The big guy wasn't home for dinner last night which opens up a whole new realm of possibilities for me. Course we all knew that I wouldn't get away with talking about English muffins the other day without having to make a batch so that's what I did yesterday. It kind of morphed into dinner - hey the kitchen smelled so good and I had to have one (or two) didn't I?
English muffins are amazingly easy to make when you have a Kitchen Aid and I guarantee, after you try your first homemade one you'll never go back to store bought. The trick to these puppies is that they cook on the grill not in the oven which can mean some finagling with the temperature dial before you hit it just right, cause it takes 'em 6 minutes a side. I usually heat the flat top grill up on medium for about 10 minutes, then turn it down as low as it'll go, let it sit and adjust for 5 minutes and then get cooking. That often does the trick. Some areas of the grill will be hotter than others, so ya' gotta do some switchin' and swearin', but when you're done you end up with something that's out of this world. When you split the muffins, please use a fork by sticking the tines in all around the muffin then breaking it open. It makes a huge difference as to texture of the finished product.
By the way, I made my version with buttermilk, but you can certainly use whole milk too. Just don't use skim - I find it really makes a difference and not in a good way. Also, I have an aversion to whole wheat bread, but I'm sure you could substitute some whole wheat flour for all purpose if you're so inclined. I just happen to be a plain "white bread" kinda' person which means that the big guy doesn't get whole wheat very often. Download English Muffins
As for dinner - well I wanted breakfast, so I made a little individual Rosti potato cake out of a small potato grated along with some onion, a dash of flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg and cooked in a small cast iron pan till crisp. Then I cut a hole in the center of it with a cookie cutter and cracked an egg into it. Served with some crisp bacon and of course a toasted English muffin, it was a fabulous dinner. In fact, while the big guy had a huge steak at his favorite restaurant in Tucson for such things, I doubt he enjoyed it any more than I did my breaky/dinner. So there!
Oh June those English muffins turned out perfectly! And I'm with ya on the breakfast for dinner thingie...I'm known to do that when hubby's gone too.
Posted by: Mags | 03/25/2010 at 10:05 AM
Thanks Mags. Lordy, are they nummers with my homemade Kumquat Tangelo Marmalade! Yikes!
Posted by: June | 03/25/2010 at 11:22 AM
Beautiful English muffins!!!!!! I love breakfast for dinner. When I was the chef at a University in Montana, the kids loved breakfast for dinner so much - they demanded it once a week - I complied! OK - maybe I am just getting in the mood again - but I see a hidden Mickey (mouse) in your plate!
Posted by: Nanan | 03/25/2010 at 12:41 PM
LOLOL - the ears are the bacon curls, or are the English muffins the ears???...you are too funny. Now I see what you do but it was totally unintentional! Trust me. Ha.
Posted by: June | 03/25/2010 at 12:53 PM
Yum! There is nothing better than breakfast for dinner!
Posted by: The Gourmet Traveller | 03/30/2010 at 01:35 PM
I agree 100% - just wish I could convince the big guy.
Posted by: June | 03/30/2010 at 01:49 PM