English Muffins

I don't know if anyone out there is as crazy about English muffins as I am, but I was very dissapointed when I couldn't find them out here. Lucky for me I found a recipe for them, you may know them as crumpets. Anyways I had everything I needed already except for the instant mashed potatoes which I found at Panda they are also available at Danube (along with everything else!). You can freeze them for later use or store them in an airtight container for up to a week. Enjoy!

English Muffins

1 3/4 cups (14 ounces) lukewarm milk

3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) melted butter

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons (7/8 ounce) granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/3 cup instant mashed potato flakes

3 cups (12 3/4 ounces) all purpose flour

2 teaspoons instant yeast

semolina, for dry frying

Combine all of the ingredients except the semolina in a mixing bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix till everything is combined, then beat at high speed (using the flat beater paddle, if you’re using a stand mixer) for 5 minutes. The dough will be soft, sticky, and glossy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover it, and allow the dough to rise for about 90 minutes, till it’s just about doubled in bulk.

Heat an ungreased frying pan or griddle over very low heat; a griddle with a thermostat should be set at 300°F. You may want to make one test muffin first, as follows:When the griddle or pan is up to heat, place one well greased 3 3/4” English muffin ring in the pan, and sprinkle a little semolina inside the ring.

If you don’t have muffin rings, fashion them from tuna cans, top and bottom removed, washed, and greased. Scoop a scant 1/2 cup (2 3/4 ounces) of sticky dough out of the bowl; it’s easiest if you rinse your measuring cup and wet your fingers before adding the dough to the cup. Use your wet fingers to shape the dough into a circle about the size of the ring (don’t stress about being too exact), lay it into the ring, and sprinkle the top lightly with semolina. After 7 minutes, check the bottom of the muffin; it should be a medium-golden brown. If it’s not, turn up the heat; if it’s too brown, turn down the heat. Cook for another 10 minutes, then use a pair of tongs to grab each side of the ring. It might lift right off; if it does, lift it off, set it aside, and use a spatula to gently turn the muffin over. If it doesn’t, flip the muffin over, ring and all; then gently wiggle the ring around till it comes off. Cook the second side for about 15 to 18 minutes, till it’s a deep golden brown. If you have an instant-read thermometer, the interior temperature will be about 200°F. Remove the muffin from the griddle, and gently split it open. If it appears to be done inside, cook the remaining muffins the same way. If it’s still gummy or wet, turn the heat down a bit and cook the remaining muffins a bit longer on each side.When the muffins are brown on both sides, transfer them to a rack to cool. When completely cool, store in a plastic bag.

Yield: about a dozen muffins.

Independent days...

I've noticed something with the children here, they are very independant. The other day I was watching a father walk with his son...they were walking outside some outdoor shops at night the stores are lined along the street so you can get the picture. Well dad was walking in front of his son a good yard or so between them he didn't even look to make sure his son was still there he just knew he was and the little soldier was marching right along never detouring along the way ok so maybe this doesnt seem like that big of a deal, but the boy must have been like 1 1/2 years old he was TINY! I was really in shock the way he just stayed with his dad I know my 2 1/2 year old would have been long gone if tried that heck even my 6 year old would have left.

I wonder how the parents raise them in this way my kids don't listen to me when we are out! I also see many young boys maybe 8-14 who accompany mom when shes shopping; yes sometimes he is driving her but thats something else. They are really responsible with their moms, walking with them, helping them carry stuff, paying once they get to the cashier. It makes me wonder if we baby our kids too much? Is that why they aren't able to take on bigger responsibilies as they grow. Or is it better that way?

I went out the other day and my 6 year old was playing with his friends outside he wanted to go with me but I was running late and he was a mess. So I said no. He started whining a bit and the little 3 year old brother of his friend told him Khaleek rajul! Be a man! It was so funny. This little boy saying that and he was dead serious.

Ikea

Well I went the other day to buy some furniture for the spare bedroom at Ikea. Everytime I come back I remember why I don't go often. Sure the prices are good and there are some cute things but the customer service is NON EXISTANT! I know this is how they "keep their low prices"but come on does it really cost that much just be courteous with customers?

I guess we have it a little better off here because in the states they dont even bag your purchases here, and you can also have someone push your stuff down to the car and load it up for you. The problem I have is when I am trying to find my selections upstairs the tag says one thing and when you go to the coresponding aisle and section big surprise! Its not there.

So it makes sense to go to the guys working at the counters right? Wrong! It takes like 5 minutes to get their attention once you do you dont get more than a nod to the general location of what you are looking for.
And God forbid you actually ask someone to help load something heavy into the cart they look at you like, you dare to ask me to help YOU? and walk away. Thanks to this mindset I dropped this incredibly heavy but deceivingly small box on my foot I was sure that my big toe would fall off due to lack of blood circulation!

At least I had the driver to help with the loading of the carts, yes carts I ended up pushing a full size mattress on one of those stupid carts it was incredibly akward especially in this society where just walking normally elicites stares from everyone imagine the american girl trying to manuever a huge mattress through the maze to get to the checkout.

Another nice thing here is that instead of hiring the ridiculously priced in house deliveryis that there are guys outside with trucks who deliver for about $30 to your home and load everything into the house, they will also put things together for you but I was like I am notforking over $100 for that even though the driver was like WHAT? you are going to put everything together yourself????? I was like ya dats right!

Yay!

I can't believe the end of the school year has finally arrived. It was Aboodis first year in real school. I think it was actually harder for me and my husband than him. Waking up and getting him out the door by 6:45 for me waking up at 11:30 is early so you can imagine. Plus it was really hard on him to get home at like 3:30 only to go to the mosque at 4:00 for his quran lessons. Alhamdullilah we made no more homework YAYAYAY!!!! I feel like I was the one in school not him... what with the homework and everything.

Summer plans are still not finalized but my dad and bro are coming next month which should be great now I spend my days planning all the places I need to take them, and things they need to see. The only small detail in my plans is this heat! It was 5ْcelsius today which is 122 fahrenheit is that even possible??? What I would give for some nice bay area weather if you know what I mean.

Anyways my plan is to keep the kids busy this summer so that they don't drive eachother (or me) crazy we'll see how that goes though.

Finally!!!!!!!!!!

About a year ago I bought a new comp while I was in the states and I bought insurance with it just to be safe. A few months after I returned it stopped working so I thought it was the best idea to send it back to my mom to get fixed. That was about 9 months ago and I just got it back tonight, since we have been waiting for someone to come out here to bring it to me. Yaaaaaaaay!!!!!! So now I have no excuses to not post more often.

Abdellah had his 7th birthday last week so I took him to Mekkah just the two of us to pray maghrib and eat dinner it was a lot of fun to explain things to him and to spend one on one time with him. After Cheikha came back from Kuwait we took all the kids and some of his friends out to a small water park for kids it was fun for them but sooooo hot for us even the cake was sweating (ewww).

Last night I took the kids out with two of Abdellah's friends on the way I picked up my niece in law. We decided to go to chuck e cheese. I bought a bunch of tokens and sent the kids on their ways. Then it was time for me and NIL to get our game on :p. We played quite a few rounds of air hockey then some mini basketball and some of the other games, it was a blast. Of course we tired waaaay before the kids and decided to sit down and chat for a bit. Soon before going Khadija wanted to get her face painted like a pink cat it was soooo cute! We left and rode home with nancy ajrams kids cd LOUD!! But thank god no fighting. My daughter told me to stop at the store and get her cat food since shes a cat now!

Khadija said the cutest thing when we were going to bed. Since my husband is out of town all 3 of the kids sleep in my bed with me my eldest son likes to hold on to someones ears when we go to bed he tried to hold onto his 2 yr old bros ears but he said no then his sis said you can hold onto my ears. I told her that she was nice and she responded- yes, I is... It made me laugh out loud.

Jewellery for sale at an artisans market in Mauritania

I've been so lazy about doing this, but I have plenty of excuses as always :p I went to Mauritania with my husband and kids for a few weeks. It was a great trip and I was just soooo happy to be able to drive as silly as it sounds but I missed it

I just got back from my in laws house sometimes I walk there with my older kids its about a 20 min walk its good to get out in the daylight and move around a bit. I had a interesting discussion where I tried to convince my sil that the sun is a star and the moon a moon she was convinced that both are planets I don't know if she was convinced by the end of our talk. This all started because I went there to get help with my sons arabic homework even though he is only in the first grade I still dont understand all of it. My husband left for a business trip last night sooo its worth the walk to get the help.

Anyways the kids are calling...

Here are pics of the henna I had done in Mauritania It takes about 7 hours with two women working non stop!