Frogs in the Kneading Bowls! When Bread is On The Menu

Salutations!

I could handle frogs in my bed, and I could handle frogs in the hall, I could even handle frogs in the bathtub, but not in the kneading bowls! There were frogs all over the Sunday school classroom as we listened to the story of the plagues in Exodus. The Word said that there were frogs in the kneading bowls.

I am attached to my bread bowl. I love its wide rim and deep body. I love the way the stainless steel shines. I labor with that bowl! It's so satisfying to lift the towel off the top, and see bread raised and ready for the oven!

One of my favorite bread recipes is this one from Edward Espe Brown.

Focaccia-Olive Oil Bread With Fresh Rosemary
Makes two loaves.


2 c. warm water
2 tbsp. dry yeast
3 tbsp. fresh rosemary, minced
1/4 c. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 c. unbleached white flour
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
3 c. unbleached white flour
Olive oil for glazing
Coarse sea salt

Start with the water. Stir in the yeast, then the rosemary, olive oil, and salt. Stir in the one cup of white flour and the 1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour. Beat about 100 strokes.

Fold in 2 cups of white flour, 1/2 c. at a time. Turn the dough out on a floured board and knead using up to one more cup of flour to keep from sticking. Knead until smooth and elastic.

Let the dough rise for about an hour until it doubles in size. Punch down and let rise another 40 minutes.

Divide the dough in half. Shape each half as desired. Place on oiled sheet pan and brush the top with olive oil. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt.

Preheat oven to 375. Let rise about 20 minutes, and then bake about 25-30 minutes until browned.


This bread smells so good! Have you ever noticed what happens when bread is on the menu? Put out a pretty dish of butter and it disappears! At first we cut it with a serrated bread knife into evenly spaced portions, and soon we just rip it off like wolves in the woods! Bread goes with anything. Have you ever asked yourself, "What should we have with...?" and all the while you were thinking about that one thing... Bread?

When you are plagued with the doldrums, and stuck in a slump, get out your kneading bowls! Teach your children about Pharaoh. I like to sing a little ditty, "No! No! They cannot go!"

This is dedicated to my very special little people at HBC. Especially James, whom I can hear singing our ditty with great enthusiasm.

Swinging with you,
Alis