Crusty Artisan Bread

One of my new neighbor's made this for us for Christmas and no lie, it was the very best Christopher and I have ever had, EVER.  She was kind enough to teach me how!

No-Knead Crusty White Bread
3 C. lukewarm water (bath water temperature)
1 1/2 T. instant yeast (about 1.5 packets)
1 T. sugar, to get the yeast going
32 oz of flour (best to measure by weight but usually about 7 Cups)
1 T. salt

Measure your flour into a really big mixing bowl, I use my XL one.  I do measure by weight for this recipe only.  Add salt and set aside.

Measure your water and get it warm enough that it would be nice to take a bath in.  Definitely plenty warm but not quite to an ouch level of heat.  I've read 105 degrees is the magic number but I don't have a candy thermometer so I guessed.  Stir in the yeast and the sugar.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir it up as well as you can to combine.  You're going to have to get your hands in there and fair warning, this is a very sticky dough.  Take off your rings first!

Cover with saran wrap and put the whole thing in the fridge for at least two hours and up to 7 days.  They say the closer you get to Day 7, the more sour-dough-ish it will taste.  You can prep this dough and let it sit, just make a loaf whenever you want fresh bread!  This recipe makes four round loaves, by the way.

Take the bread out and grease your hands!  Sprinkle with flour and then pull out a handful.  Section the dough into fours (about 14-19 oz each) and then shape into a ball.  Here is a video I found on how to do this, the first time I made mine they were kind of muffin-y shaped.  I am thinking that bread making is sort of an art though, and it will get better with practice.  Put your shaped dough on parchment paper (ideally, I think you can also spray your cookie sheet), sprinkle lightly with flour and let it rise for 45 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 450 and put a metal bread dish (or other metal tray) on the bottom rack.  Right before you put your bread in the oven, add about a cup of water to your metal pan- I guess this keeps moisture in the air while it cooks?  Not sure of the significance of the metal pan but the directions I read specify metal and not glass.

Right before you put it in the oven, give your bread a couple of slices on top, and cook for 25 minutes.   Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Energy Bars

I made these with my sister Kat a couple of months ago and they are SO good!  They are supposed to be a pre or post run snack, sort of a healthy, homemade granola bar of sorts.  This is the sort of thing that I could just take a spoon to though, so I'll have to be careful, but they are definitely worth posting. :-)

Peanut Butter Energy Bars
1 C. dry oatmeal
2/3 C. toasted coconut flakes (I didn't toast mine)
1/2 C. sunflower seeds
1/2 C. peanut butter
1/2 C. ground flax seed or wheat germ (I blended my flax seed and it worked perfect!)
1/2 C. chocolate chips
1/3 C. honey
1 tsp. honey

Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl.  Let chill in the fridge for half an hour.  Roll into 1" balls if you like, or if you're lazy, like me, then press them into a greased pan and then cut to size.  Store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to a week.

Makes 20-25 balls.
Optional add-ins: chopped dried fruit (apricots, raisins, berries) or nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts)