who makes their own english muffins? When you have Thomas' sitting on the shelf at the grocery store, so easy.

The recipe itself is pretty basic. Milk, yeast, salt, sugar, some shortening, and then throw in the flour. It's a sticky dough, so go ahead and throw in some more flour. Then let it rise. Throw in some more flour and let it rise again. Cut out your circles, and yes, let them rise again.

That's three times, rising. And if you think you've just spent all morning making your english muffins, then wait, there's more ...

Cook them on the griddle, on the stove top. Since my griddle basically holds four, at 15 minutes per side (my gas stove actually cooked them in 12, but still), a whole batch of these will take not only all morning, but definitely past lunch time.

These are my first four. Yep, I already ate two, I was hungry.

After cooking on the grill, then cooling, then gently splitting them with a fork (yes, you really do split them with a fork, it works), and then toasting them in the toaster ... butter melting into the nooks and crannies ... yum, yum ...

My kids, both of them, just shrugged their shoulders. Nope, nobody wanted to even try one.

So I still have a dozen or so left. All to myself. Once I finish grilling them all. And since I technically did not shell out any money for these, all the ingredients are always in my pantry, I consider them to be free. Time consuming, but still free. And free is good.

So that's how I spend a carefree Saturday morning - into-afternoon. Oh, and they taste good, too. I'd say just as good as the store bought ones, but since there's nothing I can't pronounce in the ingredients, they're definitely better. And free, did I say free?