Homemade English Muffins

I am a fan of Foodnetwork and the Cooking Channel. So when I saw someone at a restaurant making English Muffins, I knew I had to find a recipe to make them at home. I am a firm believer that I can make just about anything I see on these two channels and I often find inspiration and ideas to try out in my kitchen. This morning it was English Muffins. My husband, Michael, loves these versatile muffins and I know he will love having homemade muffins so much more than store bought.

I found several recipes on Allrecipes.com, but decided on this one English Muffins by LindaPinda. However, I did not roll out the dough and cut out rounds. I did what I saw the restaurant do, I divided the dough out into equal portions and rolled the dough into a ball shape. I used a cast-iron griddle to cook them on. At first I thought it would be difficult to make these, but it wasn't nearly as hard. I never knew that they were cooked on top of the stove either, but I guess I never really thought about it.

The English Muffins turned out better than I expected for my first try. They are lighter than I figured they would be too. They taste fresher and better than store bought. They can be used in so many ways and can be stored for use later. Why don't you give them a try.

Shrimp and Avocado Quesadillas with Mango Salsa

I made these this week, but failed to take pictures. They were so delicious. Here's how I made them.

12-14 Large shrimp (21-30 count size)
1 large ripe (not overly) avocado, sliced
1/2 cup Chopped cilantro
Shredded cheese, you decide how much you want on each quesadilla
8-10 flour tortillas

Cook the shrimp in a tablespoon of olive oil with garlic amd teaspoon of chili powder. Don't over cook shrimp. Let shrimp cool a bit, then butterfly them.

On a heated flat pan. I think I used a med-low heat setting and a flat cast iron skillet. Lay a tortilla on the heated pan. On one side of the tortilla layer cheese, 3 butterflied shrimp, cilantro, avocado. You can top with more cheese. Cover with the other half of the tortilla and then flip to make sure both sides are cooked. I like mine to have some nice light to medium brown spots on the tortilla. Continue until all are done.

Mango Salsa Recipe
1 ripe Mango, peeled and diced.
1/2 cup of diced pineapple (you can use 3/4 cup if you like more pineapple)
2 tablespoons diced sweet onion or purple onion
2 tablespoons of fresh chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon lemon pepper & sea salt (optional)
1 tablespoon pineapple juice to help mix in seasoning
Season with chili powder, cayene and sea salt to your particular taste.

This recipe can be adjusted to your taste. Some people add red bellpepper, so play around with it to make it your own.

Enjoy!