Garlic and Herb Bread

My homemade garlic and herb bread

Hi friends! I can’t wait to tell you about my garlic and herb bread recipe. I just made it today and man does the house smell good. It’s a perfect day for baking!

I used my no-knead bread recipe, however I had made the dough last week. After rising on the counter for 24 hours, I transferred it to an air tight plastic container and put it in the fridge. It’s always good to have bread dough on hand! I was also aiming for it to develop a sour dough taste, which it did! You can store bread dough (that’s already risen on the counter) for up to two weeks in the fridge. The longer it stays, the sour-er it gets! And it’s definitely a good sour.

So fast forward to today, I took the container out and let the dough come to room temperature. From here I took about half of the dough (the other half went to regular sour dough bread, which is currently in my crockpot), then mixed in:

1/2 cup flour
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic salt
1/4 cup warm water

You could also add: basil, minced onion, rosemary, the possibilities are endless.

Mix this all up, knead for a few minutes to get all of the flavor incorporated. Then let rise for 30 mins. During this time, heat up your crockpot to High, or oven to 450. Form your dough into a ball with floured hands, and place in your cooking container. Bake for 2 hours, or until crust is a light golden brown. You can finish in the oven for 10-15 mins at 450 degrees if you want a slightly browner crust

I baked mine in the crockpot today simply because I wanted a softer bread. To do this, I sprinkle corn meal on the bottom of the crockpot so the dough doesn’t stick. Parchment paper will also work. It’s so tempting, but don’t open the lid during cooking. It will let out steam and heat, vital to the cooking process.

If you want to use your oven, preheat a casserole dish (with a lid) in the oven for 30 mins while the oven preheats and your dough rises. Then sprinkle corn meal or spread parchment paper on the bottom of the casserole dish, plop your bread in and bake for 45 minutes. Remove lid and bake an additional 15 mins.

I’m going to eat this with an olive oil and Parmesan bread dip. Happy baking!

The History Of What Things Cost In America: 1776 to Today

Very interesting read, especially for history lovers.

24/7 Wall St.

The cost of living in America has gone up about fifteen fold since the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. Of course, not all prices have risen at the same rate.

The value of coffee has increased fifteen times from its price 234 years ago. This is similar to the decrease in the value of the dollar, based on the purchasing power of a dollar and the consumer price index.

The value of land has risen a great deal in certain parts of the country – particularly those areas that were rural and now are parts of big cities. It was impossible to know 150 years ago that land in New York’s Central Park would be worth several thousand times what it was in 1776. Conversely, products like whale oil, once used to light homes, now have no legal value at all. Powdered wigs have almost certainly dropped in…

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Lemon Slice Ice-Cubes

This looks so refreshing and perfect for summer. I can’t wait to try it!

Am I REALLY Saving Money? Part Two: Homemade Sandwich Bread (New, Updated Recipe)

My Foray Into Food Storage

As part of my “Am I Really Saving Money?” series, today I will analyze the cost of homemade sandwich bread versus store bought sandwich bread.   Homemade bread, when done well, tastes SO GOOD , and there are no “mystery” ingredients in your bread, since you made it yourself.  BUT, there’s a learning curve, isn’t there?  Is it worth it?  Will you really save that much money?  In today’s post, I posted my new, updated version of my favorite “Easy, Peasy Bread” recipe along with a cost analysis.  Look it over and decide what’s right for you and your family.

Without further ado, let us begin!  I usually buy Oroweat Country Buttermilk bread for my kids.  It’s their favorite.  I know that there’s not much fiber in it, but my boys love it.  It is only worth making bread if my boys like it as much as they like Oroweat…

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Hello world!

So: Today, I am attempting to make bread for the first time. And in trying to keep track of everything I was doing, I decided to do so using a blog. Here I am!

I’m planning on my blog being about crafting, DIY projects, food, cooking and baking! Learning to bake is on my summer bucketlist, so learn I shall.