Foodie Friday: Easiest Bread Recipe Ever

I have not ever been a serious baker until the last year. I found a recipe on AllRecipes that seemed simple and with minimal ingredients. I tried it and when I tell you it sucked. I mean it was sucked better than this

Anyway, I decided to do some research on bread baking and in particular, learned that I needed to trust my instincts and also that if the recipe has ingredients that taste like nothing, it will in fact taste like....

So here is my recipe for easy focaccia and also some tips that I think help in general with baking.

If the way to a man's heart is through his stomach the way to my transman's heart is with this bread. I think the fact that I make this twice a week is how I got the diamond.

Basic Focaccia Recipe

1 teaspoon of sugar

1 package of active dry yeast (when I know I am going to make a lot of bread, I buy the jar of yeast and use the conversion chart on the back but just in case you cannot be bothered it is 2 1/2 teaspoons or a "scant" tablespoon)

1/3 cup of warm water (this is important!!!! 110 degrees!)

plus a small amount of extra water

2 cups of all purpose flour

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Good Kosher salt or sea salt

Your favorite herbs (Today, I am using dried oregano, basil, garlic and rosemary)

The reason there are no measurements for the salt. This will be to your taste. If you like a pretty sodium free diet you will need only about 1/4 teaspoon. If you are like me and actually like your good to taste like food and not rubber cement you will need to up it some.

Also, I recommend listening to old Diana Ross, Prince and Katy Perry (don't judge me) while baking.

In a small bowl, dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

 In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with flour; stir well to combine. Here is where adding salt becomes necessary. This dough by itself will make bread even if you don't add salt. However, the bread sucks. Start with 1/2 teaspoon of a good salt. Not table salt. Even if it is Morton Kosher salt, it is better than iodized salt.  Stir in additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until all of the flour is absorbed. I tend to like my dough dryer on the outside and moist on the inside. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly for about 1 minute

 Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes. (TIP: WITH THE WEATHER BEING COOLER, IT IS HARD TO FIND THE PERFECT WAY TO LET YOUR DOUGH RISE, THIS IS BY FAR MY BEST TIP--- WHILE YOU ARE MIXING YOUR DOUGH, HEAT YOUR OVEN TO 200 DEGREES. WHEN YOU ARE READY TO LET IT RISE, PLACE IT THE OVEN AND TURN THE OVEN OFF. IT WILL KEEP THE DOUGH AT AN IDEAL TEMP AND YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT FALLING. I TEND TO LET MINE RISE LONGER THAN 30 MINUTES BECAUSE I AM LAZY AND THE RESULTS ARE ALWAYS GOOD)

 I spray the bowl with Pam to keep it from sticking. And then coat with olive oil.for the flavor.

 The damp towel is going to provide enough moisture for the dough, however your dough will stick to the towel. Don't freak out, it's easily washable.

 I always leave the light one in the oven when it is rising. I don't know why, maybe I am nosy or superstitious. Either way, here is the dough rising and my feet.

tights, bare feet and apron. in the kitchen. I am not pregnant.

 

 Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).

Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface; knead briefly. Pat or roll the dough into a sheet and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. I dimple  the dough with oil and sprinkle with salt and herbs. The salt herb ratio is up to you. my exact measurements are "a pinch or so of everything"

 It needs to look rustic and my rustic I mean like your dog rolled out because he has no thumbs.

 I like to make sure that every dimple has olive oil in it. Two tablespoons is exactly what it takes for bread this size.

 OMG, HURRY UP. I WANT A CIGARETTE

Bake focaccia in preheated oven for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on desired crispness. If you like it moist and fluffy, then you'll have to wait just about 10 minutes. If you like it crunchier and darker in the outside, you may have to wait 20 minutes.

This is at about 11 minutes. We like ours more like bread and less like communion wafer.

I was able to cut that into 8 pieces.

I hope you guys enjoyed this. It was fun but later intensive. I think I have figured out what do for next Foodie Friday so I will be more prepared. Thanks for reading!

 Happiness Project
January 4, 2013
I am happy that I did not kill anyone trying to figure how to do a food blog.

Makeup: How I spend my money

I get asked a lot of questions about make up and beauty stuff so I thought that I would do a blog post with some of my favorite things and why I love them so much. Today I have chosen Foundation!  I imagine not many of you will super interested in this post but I resolved to write more authentically and I am a bit obsessive over make up so this is as authentic as it gets!

Foundation:

I have large pores and super oily skin. I like full coverage foundation but when I am having a good skin day, I like a little less coverage. Here is my breakdown.

Full Coverage (High End)
-MAC Studio Fix Fluid
Maybe it was because when I went to get matched my counter girl was awesome or maybe it was because I didn't have to buy my first MAC foundation (it was a gift) that made me love this foundation. I am a NW20 in MAC and the color is SPOT ON. How is a Mexican with freckles so white you ask? That, I am afraid, I have no answer for but this foundation applies wonderfully for me. I use a duo fiber stippling brush and with or without face primer, it always looks great. The coverage is perfect, the staying power is fantastic and it takes a LONG time for it to breakdown on oily skin. If you do not require full coverage or have oily skin, this foundation will feel heavy on you. I have also found that it lasts a long time. Maybe because the coverage is so good that you don't have to use as much, or maybe because I experiment with so many products it seemed to last a long time, whatever the case, I got my best friend's money out that bottle.

Full Coverage (Drugstore)
-Revlon Colorstay
It will be hard to find an overall better drugstore brand than Revlon. Some of their products are pricier than Wet N Wild or Rimmel but you absolutely get what you pay for! This is stuff on your face and eyes, why not get the best you can afford? Anyway, Revlon Colorstay is fantastic. The shades are plentiful and I recommend if you get matched MAC taking your bottle. Or using a foundation matrix to see what shade is your best match. I do think that the foundation appears lighter in the bottle. My match is Sand Beige and when I saw it without swatching or trying it out, I was so afraid it was too light. Once I applied it, it was a good match. The color is not as true as the MAC but a maybe a half step lighter. The next shade up would have been way too dark. My only real complaint about this foundation is that it absolutely needs a primer on oily skin or it will break down. There is nothing worse than going to Safeway and you look like your face is sliding off.

Light-Medium Coverage

High End- Chanel Aqua Vita Lumiere
 .-Surely, with the word Aqua in the title, you will know that this foundation is liquid-ey. Shake it up really well . I dot mine on my face and then buff it on. The most interesting thing about this foundation to me is the colors. Do not be surprised if you go to the counter to get matched and there are several potential colors. I took my best gay with me to get matched and he ended up choosing the shade that looked best on me. He chose one the beige rose options. In my opinion, if you can be matched to a beige rose option in Chanel, DO IT. The coverage is not great, but you will always look flushed and luminous. It photographed beautifully. I know some people prefer Estee Lauder to this Chanel foundation and I think if you just want a standard color, Lauder is the way to go. If you want something that looks fabulous and smells rich and decadent. Quit buying crap makeup for one month and get the Chanel. The Chanel counter is good about sampling. A drag queen I know went through a rigorous hiring process to become a Chanel MUA. However, when I casually asked him, "I am a NW20 in MAC, what is my Chanel shade?" He immediately sent me all my options. I can assume that their training is top notch because he was pretty aware very early on.

Drugstore- N/A

I am experimenting with one now, by Revlon. It is also part of the Colorstay family, It is the whipped one in the jar. It looks like it would be thick and cakey. It actually seems light in texture. So far, what I love about it, is that texture is light and it has buildable coverage. when I first put it on, I WAS PISSED. I thought, this looks horrible, it hasn't covered a freaking thing. In all fairness, it felt like my face had NOTHING on it, it was so light. To apply this one, I used a flat top DENSE kabuki brush. It went on nicely, to build up the coverage, I spritzed the brush with MAC's Fix + Spray. This was the key! The coverage and overall look improved. I got several compliments about how good my skin looked but what impressed me the most was its staying power. 14 hours. That is crazy!

Notes of Importance:

• Unless I am going to Rite-Aid to get tampons. I always use a primer.
• I always set with Forever DiorSkin powder. It is the only powder I will ever use. 
• I don't believe in makeup "no buys". Everyone has something they love to collect, if yours is makeup, go for it. If it is Hummel figurines, get help.
• Sometimes, there isn't a cheaper alternative. 
• You know your face better than anyone, trust your instincts! 

The Happiness Project
January 3, 2013

I am happy because I have not entered into some menstrual induced rage today.

Question # 1

If you missed the story behind these questions you can find it here


1. What is that thing that no one, not even your partner, your mother or your best friend, knows about you?


 Boy. they know how to start this off, don't they...I am pretty much an open book. But there are a few things that any of those people don't know about me but if I had to pick one, I would say that I wish I would have the chance, just once to meet my sperm donor. I would have liked to have seen if we had matching freckles and did he love the taste of beer. Did he suffer from mental illness? Did I get all my bad habits from him?

I don't think I have ever told anyone this because you shouldn't want to meet the douche that abandoned you when you were in utero.  You are supposed to hate him on principle. Trust me, I do.

But I'd like to have someone to blame for my inability to tan,

Cook.Write. Change.

I have been looking for a way to get inspired since my break up. Yeah, I know I haven't written about it and frankly I don't think I am ready to write about it right now. But like most people, after a crappy break up, you start to wonder what the hell is wrong with you. I decided that I needed to go on my own personal journey...my own eat, pray, love so to speak...only mine is called Cook, Write, Change. I have always loved to cook and really use it as a way to express my love for people. What am I going to cook? I don't know. With countless cookbooks, I am sure I can find something. And it has to be a recipe it can't be something I just whip up. That is too easy for me. Way too easy. I need to learn the patience and gratification of following a recipe. That sometimes it is perfect exactly as it is. I plan to document my cooking here on the blog with recipes, pics and video if possible.

Ok, so that takes care of Cook...now what about write? Well, I write two columns a month, I am a student. I blog AND I journal. A lot of writing. But, how can I really challenge myself? I found it  here.

 These 62 questions I will answer on my blog. Even the super personal ones. No holding back. I am not sure how often I will answer them, but this will certainly be a challenge.

Now we are onto Change. Change what? I want to change everything. The world. Myself. My community. My hair. Whatever it is, I want change. Why? Because the fear of change stifles. It is the worst kind of drug. And frankly, I have been mainlining it for years.