Comfort foods

[Julia A Knaake]

Here's one for  Scott

English Muffins

My only criticism of this recipe is that it is a lot of work to make only 6 English muffins.  I definitely plan to double or triple the recipe in the future and freeze them so I can homemade English muffins any time I’d like!

Recipe Notes:

*In this recipe, I used half buttermilk and half 2% milk, since that’s what I had on hand.

English Muffins

Recipe from Brown Eyed Baker, originally from The Bread Baker’s Apprentice

2 ¼ cups unbleached bread flour

½ tbsp granulated sugar

¾ tsp salt

1 ¼ tsp instant yeast

1 tbsp shortening

¾ cup buttermilk or lowfat milk, at room temperature

2-4 tbsp cornmeal

Butter

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, stir together the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast.  Add the shortening and milk and stir until the mixture comes together into a loose ball (if the dough does not come together, slowly add up to ¼ cup additional milk.)

Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough for about 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and a bit tacky.  Spray a bowl with nonstick spray.  Place the dough into the bowl, flip to coat, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap.  Let the dough rise in a warm, draft free area for 1 – 1 ½ hours or until doubled in size.

Gently place the dough onto the counter.  Use a knife or bench scraper to cut the dough into six equal portions, approximately 3 ounces each.  Gently form each portion into a ball, pinching the seam at the bottom.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Lightly spray the parchment with cooking spray and dust it generously with cornmeal.  Place the dough balls onto the prepared tray, seam side down.  Spray the tops with cooking spray and dust them with more cornmeal.  Cover the dough balls lightly with plastic wrap and set aside to proof at room temperature until they have doubled in size; 1 – 1 ½ hours.

Heat an electric skillet to 350 degrees F.  Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the skillet and brush to coat the skillet.  Also preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the dough balls into the skillet, at least one inch apart.  Cook the muffins for 5-8 minutes or until deeply browned.  Flip, and cook for another 5-8 minutes or until that side is browned as well.  Transfer the English Muffins immediately to a baking sheet and place into the preheated oven for another 5 minutes.  Move to a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

After one batch is cooked completely (or while the first batch is in the oven), begin the second batch, using the same steps as before.

To cut the English Muffins, use an English Muffin splitter or a fork to give the English Muffin its characteristic craggly appearance.

Makes 6 English Muffins

[Larry Scott Draper]

Of course you can come and visit us.  And you can eat mangoes every day as well as passion fruit, cas, cashiews and bananas.  My next door neighbor grows avocados and the neighbor behind me grows platanos (plantanes) .  I trade them oranges and yucca.

[Julia A Knaake]

Scott

my grand daughter introduced me to plantain's and  she made them delicious.

 The things we get here that are called avocados ( at $1.00 each ) I would prefer to put into a compost pile. I did buy a mango yesterday for $2.49..I will gobble it down making 2 servings in a couple of days. one serving  will just e a bowl of fruit while the other I will make the other half into Mango chicken.

I never  ate Yucca nor saw it in the stores here in Washington state.

You never know if Oly and Shannon move to your country and I visit them

I might write you and say did you mean it when you said come visit

and we'll feed you fruit and nuts!

[Larry Scott Draper]

Oh Yeah, I did mean come visit.  We would get along really, really well and I could translate between you and Julie.  I think that Yucca is called Manioc in the United States.  I pay NOTHING for Mangoes and Avocados and Bananas and Platanos.  With the Platanos (Plantains) it is really good to cut them into wide slices and boil them for about 5 minutes.  Then smash them flat, drain them well and fry them in pork fat until they are crunchy.  Dip them in some kind of sauce like mayonnaise and lime juice.

Oh yeah, next time you see Mangoes in the supermarket that are green......buy them.  In their green state they are a vegetable.  They taste a lot like celery.

[Julia A Knaake]

my Mexican  style Spanish is poor but I get along well with any person that tries to teach me their language because we laugh together at my goof ups. My Lithuanian was not too good and my Chinese poor... I think they are pleased that at least I do try. I never spoke Spanish to Oli but they both have taught my 4 year old great grandson the Spanish language and English so when they visit Costa Rico he can communicate with grandma and grandpa.

I always ate mango ripe and it is succulent and juicy..we do like it in chicken.  Shannon sliced the Plantanos and fried them with some sugar for breakfast

[Larry Scott Draper]

When you take the bus in Costa Rica, there is always someone who gets on the bus selling something to drink or eat.  Green mangoes are very popular and I buy them often.  Also popular are platano chips.  They look just like potato chips and are served with chilero.  These really taste good.

[Julia A Knaake]

What is chilero?

A chunky hot spicy sauce?

[Larry Scott Draper]

Yes, chilero is a chunky Tabasco type sauce.  Depending on the maker, it can melt your face.  It is a staple in our house but we always test it carefully to determine what kind of fire it has.

[Julia A Knaake]

oh yes test the sauce first

[Julia A Knaake]

A Simple Pineapple

The pineapple is a member of the bromeliad family.
It is extremely rare that bromeliads produce edible fruit. The pineapple is 
the only available edible bromeliad today.

It is a multiple fruit. One pineapple is actually made up of dozens of 
individual floweret's that grow together to form the entire fruit. Each 
scale on a pineapple is evidence of a separate flower.

Pineapples stop ripening the minute they are picked.
No special way of storing them will help ripen them further.
Colour is relatively unimportant in determining ripeness.
Choose your pineapple by smell.If it smells fresh, tropical and

sweet, it will be a good fruit.

The more scales on the pineapple, the sweeter and juicier the taste.

After you cut off the top, you can plant it.
It should grow much like a sweet potato will.

This delicious fruit is not only sweet and tropical; it also offers many 
benefits to our health. Pineapple is a remarkable fruit.

We find it enjoyable because of its lush, sweet and exotic flavor, but it 
may also be one of the most healthful foods available today.
If we take a more detailed look at it, we will find that pineapple is 
valuable for easing indigestion, arthritis or sinusitis.

The juice has an anthelmintic effect; it helps get rid of intestinal worms.

Let's look at how pineapple affects other conditions.

Pineapple is high in manganese, a mineral that is critical to development of
strong bones and connective tissue. A cup of fresh pineapple will give you nearly 75% of the recommended daily amount.

It is particularly helpful to older adults, whose bones tend to become 
brittle with age.

Bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme, is the key to pineapple's value.
Proteolytic means "breaks down protein", which is why pineapple is known to 
be a digestive aid. It helps the body digest proteins more efficiently.
Bromelain is also considered an effective anti-inflammatory.

Regular ingestion of at least one half cup of fresh pineapple daily is 
purported to relieve painful joints common to osteoarthritis. It also produces mild pain relief.

In Germany,  bromelain is approved as a post-injury medication because it is 
thought to reduce inflammation and swelling.

Orange juice is a popular liquid for those suffering from a cold because it 
is high in Vitamin C. Fresh pineapple is not only high in this vitamin, but because  of the Bromelain, it has the ability to reduce mucous in the throat.
If you have a cold with a productive cough, add pineapple to your diet.
It is commonly used in Europe as a post-operative measure to cut mucous 
after certain sinus and throat operations.

Those individuals who eat fresh pineapple daily report fewer sinus problems 
related to allergies. In and of itself, pineapple has a very low risk for allergies.

Pineapple is also known to discourage blood clot development. This makes

it a valuable dietary addition for frequent fliers and others who may be at risk for blood clots.

An old folk remedy for morning sickness is fresh pineapple juice. 
it really works! Fresh juice and some nuts first thing in the morning often 
make a difference.

It's also good for a healthier mouth. The fresh juice discourages plaque growth.

[Larry Scott Draper]

Yes, Craig, we are in the middle of our summer here.  Daylight temperatures are in the mid to upper 90's.  I am used to the tropical climate but it still burns our butts.  To think of snow or ice is science fiction to us.  And, you are right.....our growing season is 365 days a year.  Right now we have more oranges in our yard than we can eat.  People love the oranges and trade me some really good stuff for them like Avocados, bananas, platanos (plantains) and limes.

You should visit Costa Rica.  We are extremely popular as a tourist country but we are also the most expensive country in Central America.  But we way, WAY les expensive than the United States.

Oh, yeah, in the first paragraph I said that our temperatures were in the 90's.  This is true where I live in southwest Costa Rica.  In the mountainous cities it is in the upper 80's.

[Julia A Knaake]

I think most people like macaroni and cheese so today

I made some from scratch adding a bit of spice and broccoli.

None of that nasty stuff in a box comes through these doors.

One serving in my tummy and the other into the freezer

for later on when Chris calls me to go tend her Mom.

then I went outside  ( yippie it's 55 here today ) and

started pruning more trees and bushes that have not 

been tended to for over 15 years.  they will miss me 

when I leave but I must continue on my mission.

[Larry Scott Draper]

We are a very happy country, Craig.  I have been here for over 18 years and become a naturalized citizen of Costa Rica.  And, yes, there are quite a few American and Canadian citizens living here.  They do, however, tend to live in English speaking enclaves so I don't see them much anymore.

We call that pastry you made Enchilada (but it isn't).  I make them from pie crust dough with cooked pork, potatoes, carrots and onions.  I have to hide a couple of them in the oven because my family will eat them all.