English Muffin Bread

From One Good Thing by Jillee (http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/02/moms-english-muffin-bread.html)

5 1/2 cups warm water
3 packages RAPID RISE yeast
     (You can use regular yeast, but you will need to let is rise TWICE. Once in the bowl, til it reaches the top…and then again in the pans, til it reaches the top. With the RAPID RISE you only need to let it rise once in the pans.)
2 Tablespoons salt
3 Tablespoons sugar
11 cups bread flour (you can use All-Purpose if you want)

Mix altogether, then spoon into (4) well greased loaf pans.  Let rise in pans until dough reaches the top of the pans, and bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown. 10 minutes before done, brush with melted butter. Makes 4 loaves. Bread will be moist at first. Allow to COOL COMPLETELY before cutting. Makes terrific toast.

Irish Potato Brown Bread

Bread Machine Recipe

1 1/2 Pound Loaf
1 1/4 cups water
3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons honey

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup bread flour
1/4 cup instant potato flakes
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons gluten
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons SAF yeast or 2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast


2 Pound Loaf
1 2/3 cups water
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
3 tablespoons honey

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup bread flour
1/3 cup instant potato flakes
2 tablespoon gluten
2 teaspoons salt

2 1/2 teaspoons SAF yeast or 1 tablespoon bread machine yeast

Instructions
1) Place all the ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer's instructions.  Set crust on medium and program for the Whole Wheat cycle; press Start.  (This recipe is not suitable for use with the Delay Timer).

2) When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack.  Let it cool to room temperature before slicing.

Caramel Shortbread

Get out your kitchen scale for this recipe!  From an British cookbook.

Shortbread
4 oz butter, softened
2 oz sugar
6 oz self-raising flour
Pinch of Salt

Topping
4 oz superfine sugar
4 oz butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup (a must in your kitchen.  Buy it from World Market or from Amazon)
218 gm (7.657 oz) tin condensed milk
100 gm (3.512 oz) bar plain or milk chocolate (I doubled the chocolate)

 Set oven to 325 degrees F.  Well grease and base line an approx. 11 x 7 inches shallow tin.  Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy.  Stir in the flour and salt and knead well.  Put into the tin, spread out and press down evenly with the fingers.  Bake for 30 minutes until pale brown.  Leave in the tin to cool.  Meanwhile, for the topping, put all the ingredients, except the chocolate, into a pan.  Bring to the boil and continue boiling for 5 minutes or more, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens and turns pale caramel brown.  When ready, pour over the cooked shortbread and spread out.  When set, melt the chocolate in a bowl set over hot water, pour over the caramel and spread out.  When the chocolate has set, cut into squares with a sharp knife dipped in hot water.

Peanut Butter Fudge Brownie Trifle

From How Sweet It Is: http://www.howsweeteats.com/2011/09/peanut-butter-fudge-brownie-trifle/

1 batch of your favorite brownies, boxed or from scratch, cooled and cut into cubes
1 large box (5-ounce) of instant chocolate pudding, prepared and chilled (this will most likely call for 3 cups of milk, nothing else)
1 bag of peanut butter cups, chopped
2 cups heavy cream
3-4 tablespoons granulated sugar, depending on your desired level of sweetness
1 cup of creamy peanut butter
1 cup of powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
8 ounces of whipped cream cheese, at room temperature

In the bowl of an electric mixer (or using a hand mixer), beat heavy cream and sugar on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream to an separate bowl and stick in the fridge until ready to use. I did not even clean the bowl of my electric mixer and just began mixing the peanut butter mixture.

Add the peanut butter and cream cheese to the bowl and beat at medium speed, scraping down the sides a few times until mixture is creamy. Add in powdered sugar and mix until combined, then mix in 2 tablespoons of milk. Remove the whipped cream from the fridge and add 1 cup of it to the peanut butter, folding it in until the mixture turns lighter in color and is mostly combined.

Grab your trifle dish and begin to layer your ingredients however you’d like. I did a layer of brownies, then peanut butter, then a handful of chopped peanut butter cups, chocolate pudding, whipped cream, and so on. I repeated it until I got to the top, then piped the remaining whipped cream on top and sprinkled the candy on. You really can’t go wrong with layering – just use a long spoon to serve!

Ploughman's Plate

This is usually what a ploughman, or a farmer, would take out to the field with him for lunch while working.

• Fruit, such as apples, grapes, strawberries, etc.
• Sharp white cheddar cheese (I used the less expensive medium yellow cheddar)
• Stilton cheese (optional)
• bread (I used french bread) cut into pieces
• Branston Pickled Relish (pickled & spiced fruits and veggies in a jar. May find at commissary, or specialty food stores)
• McVitie's Digestives (graham cracker type crackers)
• Pickled onion (optional)

Basically just slice up the cheese, apples and bread. Serve on a plate or platter along with other fruits, Digestives, pickled relish, and pickled onion.

Usually, people eat the cheese and pickled relish ontop of cracker or bread, along with fruit. Tastes nice all together.

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

• English (Seedless) Cucumbers, sliced thinly
• sandwich bread
• cream cheese
• sea salt
• white or black pepper

Take sliced cucumbers and put on top of paper towel, then put a paper towel on top of cucumbers to soak up the excess water.

Spread cream cheese onto both sides of bread. Place 4 or 5 slices of cucumber on one cream cheese bread piece.

Sprinkle salt and pepper on top of cucumbers. Place other bread slice on top, covering cucumbers.

Cut crusts off all sides of sandwich. Then cut crust-less sandwich in half.

May be placed in a container and refrigerated for one day.

Grasmere Gingerbread

from an English cookbook with British measurements, so get out your kitchen scale!

A famous recipe from Wordsworth's home village in the Lake District.

9 oz whole wheat flour
3 oz oats
3/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1-1/4 teaspoons cream of tartar
3 teaspoons ground ginger
9 oz hard butter
9 oz soft brown sugar

Set oven to 325F. Well grease and base line an approx. 14 x 9 inches shallow tin. Put the flour, oats, bicarbonate of soda, cream of tartar and ground ginger into a bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and rub in until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar. Put into the tin, spread out and press down firmly with the back of a floured fork. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until pale brown (do not overcook). Cut into squares while warm and leave the tin until completely cold. Keeps well in an airtight tin.

Caramel Shortbread

from an English cookbook with British measurements, so get out your kitchen scale!

4 oz butter, softened
2 oz sugar
6 oz self-raising flour
Pinch of salt

TOPPING:
4 oz superfine sugar
4 oz butter
2 Tablespoons golden syrup (*You cannot buy golden syrup in supermarkets. You have to order online or go to World Market in Tucson. There is really not a good substitute for this unique syrup; you can use corn syrup...it works, but it doesn't give the same rich flavor as golden syrup)
218 gm tin condensed milk (= 7.657 oz)
100 gm bar plain or milk chocolate (=3.512 oz) (*I used more chocolate than this so I could cover the whole thing with a thicker layer)

Set oven to 325F. Well grease and base line an approx. 11 x 7 inches shallow tin. Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Stir in the flour and salt and knead well. Put into the tin, spread out and press down evenly with the fingers. Bake for 30 minutes until pale brown. Leave in the tin to cool. Meanwhile, for the topping, put all ingredients, except the chocolate, into a pan. Bring to the boil and continue boiling for 5 minutes or more, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens and turns pale caramel brown. When ready, pour over the cooked shortbread and spread out. When set, melt the chocolate in a bowl set over hot water, pour over the caramel and spread out. When the chocolate has set, cut into squares with a sharp knife dipped in hot water.

English Trifle

-Originally submitted by Shauna Cooke

1 box yellow cake mix
1 large box strawberry jello
2 boxes of 3 oz. instant vanilla pudding
12 oz. carton of Cool-whip
Fruit to put in jello, ie. strawberries, peaches, etc.

Bake the cake according to directions, let cool completely. Make jello according to directions, add the fruit when partially set, then let jello and fruit set until firm. Make the pudding according to directions.

In a large bowl crumble up the cake, then put jello mixture on top of cake. Spoon the vanilla pudding on top of jello mixture. Spoon the Cool-whip on top of pudding. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves 12

Irish Soda Bread

2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Flour to dust

In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture looks like fine crumbs. Add raisins, if desired. Add buttermilk. Mix with a fork until moistened.

Knead gently about 1 minute. Shape into a ball. Place dough on a greased cookie sheet or pie plate and flatten into a 7-inch circle. Dough will be about 1 1/2 inches thick. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Remove and place on a wire rack to cool. Brush top with melted butter. Dust with flour. Makes 1 loaf.