English Muffin Bread

This bread is not only super easy to make but it really holds true to its name. The inside of the bread is perfectly moist just like English muffins.

English Muffin Bread
makes 2 loaves

2 1/2 cups warm water
3 1/2 teaspoons yeast
1 Tablespoons salt
1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar (or raw sugar)
5 1/2 cups flour (used 2 cups whole wheat flour and 3 1/2 bread flour)

By hand mixing method:
Mix together all ingredients in a stand mixer or by hand with a spoon. Cover bowl with a cloth and let dough rise in a warm place until doubled (skip this step if using rapid rise yeast).

Bread machine mixing method:
Place all the ingredients in the bread machine. Turn the bread machine on the dough setting. Set a timer for 30 minutes. Remove dough at this point if it has doubled in size.

Punch down and spoon dough into two well-greased loaf pans (dough will be extremely sticky). Let dough rise again in pans until it reaches the top of the pans, took about 20 - 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 ° F for 40 - 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove from oven. Brush with butter if you would like.
Cool completely before cutting. Best served warm or toasted with butter and jam/jelly or honey.

To freeze: Let loaf cool completely. Put in an airtight plastic freezer bag and place in freezer for up to six weeks.

To thaw: Take loaf out of the freezer and allow to thaw for at least 3 hours prior to use.

Recipe adapted from Money Saving Mom.

Dandelion Jelly

Surprisingly, this unique recipe creates a delicious golden jelly that tastes very similar to honey.

Dandelion Jelly
Scissors

Hot water canner

Large sauce pan or soup pot

Ladle

Funnel
Jar Lifter

Jars, lids, rims

First you need Dandelions. Actually you only need the yellow part of the Dandelion so just pick the blossom off.
Next, snip off the green base so you only have the yellow petals remaining. You could also try twisting the petals out of the base, but I found the scissor method easier and faster. If you have a few pieces of green mixed in, it is just fine. You need to have about 4 cups of petals.
Place petals in a saucepan. Pour 3 cups boiling water over the petals and stir. Let mixture sit for at least 8 hours. You are brewing the dandelion tea. The end result is brown-yellow in color.
Strain the tea through a coffee filter or wire strainer to remove all the petals. Add any additional water to measure the correct amount for your selected version of the recipe.

Powdered pectin version:
3 cups dandelion tea
4 1/2 cups sugar
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 box powdered pectin

Add dandelion tea, lemon juice, 1 box of pectin and sugar into large saucepan. Bring to a boil and continue boiling 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and fill jars leaving 1/4 inch head space.

Liquid pectin version:
3 1/2 cups dandelion tea
7 cups sugar (yes, you read right!)
4 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 pouches liquid pectin

Combine dandelion tea, sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a full rolling boil. Add liquid pectin and stirring constantly bring back to a full boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and fill jars leaving 1/4 inch head space.

Wipe rims of jars clean with warm wash cloth. Place lids on jars and tighten with rims.

If you are new to Boiling-Water Bath Canning, I recommend reading my tutorial on this type of canning.

Process in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes. Remove jars with jar remover carefully. Place hot jars on level surface. I cover my counter top with a double layered kitchen towel and place jars on top. Using a hot pad or glove, check that the rims are tightened.

As the jars cool, you will hear a "ping" when the lid seals. Make sure all of your jars have sealed. They are sealed if the button in the middle of the lid in depressed. If you have any jars that have not sealed, you can reprocess them or store the jar in the refrigerator for use.

Makes about 8 half pints.

Please check with your local extension office for any changes due to altitude for times or temperatures. Above instructions are for elevation 1000 feet or below.

Recipe adapted from Simply Canning.
 

How To: Plant Outside

You may be thinking that it can't be too hard to plant a plant. There are a few tips that can make your purchase, transplant or gift last and thrive.

Know what you are planting. Each plant has it preferred climate, soil and sun exposure preference. Often times these details are located on the plants marker. This will help guide you to where you should place the plant.

1. Using a spade shovel, remove any grass or mulch from the surface of your location. Dig a hole that is 2 times bigger in diameter and depth then the container the plant is in. By digging a bigger hole you are breaking up the compacted soil around the roots and they can grow outward easier. Place the soil removed off to one side of the hole.
2.  You can mix in compost to the removed soil at this time if you wish. This will add nutrients to the plant.
3. Gently squeeze the plants container if possible. Hold the container upside down with one hand and place your other hand at the base of the plant. Gently pull the container off the plant. 
4. Gently break up the roots if root bound.                                                                                         
5. Center the plant in the dug hole. Check that the surface of the plants soil matches the surface of the ground. You will need to add some soil back into the hole until it is level. You can lay a piece of wood or the handle of the shovel across the hole to check this.
6. Fill the the soil surrounding the root ball. Push down on the soil surrounding the plant to remove any air bubbles.
7. Water the plant thoroughly. Slowly add water to the base of the plant until the water pools on the surface of the soil and does not absorb with in seconds. 
8. Replace any mulch to the surrounding area of the plant. Remove the excess soil and grass from the area. 

Stand back and enjoy!!

Any extra soil could go into your compost pile.
Any extra grass could be add to a bare spot in the lawn.
Continue to water your newly planted plant daily for the next week. Then weekly for the remainder of the planting season for the first year.