No Knead Bread and Why My Pants Don't Fit Well

I gained a few pounds over the winter, and although my pants still fit, they are a little snug. So I do what every person in this situation should do. I eat s'mores all day and bake fresh bread. Dang! I've even had to resort to walking with my husband and dog in the morning and the treadmill at night. Still tight. Dang, dang, dang!

So since misery loves company I would like you to bake this bread also. It is sooo easy and the most beautiful loaf comes out of the oven, you will be so impressed with yourself. You just need flour, water, yeast, salt and a covered cast iron pot.

http://steamykitchen.com/168-no-knead-bread-revisited.html

(found the recipe here...cutest blog post ever!

No Knead Bread Recipe

No Knead Bread Recipe is adapted from Mark Bittman of NY Times who got it from Sullivan Street Bakery. When the recipe first came out, it was the blogging community who took the bread to new heights, especially Rose Levy Beranbaum, author of The Bread Bible. I followed Rose’s experiments through the weeks and learned from her recipe adjustments and the why’s of how this bread works.

Yield: one 1 lb loaf

3 cups bread flour (I like Harvest King bread flour)

(I used 2 cups Organic all purpose flour and 1 cup White Whole Wheat flour)
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
3/4 tablespoon kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon table salt)
1 1/2 cups warm water

Covered pot (five-quart or larger cast iron, Pyrex, ceramic, enamel…something that can go into a 450F oven.)

1. Mix dough: The night before, combine all ingredients in a big bowl with a wooden spoon until the dough just comes together. It will be a shaggy, doughy mess. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit 12-20 hours on the counter top.

2. Shape & preheat: The dough will now be wet, sticky and bubbly. With a wet spatula, dump the dough on a floured surface. Fold ends of dough over a few times with the spatula and nudge it into a ball shape. You can use your hands if you like, just keep your hands wet so that the dough does not stick. Generously dust a cotton towel (not terrycloth) with flour. Set dough seam side down on top of towel. Fold towel over the dough. Let it nap for 2 hours. When you’ve got about a half hour left, slip your covered pot into the oven and preheat to 450F.

3. Bake: Your dough should have doubled in size. Remove pot from oven. Holding towel, dump wobbly dough into pot. Doesn’t matter which way it lands. Shake to even dough out. Cover. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover, bake another 15-20 minutes or until the crust is beautifully golden and middle of loaf is 210F. Remove and let cool on wired rack. If not eating right away, you can re-crisp crust in 350F oven for 10 minutes. Best way to eat it? Smear a warm slice with some good butter, honey, orange marmalade, jelly, plain........

Here it is ready to go into the oven.

Turns out that pot is HOT! Don't put in on a plastic cutting board.

Look at the logo left on the board....Oooops!

What? That is the most beautiful bread ever!
I lined my pot with parchment just to make sure it wouldn't stick.

The picture above is after baking with the lid on.

Ahhhh...can't wait to try it.

This was after my husband and I tried it, and tried

some more....and then had some more with lunch.

(notice how I'm trying to look dainty as I shove a s'more in my mouth)

Today was my husband's birthday so we made s'mores by the fire pit after lunch...I kept thinking how funny it would be if our boys knew that we make s'mores while they are at school! Sneaky!

Do you think this could be why my jeans are too tight?

...hmmm let me think about it.

Oh and will you tell me where the "remove crow's feet" button

is located in Photoshop? Thanks

I'm off to watch The Office on the treadmill!