English Muffins

Ingredients
3-3 1/2 cups bread flour
2 Tbsp powdered milk
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp quick rising yeast
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cups hot water (120-130)

1. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, milk, sugar, yeast and baking soda in a large bowl; mix well.

2. Add hot water to flour mixture; mix for about 3 minutes. (easiest with and electric mixer) Then gradually mix in enough remaining flour to form soft dough. 

3. Knead dough for 6-8 minutes.  Now you can either form the dough into a loaf, and place it in a greased bread pan, or roll it out and cut it into round muffins and place on greased cookie sheet.  

4. Cover and let rise in a warm place until about double in size. (40 min)

5. Preheat oven  to 375.  Bake loaf until golden and sounds hollow when tapped, 25-30 min.  Bake muffins about half the time, checking them for color. 

Pistachio Pie

This is one of Joel's favorite desserts from when he was growing up.  His mom would make it for him, and he still raves about it to this day.

55 Ritz crackers, crushed

1 1/2 to 1 3/4 sticks margarine, melted

2 small boxes instant pistachio pudding (must be instant)

1 1/2 cup milk

1 qt. softened vanilla ice cream

8 oz. Cool Whip

Hershey bar, grated

Mix crushed Ritz crackers and melted margarine in 13 X 9 inch pan.  Press to form crust.  Bake 10 minutes and cool.  Mix pudding, milk and ice cream and spread on crust.  Freeze 2 hours and top with Cool Whip and grated chocolate bar.  Serve frozen or let stand 10 minutes.

Recipe by Judy Rownak

Grilled Shrimp with Cilantro

Time: 20 minutes
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
2 lb shrimp, peeled or unpeeled
Optional:
Olive oil or butter
garlic
cilantro

Cilantro Salsa
1 c chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly smashed
1 Tbsp peeled and roughly chopped ginger
1 habanero or jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped, or dried red-pepper flakes to taste
1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil, (or corn or canola oil)
Fresh lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste

Grilling instructions
1.  Make the Cilantro Salsa. Start a charcoal or gas fire    (don't make it too hot), and position the grill rack at least 4 inches from the heat source.  This can also be done in the oven on a grill pan. 
2. Grill the shrimp, turning once, until the shells are too hot to touch or the flesh turns bright pink and browns a bit. Serve immediately with the salsa.
Stove top instructions (this is what I did)
1. Heat olive oil or butter (1/4 - 1/2 cup) in a pan, add lots of garlic (2 Tbsp) and cilantro (2 tsp). Cook until pink, or heated through if you are using frozen shrimp like I did. ;)

Salsa instructions
1.  Combine the cilantro in a blender with the garlic, ginger, hot pepper, and oil. Puree until smooth, adding more oil if necessary and stopping the machine to scrape down the sides as needed.
2. Remove to a bowl, add some salt and pepper, and thin with 1 or 2 tablespoons of lime juice. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve; or cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Makes about 1 cup

Recipe posted by Emily from menshealth.com