Bread; it’s what brings our family together when the fresh baked smells are filling the air on a Sunday afternoon. It’s what completes our meal.

Bread baking can be quite the task, but it doesn’t have to be and that’s where Kneadlessly Simple comes in.  It’s a tasty cookbook of no-knead bread recipes; recipes that are broken down play by play for you with tons of helpful tips to insure that your bread comes out perfectly.  I love this book.   I love all the helpful hints, flour & bowl tips, how to store bread, explanation of ingredients—basically all the details.  Details, that will make all the difference on whether or not your bread will win the blue ribbon in competition or your family’s tastebuds.

I wanted to pick a bread recipe from the cookbook to share with you and boy was it hard to choose. There were so many delicious looking breads but ultimately, I decided on Rosemary Focaccia with Coarse Salt.  It was simple indeed but packed with flavor!   I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

For more kneadless bread recipes, ACH Foods and Fleischmann’s have created an eight-recipe book, The Bread Breakthrough. This compact cookbook introduces you to the simplicity of baking delicious no-knead yeast breads – on your schedule. You can purchase it for only $1 buck, check it out at breadbreakthrough.com.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 3/4 cups (13.75 ounces) unbleached all-purpose white flour, plus more as needed
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary needles (remove the stems), chopped fairly fine
• 3/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1 teaspoon instant, fast-rising, or bread machine yeast
• 1 1/3 cups plus 1/2 teaspoon ice water, plus more as needed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt or other coarse crystal salt

DIRECTIONS

FIRST RISE: In a large bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour, rosemary, table salt, and yeast. Vigorously stir in the water, scraping down the bowl and mixing until the dough is thoroughly blended. Vigorously stir in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. If the mixture is too dry to blend together, stir in just enough more ice water to facilitate mixing, but don’t over-moisten, as the dough should be slightly stiff. If too wet, stir in enough more flour to firm it slightly. Evenly brush the top lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise at cool room temperature for 12 to 18 hours.

SECOND RISE: Brush a 15 × 10 × 1-inch (or similar) baking pan with olive oil, then line the pan with baking parchment. Brush the parchment with olive oil. Using a well-oiled rubber spatula, turn the dough out onto the pan; try not to deflate it any more than necessary. Drizzle the dough with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. With well-oiled hands, lightly pat and press out the dough until it is evenly thick and extends to within 1 inch of the edges all around. Tent the pan with nonstick spray–coated plastic wrap.

LET RISE USING EITHER OF THESE METHODS: For a 2 H- to 3H-hour regular rise, let stand at warm room temperature; or for an extended rise, refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours, then set out at room temperature. Continue the rise until the dough has almost doubled from the deflated size. (If the pan has a 1-inch rim, the dough should be G inch below it.) Just before baking, with oiled fingertips, make deep indentations, or dimples, all over the dough. Sprinkle evenly with coarse salt.

BAKING PRELIMINARIES: 20 minutes before baking time, place a rack in lowest position in the oven; preheat to 500ºF. Place the broiler pan on the oven floor.

BAKING: Reduce the temperature to 475ºF. Add a cup of ice water to the broiler pan, being careful of splattering and steam. Bake on the lowest rack for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown, turning the pan from front to back for even browning about halfway through. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes more (or until the center registers 209º to 212ºF on an instant-read thermometer) to be sure the center is done. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Cool and cut.

If you would like to win a copy of the Kneadlessly Simple Cookbook, leave a comment here on this post telling me your favorite kind of bread and/or share a bread recipe!  You may enter once a day per person.

Giveaway ends on Nov. 22^nd.

Disclosure: Post is sponsored by ACH Foods, however, my opinion of the product remains authentic as always.

Using fresh herbs can make a world of difference when cooking but there are a few tips you might find useful when using them. 

• Use 3 times as much of fresh herbs as dried ones. 
• Add them to the food near the END of the cooking time.  They lose there flavor if cooked too long.
• For roasts: Cut up your herbs with salt and pepper and rub your roast before cooking.  Just gives an extra boost of flavor.
• If you don’t want to throw the herbs straight into a pot but want the flavor, try putting them in a cheesecloth first & tie them up. 
• For bread: Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of fresh herbs per one pound loaf.  If adding to pancakes, waffles, dumplings, etc….add 1 tablespoon per 2 cups of flour.
• For prolonged life span of herbs, store bunches refrigerated with the stems in water.  For the loose leaf herbs, shake dry and place in perforated bag with a paper towel to reduce the moisture.

Basil and garlic go nicely together.

Add chives to poaching liquids for fish, creamed chicken and in the water for cooking vegetables.

Add a generous handful of chopped cilantro to salsa mixtures and let sit for a few hours to meld the flavors. Handful of cilantro to two cups of salsa.

Combine two tablespoons chopped sage with 8-ounces of cream cheese and three or four tablespoons white wine as a light spread or dip.

Put a few sprigs of rosemary on coals when doing outdoor-grilled meats.

Chop coarsely and add a teaspoon or two of thyme to a recipe for a dozen biscuits. Adjust the quantity for different recipes.

Put a couple sprigs of tarragon into a bottle of white wine vinegar and let it steep for a month or more. Strain out the tarragon and use the vinegar as part of a vinaigrette, to dress cooked vegetables or on fish or poultry.

Add two or three bay leaves to Italian-style tomato sauces at the beginning of cooking to add that wonderful strength of flavor. Remove the leaves before service.

If you want to see pictures of herbs, you can see a VERY old post of mine.  It was back when I was super lazy!  Sometimes it helps to see what each herb looks like.  I use fresh herbs when I can but I live so far from town that I can’t always have them on hand.  That’s why you should consider and aerogarden;)

First, I’ve been nominated for best food blog.  My badge is in my sidebar.  I don’t think my blog is the best by any means but I would still love to have some votes.  If you register and vote for me, I’ll give you 5 bonus entries into my standmixer contest:)   

Every kitchen needs a timer.  It’s extremely easy to get sidetracked when you have a little 15mth old getting into everything, 2 teenage boys wrestling, and your husband asking for tea!  I prefer a magnetic one to place on my refrigerator since out kitchen is so small, but this little egg one is tooooo cute. 

Speaking of eggs, did you know that eggs have many essential nutrients and have only 75 calories each? If I could stomach eggs in the morning, I’d be all over that but I have a hard time eating much of anything in the mornings.  I guess that’s why you see people on TV eating 2 boiled eggs for breakfast…’cause it’s good for you.

One of the hottest things going on right now, is growing your own herbs but if you lack the green thumb then you might check it out Aerogarden.  It’s super easy to use and practically idot proof.  I’ve seen this on TV and it looks awesome.  It’s a bit on the pricey side but worth it if you are an avid chef!

Essential Pantry Items:

• Olive oil.  Great for salads, dressings, and cooking.
• Nonstick cooking spray.  Speaks for itself.
• Vinegars.  Including red wine & balsamic.
• FRESH herbs;)
• Canned tomatoes.
• Flour & sugar.

Keep these in stock at all times to zest up your meals.  Lots of quickie meals can be made with these ingredients.

Sometimes a handmixer is all you need. It’s quick, convenient, and easy cleanup.  I bet, if you’re like me, you have that old mixer that came from Wal-mart and is kinda yucky.  Just like the standmixers, Kitchenaid offers handmixers in ALL sorts of colors.  I need want a new one.  I would probably choose red or some kind of turqoise blue but this green is pretty too.

And finally, if you are starting the New Year with a healthier outlook then you are probably dieting.  If this is the case, you should consider eDiets.com. You can get a personalized plan that works for you. They match you to the best program that will suit your lifestyle. Also, I will be adding more recipes that are on the lighter side so keep your eyes peeled.

Page 3 of Utensils, Gadgets, & Cutlery from the 2008 Holiday Gift Guide.

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Prepara Herb Savor

The Herb-Savor will prolong the life of fresh herbs for up to 3 weeks
The Herb Savor is the smart way to triple the life of fresh herbs, ensuring fresh, flavorful meals all week long. Finally–storage that prolongs the life of fresh herbs by up to 3 weeks, so you get the most out of your purchase. With the Herb Savor, the ends of the herb stems are slightly submerged in water to keep the plants fresh, while the rest of the foliage remains cool and dry above. The compact design won’t crush or crowd delicate leaves, yet fits neatly in a typical fridge door. The stainless-steel herb basket is removable, so it’s easy to rinse your herbs without damaging or tangling them. Works with all kinds of fresh herbs, and is an excellent way to store asparagus too. 7 1/4″ w x 2 1/2″ d x 11 1/2″ h.Prolong the life of your fresh herbs Nothing beats the taste of fresh herbs. They make even the most ordinary meal special, and add loads of flavor to food, without adding sodium, fat or lots of extra calories. The downside? They don’t last very long, so too frequently you wind up having to throw some out. The Herb Savor can triple the life of your fresh herbs, so you get maximum enjoyment and use from every bunch–and maximum return from your purchase. How does it work? The Herb Savor keeps the ends of the herb stems in water, yet keeps the rest of the leaves cool and dry, not smushed together and damp like regular bags or containers. This helps keep the plants fresh, green and flavorful. Compact and versatileThe well-designed unit fits neatly in a typical refrigerator door, and it works with all kinds of herbs, from softer, leafy varieties like parsley and cilantro to woody-stemmed herbs like rosemary and thyme. Plus, it’s a great way to store asparagus!

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Back to Basics Microwave Gourmet Apple Dipper

Dipping Container sized to hold one 14-oz bag or caramels or 12-oz bag of chocolate chips
Container’s Extended Top Edge keeps drips to a minimum and provides hand grips for easy movement and emptying
Pour spouts for ease in emptying and pouring melted candy
Includes a dipping utensil for pretzels, small fruits, and nuts
Semi-translucent lid

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KitchenAid BCG100OB Blade Coffee Grinder

* Powerful 200 watt motor
* Stainless steel blade easily grinds beans
* Brushes stainless steel bowl with etched measure marking
* Clear top cover
* Pulse control

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Original Pig Tail Food Flipper in Gift Box 2-pc

“A cooking tool with a silly name and a seriously functional form” is what Fine Cooking says about this revolutionary grilling tool. The sharp, spiral snare at the tip is cleverly designed to lightly pierce the edge of virtually any solid food for turning. A quick flip of the wrist and your food is turned to the other side. Use it for a rack of ribs, hot dogs, steaks or shrimp. It’s also perfect for the kitchen as you turn bacon, baked potatoes or French toast. Never again will you have to wobble food on a spatula with this on hand! The set of two arrives in a solid wood box with brass fittings, a handsome case for storing.

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I’m lazy today so this post will be short.  I don’t know about you but I get confused easily with all the different types of herbs out there.  I found this picture that sums them all AND it has pictures! We all like pictures, don’t we?!