rosemary peasant bread & seven layer

I hope my bread turns out that beautifully!  Its a three day weekend and I'm taking advantage of every moment of it.  Yesterday, I was able to take the pup for a nice walk, it was gorgeous outside and then to the Brandi Carlile concert - she is truly amazing and even more so live!  It was worth not getting home until after midnight, which was way past my bed time.  Earlier that day I went to breakfast with Paul Rifkin who I use to work with at UW-L; we would call him Uncle Paul.  It's always fun to go to breakfast with Paul and here about the news from there.


I didn't make a list this weekend, but I did a quick pick up Saturday morning before the rest got started and I have a bit more to do yet.  This week was incredibly busy with training and helping host Maura Cullen, she was here to do some diversity training with our staff (it was fantastic)! So I am just hoping to get things done but not stress about what I didn't get done. (trying, mind you)


I woke up this morning thinking it would be a good day to do a little new recipe exploration... so I found a recipe for rosemary peasant bread - which first started as a search for the macaroni grill bread recipe.  I wanted something that would be light, airy and could be used with oil and balsamic vinegar or other oil combination.  I found it!  It's rising for the 2nd time and will be popping it in the oven soon, i can't wait!
Every time I try something new, it's less scary especially with bread, maybe one day I'll get to sourdough.


Here's the recipe below:
Rosemary Peasant Bread

• 1 packet dry yeast (or 2 1/2 tsp)
  
• 2 c. warm water
• 1 T. sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 c. flour
• 1-2 tsp. fresh Rosemary plus more for topping
• Olive Oil, Corn meal, Melted butter and salt

Dissolve yeast in the warm water and sugar. (I like to buy yeast in a large package and then store it in a plastic container and keep in the freezer. It lasts forever. OR if you don’t make bread that often, just buy the yeast packets.) Add flour, salt, and 1-2 tsp Rosemary and stir until blended, do not Knead!! Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until double in size. If you have a Bosch Mixer, I keep the dough right in there with the top lid on, it’s nice and moist in there. Or simply keep it in the mixer bowl and cover with a moist cloth to raise.

Remove dough. It will be sticky. I like to put shortening or oil on my hands for taking out the dough and shaping it. I think it works better than flour hands. Place it in 2 rounds on a cookie sheet lightly coated in oil and sprinkled with corn meal. OR you can place it on your silicone baking mat with no oil. Cover with a towel or greased plastic wrap. Then let it rise another hour.

Brush each round with melted butter and lightly sprinkle with more Rosemary and sea salt. Bake @ 425 for 10 minutes, then reduce temp to 375 for 15 minutes more.

Cool slightly, then cut into nice size bits or rip it apart! Enjoy!

And I love sweets baking... bars, brownies, cakes, cookies - you name i love to bake it.  I think what I love about baking (and cooking) or even working on home projects is that you have a product, something at the end of the project that is tangible.  This isn't always the case with my job and I would imagine why I find it so relaxing and a great stress relief!

For the Seven Layer Bar Recipe: (this is a super easy recipe)
1/2 cup butter
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 - 6 oz. pkg. chocolate chips
1 - 6 oz. pkg. butterscotch chips
1 1/3 cups coconut
1/2 cup chopped almonds or walnuts
15 oz. Eagle brand milk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in a 13x9-inch pan, then add graham cracker crumbs in pan; mix until butter is absorbed. Press crumb mixture into bottom of pan. Layer chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coconut and nuts. Pour Eagle brand milk evenly over the top and bake for 30 minutes. Cool completely and cut into 1 inch squares.

Enjoy!!