Mail & Breakfast

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Mail is a wonderful thing.

Yesterday I found some very beautiful mail in my mailbox from a dear new friend, Jaclyn. Decorated all over with roses and flowers, I almost didn't want to open it!

(Indeed, I left it sitting out on the counter - unopened - for most of the morning because I loved looking at it.)

So that morning I deemed it right to send out some pretty mail myself.

Tasha Tudor had a mile long driveway to walk everyday to her mailbox, and though my driveway isn't a mile long, I do have a corgi to accompany me!

I absolutely love sending and receiving mail. I think it is a lost art that is slowly dying out in our fast culture. So you should send some mail today! Really, a thank you note, a little card telling a friend that you're thinking of them, all you need is a stamp and an envelope. And please tell me if you do!

Because finding a letter or a card in your mailbox (amongst all those boring bills) is a true delight.

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Later that day I decided to make one of my most favorite bread recipes. Last summer I had made it quite often (almost every week), but throughout the fall and winter I had prepared other recipes instead.

Like most bread recipes, this one has a rising time, but it's one of the easiest breads to make - I promise! Its an amazing recipe for English Muffin Bread, the only downside is that you'll want to eat it all day long, and not just for breakfast toast!

Another good thing about the recipe is that it doesn't have to bake for a long time, which means it's out of the oven and in your tummy much faster. Haha!


The bread came out wonderfully, so wonderfully that Quinn and I couldn't wait for the next morning to eat some of it. We had some with dinner and oh, how yummy it was!

The next morning of course I had it for toast, and - feeling quite old-fashioned with a new lace robe I received from Abigail for my birthday - I decided to make a pretty breakfast tray for myself while I read my Bible.


Of course, with the smell of toast and hot tea, Greta wanted a taste too. 

Though, she did seem more interested in the tulips...


If you'd like to make your own English Muffin Bread, I'll share the recipe below. It's from my favorite cookbook, the Better Homes & Gardens Cook Book, I hope you try it and enjoy it like I have!

English Muffin Bread
From the Better Homes & Gardens Cook Book

Cornmeal
6 cups all-purpose flour
2 packages active dry yeast
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups milk
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt

1.) Grease two 8x4x2-inch loaf pans. Lightly sprinkle pans with enough cornmeal to coat bottom and sides; set pans aside.

2.)In a large mixing bowl combine 3 cups of the flour, the yeast, and baking soda; set aside. In a medium saucepan heat and stir milk, water, sugar, and salt just until warm (120F to 130F). Using a wooden spoon, stir milk mixture into flour mixture. Stir in remaining flour.

3.) Divide dough in half. Place dough in prepared pans. Sprinkle tops with cornmeal. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 45 minutes). 

4.) Bake in a 400F oven about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove bread from pans. Cool on wire racks. Eat as is or toasted with lots of butter or jam. 


From Emily's poetry book:

Breakfast comes but once a day
with toast and jam and tea.
But also for lunch and supper?
Oh, that would be great indeed!

7 comments

  1. Hi there, Emily!~ thanks for coming to visit me at my blog! What a gorgeous blog you have here! And YES, I agree--- a sweet note in the mail from a friend is the best thing! What a pretty letter you got too! Those are the absolute best! :D
    I LOOOOVE that you have a corgi pup! She is adorable! ANd you have quite a beautiful walk to your postbox--- ours is hung right by our front door, so no Tasha Tudor walk for me. But its nice in bad weather!
    Your new robe is gorgeous. That photo of you by the window....its practically a painting!~
    ~Heather

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    1. Okay. So I might have just screamed and made my husband come running downstairs because you read my blog. I'm sort of a big fan of yours, Heather. Haha!

      Anyway, thank you so much for coming over! I'm a huge fan of your artwork, so if you say my photo looks like a painting, then I might have just died and gone to heaven.

      Again, thank you so much for your sweet comment and I hope you post more on YOUR blog soon (maybe some more pictures of your amazing roses?)! Much love, ~Emily Z.

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  2. Awww, how sweet you wrote about the mail I sent you. :) I'm glad you enjoyed it so much. I have a long walk down to my mailbox as well and I have joked that it feels like a mile long. Of course it isn't, but it does take 5 minutes to walk to it and you can't see it from the house.

    The bread looks delicious and I will have to make it sometime.

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    1. The mail was so pretty I just couldn't keep it to myself. :)

      I know how annoying it can be having a mailbox so far away - especially when you know something special has arrived for you! It seems like miles! Haha!

      I hope you are doing well, Jaclyn! Thanks for your comment! <3

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  3. Oh, what beautiful mail. And the stamps match beautifully. I miss the days of mail rather than e-mail. It just isn't the same, is it? When I read your blog and see your photos, it seems you are living a fairy tale. Your tea cup and saucer are so very lovely. I wish I liked hot tea. I have tried so many times, but I just don't like anything hot except hot chocolate. I guess I could have that in a teacup, but I am not sure it would feel the same. Your gift from Abigail is beautiful. What a thoughtful sister-in-law you have.

    You have given us a new recipe to try. We love English muffins, so I think we will like the toasting bread.

    I love that you are putting your poetry on the blog. It makes it that more special, Emily.

    Here is wishing you sunny days -
    Donna

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    1. I like to think I'm living in a fairy tale, it's so much more fancy than reality! :)

      You know Donna, I didn't like tea either for the longest time. My sister Bethany once had me try all these different teas because I dreamed of becoming a librarian one day (and she said that librarians HAVE to drink tea). I didn't like any of them. It wasn't until I was in college that I found a tea I liked, and now I have found several others that I enjoy. So don't give up hope! Maybe there's a tea out there just for you!

      You'll have to tell me if you try out the recipe. I'd love to hear how it goes!

      Have a great rest of your weekend, ~Emily Z.

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