Super Simple English Muffin Bread

This bread is some of the easiest and tastiest bread you can make.  It is especially good toasted.  I have tried a couple of recipes for English Muffin bread and this is my favorite. 

English Muffin Bread
recipe adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
1 1/2 Tbsp. yeast
2 3/4 C. warm water
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. salt
5 3/4 C. flour (all purpose)
a couple tablespoons corn meal (optional)
butter

Add yeast, warm water, and sugar to mixing bowl and let sit until bubbly.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.  This is not typical bread dough and will be very sticky.  Cover bowl and let rise in a warm area until doubled.  Grease two bread pans with butter and then sprinkle corn meal over the butter.  Stir down the dough and pour into the two pans.  Cover and let rise again until doubled.  Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes or until lightly browned on top.  Brush tops with butter while warm. 

Peanut Butter Dog Treats

Happy Birthday Maggie and Oliver!

The sweetie wheaties turned one on March 12th.  There is going to be a birthday bash extravaganza this evening.  Now this is not going to be your "every day dog party".  The invitation states "Formal prom attire is completely appropriate, yet not expected". 

Oliver's mother (my seester) informed me that the dogs are registered at the following stores:  "Doggies r us, grey poopon, LL bone, tommy dogfinger, woof lauren, cirillas, lane bryant for plus size pups, the electrolysis for unwanted doggy * hair, and show dogs in ft wayne. Cash works too." 

Another sister is planning on renting a limo.  This is the biggest event that the thriving metropolis, better known as Silver Lake, has ever seen!  Stay tuned for live updates from the party.  I might open a Twitter account so I can tweet about it all night. 

In honor of this special event, we made some delicious peanut butter dog biscuits that we found here.  My dogs gave them two paws up!

Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits
2 C. whole wheat flour
1 C. rolled oats
1/3 C. creamy peanut butter
1 1/4 C. hot water

1 egg and a couple tablespoons water (for egg wash...not for the dough)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix flour and oats in a bowl then add peanut butter and hot water.  Mix well.  Roll dough out onto floured surface and lightly dust rolling pin with flour and roll the dough out to about 1/4" thickness.  Cut out desired shapes.  Place cut out shapes on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  This dough is easy to work with as long as it is floured.  Continue to roll and cut out shapes until the dough is gone.  Whisk together the egg and water and brush onto the shapes before baking.  Bake for 40 minutes.  According to the website you can store them at room temperature in an air-tight container for one week, store in refrigerator for 3 weeks, or freeze for up to 6 months. 

Oatmeal Rolls

These oatmeal rolls are delish.  They remind me of the oatmeal bread that my mom made when I was growing up.  I make these quite frequently and they are easy to make.  Last night I grilled out hamburgers and used these as buns.  They are even good toasted.

Oatmeal Rolls
2 C. water
1 C. quick-cooking oats
3 Tbsp. butter
1 (1/4 oz) pkg. active dry yeast
1/3 C. warm water
1/3 C. packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. whole wheat flour
3 3/4 to 4 1/4 C. all purpose flour

In a saucepan bring 2 C. water to boil.  Add oats and butter and cook while stirring for one minute.  Cool to lukewarm.  In a mixing bowl dissolve yeast in 1/3 cup warm water.  Add cooled oat mixture (don't add if hot because the yeast won't work properly), sugars, salt, whole wheat flour, and 3 cups all purpose flour.  Mix using bread dough hook and add enough flour until it forms a soft dough and sides of bowl are clean.  Continue mixing for a few minutes.  Place in a greased bowl and then turn once so the top of dough is greased.  Cover bowl with plastic that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.  Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about one hour.  Punch down dough and let rest 10 minutes.  Shape into 18 balls and place into 2 greased 9" pans.  I usually make 14 larger rolls instead of 18 but you can do whatever floats your boat.  Cover again and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chex Mix

Here's another Pinterest find!  I saw a Chex mix that was called, "better than sex chex mix" and I had to try.  I won't reveal my findings!  I did bring it to a neighborhood party and it was a hit and I noticed a few people did have to go out and have a cigarette after consuming it.  I suggest you just make some for yourself and decide.  I renamed it because this is a kid-friendly blog and I don't want my 3 or 7 year old asking for the "better than sex mix" because that would be just creepy. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chex Mix
recipe adapted from Tablespoon.com
8 cups Chex cereal (I used chocolate one time and rice another)
6 Tbsp. butter
3/4 C. packed brown sugar
3 Tbsp. corn syrup
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 8oz bag mini Reese's cups
1 C. dry roasted peanuts
1 C. mini marshmallows (I used a chocolate kind)
1 C. chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet)
1 C. peanut butter chips
2-4 Tbsp. heavy cream (divided)



Line a large cookie sheet with waxed paper and set aside.  Melt butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup over medium heat in a large pot.  Stir until combined and add the baking soda.  It will foam up a little.  Add cereal and stir until evenly coated.  Pour mixture onto cookie sheet and spread out evenly.  Pour bag of mini Reese's over warm cereal mix.  Add nuts and marshmallows.  In that same pan (less dishes=good thing) which is now empty, add 1 cup peanut butter chips and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream.  When melted, drizzle over mix.  Repeat the same steps using the chocolate chips.  Allow mixture to cool and break into pieces.  Try not to eat the whole batch in one sitting!

*you can substitute cereals in this also.  One time I used 4 cups rice Chex and 4 cups Cocoa Puffs.  You can also substitute different flavors of chips...white chocolate, butterscotch, etc.  Use additional ingredients also such as pretzels, M & M's, or whatever is on hand.