Pioneer bread, my Subaru and winter

Darren has been doing some morning skiing.  Friday he was up at 5:00.  Out the door by 5:30 and hiking by 6:00... hike up the mnt... ski down... and get to work by 9:00 am.  Thanks to Ang and Dan for going with him.  Just incase there was an avalanche I depend on them to find his beeping beacon and unbury him before he dies!  Ok- I shouldn't worry, he is safe and doesn't go to dangerous places.  but still... 

Here are a few cute girls.  Ella, Tessa, Beth and Ruth.  Missing Grace and Sophie.  It sure is fun to have these cousins run around together. 

Yesterday we had a fun play date.  Tyler, Cousin Michael and Jordan, and friend Connar played outside for almost 3 hours.  Building a great tunnel in the front yard.  The sun was out. Coats were off... and they dug and played OUTSIDE!  4 boys inside or 4 boys outside!  outside!  They can climb all the way through the tunnel.  Great project. 

My Subaru sold this morning.  I am more emotional OBVIOUSLY since I am pregnant and felt just fine shedding a few tears last night while sitting in my car.  I have driven that car for 10 years.  Time to move on and grow but it happened so fast, they called, they came by, they paid cash... and drove away.  Hardly time to think about it.  

I made this bread this week.  It seemed like so much work so I have put it off for months.  WOW!  talk about amazing.  I was in love.  It was so easy and putting it in the dutch oven made it amazing.  crisp on the outside, and soft inside.  I doubled the recipe.  

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
1¼ teaspoons salt

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (dutch oven cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

Yield: One 1½-pound loaf.

let cool to room temp... you will kill the best part of the flavor if you cut into it too soon. 

you can leave these out of the bag for a couple of days as long as you leave the bread cut side down on the cutting board.