the $1 loaf of bread a 6 year old could make

all i can say is WOW.  forget buying ok store bought bread or expensive artisan loafs.  those days are over! this easy and cheap recipe yields an amazingly delicious end result with a crusty outside and soft, chewy center.

i've read rave reviews of sullivan street bakery's no-knead rustic bread recipe but have yet to give it a whirl.  i have my grandmother's cast iron pot which was the perfect vessel to bake this brown beauty in.  since it's been awhile since i last used it, i had to season the pot first.  MAKE THIS!

3 c. flour
1/4 t. yeast
1 1/4 t. salt
1 1/2 c. H20

in a large bowl, combine flour, yeast and salt.  mix together with your hand.
add 1 c. water, mix with hand until combined.
cover with serran wrap and let sit in a warm spot (70* is ideal) for 12-24hrs.

dough is ready when you many small bubble on surface.
dump it on a floured surface.  it will have a stringy texture.
lightly pat and fold dough a couple of times onto itself. cover with serran wrap and let rest another 15 min.

generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal. (i used a combo of cornmeal and flour).
put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal.
fold towel around doughball and let rise for 2 hrs.
dough will be more than double it's size when ready and not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

at least 1/2 hr before dough is ready, heat oven to 450*.
put a 6-8 qt heavy covered pot (cast iron/enamel/Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats.
when dough is ready, remove hot pot from oven and place dough inside...seam side up.
cover with lid and bake 30 min, then remove lid and bake another 15-30 min until loaf is brown.
when bread is tapped with fingers and sounds hollow, it is done.
cool on a rack and EAT!!!

G-FREE cooking

me! gluten free?! yeah, it's true. and i haven't been too happy about it lately. i'm a die hard sf sourdough fan, love me some sweet baked treats, cereal, BEER, the gluten works. well i was recently diagnosed as being allergic to wheat (go figure!) which explains a lot on a digestive level. (i'll save you the details). so of course when you can't have something, you want it even more.

i made my first mistake of buying Food For Life Brown Rice Bread from trader joes. this lovely little item should only be used as a home security device if a robber breaks in. the weight and density will surely knock him out. or maybe as a replacement brick for that wall you've been meaning to fix. regardless, pass go and never come back! YUCK.

So after that little disaster buy, i had given up all hope (and $6.20!!) of ever having a sandwich or piece of toast again. then my lovely bf reminded me he has a bread maker! an old gf bought it for him as a "take me back" move. strange present for a guy that had never made bread in his life. luckily he ditched the girl and her gift has become my saving grace.

whole foods has an amazing selection (most stores) of g-free products. bread mixes in particular. you can get dizzy looking at all the options. i knew to be hesitant from my last purchase. i first experimented with Bob's Red Mill since it was a well known alternative flour brand.

it was good. better than that nasty rice bread, but not 100% legit either. i was just happy toast came back into my life. my first batch's texture was a bit off so i gave it one more try. much better texture round two. then i decided to try another flavor mixture of Bob's....

mummmm, cinnamon raisin bread. i used to love that stuff back in my G-BINGE days. the texture of this one came out on point. i was so proud of my 1.5lb loaf. i felt like a real baker (even though the machine did the hard part). flavor scale, 4 out of 5. not too shabby.

i found this sweet G-Free food reviews website that really got me hyped. no more guesswork. they do it for me. so today i ventured off back to my local wf's and bought two new bread mixes to sample. today's is:

Pamela's Gluten Free Bread Mix (like my table and nails? i thought so.) this loaf came out a little softer than Bob's. i let it cool and sliced that puppy open to see my work in depth.

nice air pockets. got some dense zones in there but how does it taste? at first un-adorned bite, it was good flavor wise. a little sweeter than Bob's and a little chewier that BRM. but how did it toast? oh sweet jesus!!! the best toast by far. who needs gluten bread when you have this?! i ate it so quick i couldn't snap a pic of the golden Buddha. but i did snap a pic of my late afternoon snack, G-free Sam Smith's Organic Cider and a slice of wheatless wonder.

more reviews to come as my adventures continue. cheers!