easy italian bread {what i ate wednesday}

My mom's best friend, Jeri Jo, is the person to go to if you need a recipe or have a question about anything involving cooking or sewing or antiquing or the best way to wash a dog or how to raise sheep or grow a really big pumpkin. Pretty much anything. When she came to visit in February she gave me a recipe for wicked easy French bread. And it really is easy. And delicious.  

Charleigh with her NoniJo.

They look so tiny!

But I found one a few weeks ago that's even easier.  {Actually, they are almost the same. I was just closer to a computer to Google a recipe than I was to my phone to look back at her text message.} Anyways, it's easier than going to the store and buying bread (at least if that involves getting two children in car seats and then in the stroller and...sheesh). It's so good it'll knock your socks off. If I can make it anyone can make it. And we really needed some home baked goodness around this place today. I was in a straight up funk. My heart wasn't right. The girls were fussier than I've ever seen them. {Perhaps teething?!? Please, no.} So we were all in funks together and nobody wanted to nap (except for me but I don't count). While Charleigh was sleeping for the whopping twenty minutes she slept this afternoon (thankful for that much!), Logan and I got busy on this bread. This recipe can be found here along with quite a few variations.  I added olive oil to make the bread a little softer and more Italian-like. I also added some garlic and Parmesan cheese for a little bit o' flava.

 Ingredients:

• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1 package RapidRise yeast
• Salt to taste (I just put in a couple dashes?)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• minced garlic (optional)
• grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
• 2 and 1/2 cups flour 

1.  In a bowl combine the water, yeast, salt, and olive oil. I don't even stir it. Just let it sit for 5 minutes. 

I've never made anything with yeast before because I think it's a scary ingredient. Way too fancy for this little cook.  But, it turns out, yeast is not to be feared, my friend.

 

2. Take pictures of your smiling helper. I swear this was one of only 3 smiles the whole day when usually she will smile at anything--the dog, the dishwasher, her toys, her hands.

3.  Add the flour a little bit at a time until it is stiff enough to knead.

 

4.  Add the garlic and cheese (if you're using them) and knead the dough for a few minutes. The dough should be smooth.  

 

5.  Put the dough in a greased bowl. Cover with a towel and let it rise for an hour. 

 

 

In case you were wondering,  freshly risen dough feels a lot like your stomach after you have a baby. So squishy and soft. And if you weren't wondering, just pretend I didn't say that because, yeah, I guess that is a little weird that I thought of that.

6.  Form the dough into a loaf shape and place on a greased baking sheet. Put the dough in the oven and turn it on to 375. (Don't preheat the oven. The dough will rise again as the oven warms up.) Bake for 30-40 minutes.

So easy, right? Make it. You won't regret it. And it just might turn your day around.