No-Knead Bread

Picture and recipe from
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/The-Science-Behind-Dutch-Oven-Bread.aspx

Watch the Video is here.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Easy-No-Knead-Bread-Video.aspx

I found this bread that
I know your 4 year old could make.

I am making some now to go
with dinner tomorrow. 

Adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery
Time: About 1½ hours plus 14 to 20 hours’ rising

No-Knead Bread

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
1¼ teaspoons salt

Flour, cornmeal or wheat bran as needed.

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

4. 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 towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. 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: One 1½-pound loaf.

Let me know how you like it. :)

Love,
Grammy T.

Sweet 'n Spicy Veggie Couscous ~ Yummmm

This is seriously delicious and so easy to make.

This is an easy quick recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1 large carrot, shredded

2 1/2 cups Progresso® Chicken Broth (from 32-oz. carton)

1 (11-oz.) can Green Giant® Mexicorn® Whole Kernel Corn, Red and Green 

Peppers, drained

1 (9-oz.) pkg. Green Giant® frozen baby sweet peas

2 tablespoons golden raisins

1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 1/2 cups uncooked couscous

2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted*

Fresh basil leaves, if desired

1. Heat oil in Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add onion and carrot; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until tender.

• 2. Increase heat to medium-high. Add all remaining ingredients except couscous, almonds and basil; mix well. Bring to a boil. Stir in couscous. Cover; remove from heat. Let stand 5 to 7 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
• 3. To serve, fluff couscous with fork. Garnish with slivered almonds and basil.

* To toast almonds, spread on cookie sheet; bake at 350°F. for 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Or, spread almonds in thin layer in microwave-safe pie pan. Microwave on HIGH for 4 to 7 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently.

You can find more of these great recipes here at Pillsbury.

Love,
Grammy T.

“And if we die before our journey’s through.. all is well”

That is surely a depressing title and I know I owe you an explanation.

I have loved reading The Hole In The Ceiling Blog  this last little while. In fact I printed the whole story out so that I could read it at night before I went to bed. Jane's husband died of Cancer and left her with two young boys. She talks of what a horrible experience it was and her feelings have given me a better insight into saying the proper things to someone who has lost something so important to them whether the death of a spouse or a job and a home.

I have been praying for a sweet young mother that I go to church with that has battled Cancer for a while now. She also has an adorable young husband that cherishes her and two young boys. What a coincidence...well maybe not.

I thought that hope was one of the best things that I could give her besides prayer. But the hope turned into reality for us all this week and she is dying. I still pray for her, her boys and her husband that the angels will be with them to buoy them up in the times of their sorrow. Her pain is in her back because the Cancer has attacked her spine. The medicine has taken most or some of the pain away.

Last evening I took dinner to an older lady that I go to church with that is honestly one of the cutest little things I have ever met. She leads the music and what a treat that has been to watch her. She has been down with horrible pain in her back. Her spine is very disjointed. Thankfully she has been rescued from most of the fierce pain with medication. We all have been praying for her that her pain could be alleviated.

Today after I had been up awhile my back starting killing me. It has hurt me the last few days but today it was horrible. I have had seven babies and I can tell you that this pain was as bad if not worse than I've ever had.  I don't know why but I do know that tonight I have true empathy for my sweet friends that have had pain so much worse than mine.

The Lord hold you in the hallow of His Hands, my dear friends. xoxoxo

Love,
Grammy T.