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Braided Barrettes | Wee Folk Art

Braided Barrettes | Wee Folk Art

Cantor

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No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread

The recipe I’ve been using is from Mother-Earth News, recipe by Roger Doiron—here’s the direct link if you want to read more about this technique and find other similar recipes, and I’ve pasted the recipe below.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/2007-12-01/Easy-No-Knead-Dutch-Oven-Crusty-Bread.aspx?page=2

No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread

1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting. You may use white, whole wheat or a combination of the two.
1 1/2 tsp salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran for dusting

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add the flour and salt, stirring until blended. The dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at least 8 hours, preferably 12 to 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.
2. The 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 it rest for about 15 minutes.
3. Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface or to your fingers, gently shape it into a ball. Generously coat a clean dish towel with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal. Put the seam side of the dough down on the towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another towel and let rise for about 1 to 2 hours. When it’s ready, the dough will have doubled in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
4. At least 20 minutes before the dough is ready, heat oven to 475 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in the oven as it heats. When the dough is ready, carefully remove the pot from the oven and lift off the lid. Slide your hand under the towel and turn the dough over into the pot, seam side up. The dough will lose its shape a bit in the process, but that’s OK. Give the pan a firm shake or two to help distribute the dough evenly, but don’t worry if it’s not perfect; it will straighten out as it bakes.
5. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until the loaf is beautifully browned. Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool on a rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Happiness From Within

"Happiness will never come
to those who fail to appreciate what they already have."

A good friend of mine sent me this text message yesterday:

"I never search my happiness in others... it will make me feel alone when they are not around. I search it in myself... then I will be happy even if I am alone."

Indeed, true happiness comes from within. Easier said than done, right?

If only people would stop whining about what they do NOT have and start counting what they have...

If only people would see the goodness in every person instead of looking at his/her flaws...

If only people made good of what they have right now instead of pining for a better deal which might never come anyway...

If only...

After all, happiness is a state of mind... it's a matter of choice. But why is it easier to choose misery? Why is it an effort to break into a smile?

If you find yourself unhappy and miserable, remember this: look at the people around you and you will see that you have attracted the same negativity in your life. It's true that misery loves company.

So next time you catch yourself feeling so negative about everything, try asking yourself where your discontentment is coming from... Is it something you can't live without? Is it going to kill you? Is it even worth wasting your time on?

Benihana Japanese Fried Rice

Title: Benihana Japanese Fried Rice
Yield: 1 Servings

Ingredients

4 c cooked converted or
-parboiled rice; (1 cup unco
1 c frozen peas; thawed
2 tb finely grated carrot
2 eggs; beaten
1/2 c diced onion; (1/2 small
-onion)
1 1/2 tb butter
2 tb soy sauce
1 salt
1 pepper

Instructions

1. Cook rice following instructions on package (Bring 2 cups water to a
boil, add rice and a dash of salt, reduce heat and simmer in covered
saucepan for 20 minutes). Pour rice into a large bowl to let it cool in the
refrigerator.

2. Scramble the eggs in a small pan over medium heat. Separate the
scrambled chunks of egg into small pea-size bits while cooking.

3. When rice has cooled to near room temperature, add peas, grated carrot,
scrambled egg and diced onion to the bowl. Carefully toss all of the
ingredients together.

4. Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter in a large frying pan over medium/high
heat.

5. When butter has completely melted, dump the bowl of rice and other
ingredients into the pan and add soy sauce plus a dash of salt and pepper.
Cook rice for 6-8 minutes over heat, stirring often.

Serves 4

This fried rice can be prepared ahead of time by cooking the rice, then
adding the peas, carrots and egg plus half of the soy sauce. Keep this
refrigerated until you are ready to fry it in the butter. That's when you
add the salt, pepper and remaining soy sauce.

Scallops Gratineed with Wine, Garlic, and Herbs

I'm going to prepare this tonight hoping it is great with the wine. I best try it on the hubby before the next dinner party great winter night to relax with a glass of wine next to the fire.Here is the recipe great for dinner parties etc..

Coquilles St. Jacques â la Provençcale

This good recipe may be prepared in advance and gratinéed just before serving. The following proportions are sufficient for a first course. Double them for a main course. Serve a chilled rosé, or a dry white wine such as côtes de Provence.

Yield: 6 scallop shells

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup minced yellow onions
• 1 Tb butter
• 1½ Tb minced shallot or green onions
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1½ lbs washed scallops
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup sifted flour in a dish
• 2 Tb butter
• 1 Tb olive oil
• 2/3 cup dry white wine, or ½ cup dry white vermouth and 3 Tb water
• ½ bay leaf
• 1/8 tsp thyme
• ¼ cup grated Swiss cheese
• 2 Tb butter cut into 6 pieces

Directions

Cook the onions slowly in butter in a small saucepan for 5 minutes or so, until tender and translucent but not browned. Stir in the shallots or onions, and garlic, and cook slowly for 1 minute more. Set aside.

Dry the scallops and cut into slices ¼ inch thick. Just before cooking, sprinkle with salt and pepper, roll in flour, and shake off excess flour.

Sauté the scallops quickly in very hot butter and oil for 2 minutes to brown them lightly.

Pour the wine, or the vermouth and water, into the skillet with the scallops. Add the herbs and the cooked onion mixture. Cover the skillet and simmer for 5 minutes. Then uncover, and if necessary boil down the sauce rapidly for a minute until it is lightly thickened. Correct seasoning, and discard bay leaf.

Spoon the scallops and sauce into the shells. Sprinkle with cheese and dot with butter.

Set aside or refrigerate until ready to gratine.

Just before serving, run under a moderately hot broiler for 3 to 4 minutes to heat through, and to brown the cheese lightly.

Notes

Equipment:

A 10-inch enameled skillet

6 buttered scallop shells, or porcelain or pyrex shells, of 1/3 cup capacity