I missed the the No-Knead bread phenomena in 2006 when Mark Bittman posted Jim Lahey’s recipe for No-Knead Bread in the New York Times. Lahey’s ridiculously easy method for mixing bread dough and his method for baking it in a pot went viral as people around the world discovered they could, too, bake beautiful crusty artisan rustic bread at home without the fuss. It wasn’t until a couple years ago I heard about No-Knead bread when my neighbor brought over a loaf and we ended up sharing slices of yummy white bread slathered in buter and jam.
When Sarah told me how easy it was to make bread at home I didn’t believe her. I thought she was joking because I believe in the saying, if it sounds too good to be true then it probably is. But it was gloriously true. And since then I have become a convert.
I’ve always hesitated to write about this bread because it’s already been done. What left can be said about this bread? However, I’ve been baking two loaves every other day the last couple months and I thought it would be a great idea to share with you how I like to make this bread because it is faster and easier than Lahey’s original way of doing it.
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The last ten months has been a roller coaster of emotions, major life changes, and everything in between. We bought a new home and sold our old one. The girls started school and my youngest child started his first year of preschool two days a week for two hours a day. Add soccer practices, games, swim team commitments, play dates, and other family outings, by 10 p.m. I’m exhausted. By the time I get the kids to bed the only thing I want to do is watch Mad Men while eating ice cream.
Not a day goes by when someone doesn’t ask me how the unpacking and settling into our new home is going. The truth is, most of our things are still in boxes in the garage. My husband jokingly told me we should just donate all the boxes to charity and start over. I thought he was so silly for even suggesting this in jest a month ago but the idea is becoming more tempting by the day. Living out of boxes does have its privileges. Our house remains pretty clean because there really isn’t much to mess up. Eli’s toys are confined to a 18×18-inch box and most of the rooms are essentially empty. The great thing about living in an empty house is letting the kids and their friends literally run around in circles. I’ve also enjoyed cooking in my new kitchen, much more so than our old house. [click to continue…]
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When reading Ina Garten’s new cookbook, Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That?: Fabulous Recipes & Easy Tips, I was saddened to read in the headnote of her Watermelon and Arugula salad recipe (page 65) that she did not like the combination of watermelon and feta. Oh, how sad because I love the combination of watermelon and feta, and I love Ina Garten. But I am going to have to respectfully disagree with her on this one. The first time I tried the sweet and savory combination of juicy red watermelon with the salty soft flavor of the feta, I was hooked. I would never have though to pair these ingredients with each other yet they work harmoniously and not as strange as the Barefoot Contessa would have you to believe.
She has this wonderful salad recipe using watermelon, arugula, lemon juice, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. But my heart is totally devoted to watermelon and feta. And since we’re going with feta, I think adding a few slivers of red onion, a few other types of greens would make this the perfect light lunch for me today, wouldn’t you agree? [click to continue…]
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It’s often said, “Everything tastes better with bacon.” But I would like to make an argument for truffle salt making even the most simple food like popcorn seem gourmet. Truffles are a very rare and expensive fungi. This is why truffle salt is used as a flavoring accent elevating dishes from ordinary to extraordinary. Just a pinch goes a long way and is worth the $20 price for a 3.5 ounce bottle. For anyone who hasn’t tried truffle salt before, I know what you’re thinking. There is no way you would pay $20 for a little flavoring salt. You think this now, but if you try it, you might be singing it’s praises.. so don’t knock it until you try it. [click to continue…]
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What I was thinking when I bought a 10 pound case of frozen blackberries? Nevertheless, they are taking up valuable real estate in our itsy-bitsy freezer. So don’t be surprised if you see an excessive amount of blackberry recipes on Savory Sweet Life coming to the world wide web soon. On the other hand, if you love blackberries (like I do) then you’re in for a real treat.
Inspired by the gorgeous Seattle (hot) weather yesterday, an abundance of blackberries, and a thriving patch of mint growing just outside my front door, what I have for you today is an awesome recipe for Blackberry Mint Lemonade. [click to continue…]
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