My cousin MLJ was the perfect southern hostess and always had the best, homemade food at the ready in case some unsuspecting visitor happened to drop by and was hungry, or not. The Director and I stayed with her many times at her house on the Sound and her cottage at Nags Head. She and my Dad were good buddies back in their wild and crazy days. I loved her to my soul and miss her every day.
Dad and MLJ on her porch in N.C.
One morning she popped a zipper bag out of the freezer, and in 5 minutes we were eating homemade English Muffins. Who knew these could be made in a home? Well, I got that recipe as fast as I could and even though these came from the east coast, they work perfectly in the not so sea level altitude we enjoy in Denver.
Here they are cooling and if you can keep your family from eating them all before they cool, and on the off chance you have any left for the freezer, they keep really well for quite a long time. Just pop that frozen disk in the microwave for 15 seconds and fork it, and it's like you just took it out of the oven.
Slather with some homemade 4 berry jam and you'll feel like you are in the kitchen of my dear cousin, eating a few of these whether you are hungry or not. Enjoy!
MLJ's English Muffins
2/3 cup warm water
1 package dry yeast
1 ½ tsp salt
3 tsp sugar, divided
1 cup warmed milk
3 ½ cups flour
3 tablespoons oil
Coarse ground yellow cornmeal
In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp sugar, dry yeast and water. Let stand until it bubbles up. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, salt, and remaining 2 tsp sugar. When yeast is ready, add to flour mixture along with milk and oil. Mix well with whisk. Add remaining flour until consistency is that of soft dough. Place in greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled. When dough is ready, knead on a floured surface about 10 times. Roll out to ¼” thickness and cut out using 4” round cookie cutter. Place on baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Heat griddle to 300 degrees. NOT TOO HOT! Don’t rush or you will burn them! Spray cooking surface lightly with cooking spray and place muffins on surface well apart. Cook 10 minutes on first side, then 5 minutes on second side. Before serving, split with fork and toast. Makes 20 muffins.
2/3 cup warm water
1 package dry yeast
1 ½ tsp salt
3 tsp sugar, divided
1 cup warmed milk
3 ½ cups flour
3 tablespoons oil
Coarse ground yellow cornmeal
In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp sugar, dry yeast and water. Let stand until it bubbles up. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, salt, and remaining 2 tsp sugar. When yeast is ready, add to flour mixture along with milk and oil. Mix well with whisk. Add remaining flour until consistency is that of soft dough. Place in greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled. When dough is ready, knead on a floured surface about 10 times. Roll out to ¼” thickness and cut out using 4” round cookie cutter. Place on baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Heat griddle to 300 degrees. NOT TOO HOT! Don’t rush or you will burn them! Spray cooking surface lightly with cooking spray and place muffins on surface well apart. Cook 10 minutes on first side, then 5 minutes on second side. Before serving, split with fork and toast. Makes 20 muffins.