Patrice's English Muffins

This is from Patrice's blog, Rural Revolution. It is one of my daily reads. She also has a great book out called The Simplicity Primer. I haven't ordered my copy yet, but it is on my "GET SOON" list.

ENGLISH MUFFINS

5 1/4 to 5 1/2 cups flour
4 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
2 cups milk
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Cornmeal

In a mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of the flour and the yeast. In a saucepan, heat and stir milk, butter, sugar, and salt until warm (120-130F) until the butter almost melts. Add to flour mixture. Beat with a mixer on low speed for three minutes. Using a spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes). Shape into a ball. Place in a greased bowl; turn once to grease surface. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double (about one hour).

Punch dough down. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover and let rest ten minutes. Roll dough to slightly less than 1/2 inch thick. Cut with a 4-inch round cutter, rerolling scraps. Lightly brush muffins with water and dip both sides into cornmeal. Cover, let rise in a warm place until very light (about 30 minutes).

Cook muffins in an ungreased pan or griddle on low temp for 30 minutes, turning every 5 minutes. Yield: about 18 muffins.

Carrot Zucchini Breakfast Cookies

I adapted these for breakfast this morning, They are yumm-my!

Carrot Zucchini Breakfast Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup applesauce
1 1/2 cups sugar (you can use less, if desired)
3 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
7 cup flour
1/2 cup ground flax
2 Tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp cinnamon
3 cups grated zucchini
1 1/2 cup grated carrots
1 cup raisins (optional)

Cream butter, oil, applesauce and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Combine dry ingredients, including veggies, in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to the wet ones and combine just until mixed. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.

Banana Split in a Jar

This is a delicious sounding recipe I found at Chickens in the Road. If you've never checked out the cooking section of her blog, remedy that situation quickly! You'll be glad you did.

Banana Split in a Jar

2 cups mashed bananas
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 cups crushed strawberries
1 1/2 cups crushed pineapple
1 cup halved maraschino cherries
1 package powdered pectin
5 cups sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Mix lemon juice into bananas immediately after mashing to retain the fresh color then combine all the fruit and the pectin in a big pot. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add sugar (and a dab of butter to reduce foaming). Bring to a rolling boil; boil hard one minute. Remove from heat and add nuts (if using). Ladle into jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Process in a boiling water bath 15 minutes. Serve over ice cream with whipped cream and chocolate syrup.

Primal Deviled Eggs

This recipe is from the great new blog CAVEMomma.

Primal Deviled Eggs

Hard boil 12 eggs and let cool. While they’re cooling (in ice water), open 2 avocados and place in a small bowl. Add two tsp evoo or coconut oil, and pass two cloves of garlic through a press (or cheat and throw some garlic powder in). If desired, finely chop green onions and throw those in, too. Mash it all together with a fork. Slice eggs in half long ways, remove yolks and place them into the bowl with the avocado-aise. Smash it all together with a fork and whip into a nice thick paste. Spoon back into eggs. Sprinkle with Dill weed.

Mexican Pot Beans

And not that kind of pot, you sickos! I don't know where I got this recipe, but I have used it for several years. I often make it just to put the beans in the refrigerator. My teenage son eats them cold when he's famished ten minutes after a meal. Enjoy!

Mexican Pot Beans

2 pounds pintos, soaked overnight
1/4 cup bacon drippings
1 small onion, chopped OR 1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp dried oregano
salt to taste (add later)

Combine everything except salt in crock pot. Add 3 cups water. Cook on high for 5-6 hours till done. Add salt to taste. Lower temp to low or warm until serving.

If you forget to soak the beans, you can still make this recipe. Just add more water at the beginning and leave it on high all day.

Zucchini Carrot Muffins

I adapted these from a recipe on Simply Recipes.

Zucchini Carrot Muffins

5 cups grated fresh zucchini
1 cup grated carrots
1 1/3 cup melted butter
2 2/3 cup sugar
4 eggs, beaten
4 teaspoons vanilla
4 teaspoons baking soda
Large pinch salt
6 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup almonds
1 cup raisins or dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350°F In Bosch, combine the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the grated zucchini and carrot, then the melted butter. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the zucchini mixture and mix in. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir these dry ingredients into the zucchini mixture. Stir in almonds, raisins or cranberries.

Coat each muffin cup in your muffin pan with a little butter or vegetable oil spray. Use a spoon to distribute the muffin dough equally among the cups, filling the cups up completely. Bake on the middle rack until muffins are golden brown, and the top of the muffins bounce back when you press on them, about 25 to 30 minutes. Test with a long toothpick or a thin bamboo skewer to make sure the center of the muffins are done. Set on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the tin let cool another 20 minutes.

Makes about 3 dozen