And the carb loving continues.....

From bagels I am moving on to loaves of bread. I remember my mom baking bread, and watching the dough rise in her huge ceramic bowl, which I really wish I had, by the way,. I have used my bread machine almost weekly since I got it, but I want to try my hand at baking bread. To me it is a very iconic symbol of being a wife and mom, so I am starting to tackle it.
My first recipe is for a crostini, I picked it because it didn't need a ton of time to rise, and I could tackle it in one day. I used it for a goat cheese and sundried tomato crostini, but have also used the bread after the first baking for dinner to accompany soup. Both ways it was delicious. It is an airy bread, with a wonderfully crispy crust.

Crostini

2 tsp instant yeast
3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
1/4 cup olive oil
cornmeal for pan

In the bowl of an electric mixer combine all ingredients mixing until a rough dough forms. Mix for 7 minutes with the flat beater. It will become smooth, but stay sticky. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl with lightly greased plastic wrap and let the dough rise for an hour.
Move the dough to a lightly oiled work surface. Divide into three pieces. Work with the pieces until they are 3 16 inch logs. Place them on a cornmeal covered baking sheet. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let proof for an hour and a half.
Preheat oven to 425. Bake 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.
Let cool completely, even overnight if you have time. Then preheat oven to 275. Cut into slices and place on cooking sheets coated liberally with olive oil. Brush olive oil over the bread as well. Bake for 45 minutes. Then top with your choice of toppings.

(to make a loaf bread, don't divide the bread into thirds, just form a loaf and bake for 20-25 minutes.)

Sundried Tomato Relish


8 oz sundried tomatoes with oil
1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 onion sliced
1 clove of garlic minced
2 TBSP sugar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup water
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Add tomatoes, olive oil, onion and garlic to a pan. Saute till onions are translucent. Add other ingredients, simmer till reduced by half. You can either leave it chunky or put it through a food processor or blender.
This is wonderful on top of goat cheese!