Making bread.

February 8, 2010

So last week I got this email from my friend:

Well of course from her excitement I absolutely had to try making the bread for myself. You know, just to make sure it was true. Up until two days ago the only bread I’ve ever made is banana bread and corn bread. But really, who are we kidding, those are both more like cakes (sorry if you think otherwise).

Anyways, I followed the directions and made the same changes my friend made and TA-DA! The bread came out INSANELY professional and RIDICULOUSLY delicious. Whoo!

I am a real live baker. Check out the pics… so easy you can make it too!

RECIPE

Speedy No-Knead Bread

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 packet (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast (follow directions on the back of packet)

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

Oil as needed

1. Combine flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups water and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest about 4 hours at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2. Lightly oil a work surface and place dough on it; fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes more.

3. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6-to-8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under dough and put it into pot, seam side up. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes.

4. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

Yield: 1 big loaf.

Thanks Cal and Thanks Mark Bittman!!

2 Comments · Filed Under: Uncategorized · Tagged With: baking, food.

Sammiches.

February 6, 2010

I decided to make ham and swiss sandwiches today… a forever favorite of mine. We debated whether to go to Mr. Bartley’s in Cambridge for lunch today, to eat burgers, but I’m really glad we decided to head to Whole Foods to get our own supplies. A wise choice, I say. I used Applegate Farms honey ham and swiss cheese and Iggy’s rye bread. The sandwiches were delicious (always are). I remember back in high school my sister would always make one of these after school. Every day I would ask for a bite and I would open my mouth as wide as I possibly could and take the most humongous bite ever. She would get mad of course, but still the next day she would let me take a bite again. I would always promise I would take a small bite, but alas, I was a little liar and I never kept my word. I just couldn’t help myself, the sandwich was and IS truly the best. Meg wasn’t here today while I was devouring mine, but if she was I’d like to think I would have given her a bite.

MAYBE. We will never know.

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BROWNIES

February 4, 2010

Oh, yes. I made brownies the other night. I made my special recipe. It’s so delicious, it’s by Duncan Hines. Do you know it?

All you have to do is mix eggs, water, vegetable, oil and brownie mix and your done. I’m sorry if you’re one for homemade brownies. I appreciate that you make them homemade, I really do. But for me, this stuff is magic. The brownies are so gooey and moist and delicious. Plus the batter is insane. I could eat the whole thing with a spoon. YUMM-O. Yummmmm.

I love you, Duncan Hines. You rock.

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Franklin Cafe

January 21, 2010

We headed to the Franklin Cafe last night in the South End. I’ve been wanting to try this place since September but have never had the opportunity until now. The atmosphere is warm and cozy and the food was yummy. I ordered the steak frites and Zan decided to go with the duck. Delicious food. Mine was pretty standard, no surprises there. The duck came with a thin side of mashed potatoes and currants. We both enjoyed our food but decided by the end of the night that we would rather go back to Toro next time. Not that The Franklin Cafe isn’t good, because it is, but Toro offers a really fun ambience that is fun and different for a night out in Boston. The Franklin Cafe gets a 7 out of 10 from me. Good, hearty food. A great place for a cold winters night.