A Day for Baking Bread

My first blog post from my new adorable computer. It took me a while to decide whether or not I liked this thing, it's tiny sleekness and internet-only capabilities threw me for a loop, what if I need to do more? The reality is that I don't, this little machine does everything I ever do with a computer (which isn't much), and has the amazing feature of not needing to boot up or take forever to shut down. Super fast, it just goes where I say, when I say. I wish it could train my children to do that. It's pretty awesome.

But enough about that. Today is a bread baking day. I have been trying out all sorts of breads for the past couple of months, and have decided that there is nothing so satisfying as taking a hot, fresh, loaf out of the oven, buttering it up and serving it to your family (or more likely yourself). Here's what I'm making today:

Whole wheat flax no kneed artisan bread. My friend Jen gave me this recipe, and I tried it yesterday but I think I got the proportions wrong because it was super salty (which was not totally unpleasant, but thoroughly rejected by the peanut gallery). So I am making it again today, and hoping it turns out better.

Here it is, baking up and smelling really amazing. Recipe is pretty simple, for today I just added:

3 cups hot water
3 cups white flour
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar

I proofed the yeast with the salt in the hot water in the bowl of my kitchen aid mixer, then added the flour and flax seed and mixed with the dough hook until a very sticky dough formed. Then I covered tightly with plastic wrap and let it rise for 2 hours, formed two balls of sticky dough (put one in the fridge for another time), and baked at 450 degrees for about 20 minutes. Not bad, and practically no work at all. I have had better breads but I love the simplicity of this one.

Next on to cinnamon bread to make the kitchen smell outstanding. Today I am trying a recipe I found on someone else's blog:

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/08/homemade-cinnamon-bread/

Definitely can't wait to see how this one comes out, looks beautiful from the pictures, but I always wonder, can my culinary abilities match up? I'll let you know...