oh dang, this is the REAL wonder bread . . .

So I have been wanting to bake bread . . . badly. Every time I went to the grocery store, all I wanted was YEAST - to bake bread with. And then once I'd bought it, every evening when I'd lay my little head down to sleep, I'd mourn my bread-less day. But tonight - oh no friends, I will be grinning from ear to ear (or perhaps not quite considering the extent to which i enjoyed the fruits of my labors this fine day) because . . .

i made bread.

And not just any bread. I'd searched and searched for recipes with whole wheat, recipes without butter, recipes that didn't take 3 days to brew, recipes etc etc. Oh and didn't require a mixer or bread maker. I figured I ought to just hold out and wait til I found something that allowed me to be quite sufficiently lazy and reap delicious benefits.

done and done.

Thanks to hannah in fact. I remembered a site she'd posted about: "five minute bread," or something. Psht, okay, I realize that I'd like to be lazy, sure, but I want to do more than pull a "just add water" and poof! Turns out, that's kind of what this is. Four ingredients total: water, salt (which sadly mine needs more of) yeast and flour. Why yes, I have ALL those ingredients thought I, (i had previously wimped out of buying dry/powdered milk - though several sources suggested recipes containing it) and I didn't need a mixer, and apparently you could bake batches at your leisure . . . AND apparently it tasted alright.

turned out to be true.

Even I, with all my inept bumbling in la cocina, managed to create something worthwhile (despite the lack of salt) that could actually be eaten (though frankly i usually end up enjoying my disasters anyhow.) What my poor roommates must think of this sad girl who prances about pretending to be julia child . . . or julie powell at the very least!  

Well one thing I will say in defense of my ineptitude record, I left it on the counter  . . . for four hours . . . instead of two. Though I was off building a tree out of chicken wire, so I've a mild excuse.

Anyway, it turned out pretty swell. After I pulled it out of the (incredibly-nasty-probably-because-we-don't-have-cleaning-checks) oven, I ripped off a piece and took a bite after sliding on a little salted butter (compensation for my lack thereof - of course,) and I mouthed to myself "aw, crikey, this is good."

(surprisingly, below is not my photo, but it represents the sentiment admirably.)

I'm happy (a little two happy perhaps.)