Easy Crusty Bread

I learned how to bake this bread when I took a class on no-knead breads.  It made me go out and buy an enamel coated cast iron dutch oven.  By the by, Le Creuset is the most popular brand of these pots, but cast iron is cast iron.  So I bought the Food Network brand from Kohl's and saved a bundle.  And in this case, it's even nicer because my cheaper version has a metal handle, so I don't have to remove it for this recipe.  If your handle is plastic, remove it an stuff the hole with aluminum foil.  I served mine with honey butter.... yum.

Ingredients

3 c bread flour

1 1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp instant active dry yeast

1 1/2 c cool (55-65 degrees F) water

Non-standard supplies

Enamel cast iron dutch oven and lid

Parchment paper

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix flour, salt and yeast
2. Stir in water.  It should be very sticky, and if it isn't add 1-3 tbsp water
3. Cover bowl and store in a room around 72 degrees for 12-18 hours  (longer is better);  dough will more than double and be dotted with bubbles
4. Line a cookie sheet with parchment and flour generously
5. Use a rubber spatula to transfer dough to parchment in one piece
6. Using the spatula, turn the edges toward the center trying to get the dough in more of a ball shape (not as flat as it was), yes, you will lose a lot of volume as the bubbles pop
7. Dust top lightly with flour and place a non-terry cloth towel over dough
8. Allow dough to rise again for 90 min
9. Preheat oven to 450 and place dutch oven and lid in the oven to get hot for 30 min
10. Carefully transfer parchment and dough to the pot and cover
11. Bake covered for 30 min
12. Remove lid and bake until crust is deep brown, but not burned  (10-20 min)
13. Allow to cool before cutting, and use a bread knife when the time comes

Crunchy Cookie Bars

Decided to try this one because I had all the ingredients on hand and it was cool outside.  I think the addition of the pretzels is a good one because it gives the bar some texture.  I used dark chocolate chips because that's what I had, but any chip could be used.

Ingredients

2 c all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 c butter, softened

1 c brown sugar

1/2 c sugar

2 eggs

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 c coarsely chopped pretzels

1 1/4 c chocolate chips

1/4 c peanut butter

Non-standard supplies

None

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Line a 9x13 pan with aluminum foil and spray
3. Combine flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl
4. Blend butter, both sugars, eggs and vanilla with mixer
5. Add dry ingredients and blend until incorporated
6. Stir in 1 c choc chips, peanut butter and 1 c pretzels
7. Spread in pan
8. Top with remaining choc chips and pretzels
9. Bake 25-30 min until golden
10. Cool completely before cutting

Chicken and Dumplings

My husband is a fan of chicken.  You could prepare it in any way and he's likely to enjoy it.  So if I make a chicken something and he likes it, that's not a good measure of success.  However, if I like it a lot, that's saying something.  I recently bought a enamel coated cast iron dutch oven, and that's how I prepared this, though you could use a standard one.

Ingredients
6-8 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in
3-4 chicken legs or 4-5 chicken wings
2 onions, finely chopped
2 ribs of celery, finely chopped
3 carrots, in 2 inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 tsp dried thyme
3 tbsp dried parsley
1/2 c white wine
kosher salt
black pepper
vegetable oil

Dumplings
2 c all purpose flour
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/3 tsp baking soda
4 tbsp butter, melted
3/4 c buttermilk
1 egg white

Non-standard supplies
Far separator, but you could spoon it if you lack one

Instructions

1. Heat dutch oven with 1 tsp vegetable oil
2. Pat thighs dry and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper
3. Add thighs, skin down and cook over medium high heat for 6-8 minutes per side, until golden brown
4. Cook thighs in batches if needed.  Remove from pan after browned - it's ok that it's not fully cooked
5. Drain chicken fat/oil from pot, but don't wipe the pot clean
6. Add onions, celery and carrots and cook until caramelized, about 10 minutes
7. Just as vegetables are finishing, add garlic and stir to prevent burning of garlic
8. Deglaze with wine and add thyme
9. After all browned bits are lifted, add chicken stock
10. Return par-cooked thighs to the pot, add raw legs/wings and simmer, covered for 45-55 min
11. Test chicken thighs with a knife, and it should be tender
12. Remove all chicken from pot and turn off heat.
13. Discard legs/wings 
14. Let thighs rest, cool until they can be handled without injury
15. Drain/Skim fat from broth
16. Remove skin, bones and anything gross from the thighs, then cut into bite-sized pieces
17. Reunite the chicken and the broth and bring to boil -- meanwhile prepping dumpling dough
18. Combine flour, sugar, salt and baking soda in a bowl
19. Stir melted butter into buttermilk with a fork - the butter will form solids.  Add egg white to butter and buttermilk
20. Pour liquids into flour mixture and stir with a spatula until all powder is wet and dough forms a ball
21. Add parsley to pot
22. Form dough into gumball sized pieces - approximately 20-30 and add to boiling broth
23. Wrap a kitchen towel around the lid of the pot so the evaporated moisture doesn't return to the pot and cover
24. Let dumplings cook for 13-15 min, until toothpick comes out clean