Another reason I HEART Freecycle™

It's practically BRAND NEW. I had to clean it up a bit. The fellow Freecycler™ who passed it on said it took up too much counter space and she rarely used it. It has DOUGH HOOKS, people. This means NO kneading of bread dough...which is why my few attempts at making bread have failed miserably. Of course, my last GREAT find from Freecycle™ was a bread maker so I didn't really have to knead anything anymore. BUT...I found this great recipe for easy French bread...and I really wanted to make it. The whole kneading thing was preventing me from trying (I have some really bad shoulder pain and kneading exacerbates it).

So...I decided to clean up my new-to-me Sunbeam Stand Mixer. (I'd had it for about a month, but as my fellow freecycler™ said, it takes up too much counter, and if you've BEEN in my house, you know I have very little counter!) Took me about 15 minutes to clean it all up. Wasn't really too bad, except for the garage dirt (which is where I'd been storing it....).

Then I made the French bread. And it made 2 huge loaves...and they're GONE. (I DID, however, have company for dinner, so the bread fed 5 adults). What? You want me to SHARE my recipe? Sure...I got it from Life Lessons of A Military Wife. So if you use it, go over there, search "French Bread" and tell her you tried it! I don't, unfortunately, have a picture of my lovely bread to share with my readers....sorry!

Here it is:

Crusty French Bread

Makes: 2 loaves

Ingredients

* 2 cups warm water
* 1 tablespoon yeast
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 5-5 1/2 cups bread flour

Directions

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water (110 degrees) and sugar in large bowl; allow yeast to proof or foam (about 10 minutes). (I used quick acting yeast in a jar...made for Bread Makers, because that's what I had on hand)

2. Add salt, oil, and 3 cups flour; beat for 2 minutes.

3. Stir in 2 cups flour to make a stiff dough.

4. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.

5. Place in oiled bowl, turn dough to coat all sides, cover and let rise until doubled.

6. Punch down and divide in half.

7. Shape dough into two long slender loaves.

8. Grease and sprinkle with cornmeal either a French bread pan or large cookie sheet. (don't over-grease or over-sprinkle...the remaining grease and cornmeal will burn off when you cook it and fill your house with smoke....)

9. Place loaves in pan and cut diagonal gashes on top of each loaf (I use scissors).

10. Cover and let rise until doubled.

11. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.

12. Note: You can sprinkle or spray water on the loaves during baking if you want a really crunchy crust.