Cooking, Food & Wine -- the trifecta of my happiness

I am a self proclaimed food and wine addict. There is nothing I love more than spending a day in my kitchen, creating a meal from scratch while sipping wine. I have subscribed for several years to a couple of great cooking magazines, and today I would like to share my favorites, as well as a melt-in-your-mouth fabulous bread recipe that is sure to wow your dinner guests.

All of these subscriptions are available through our website, brought to you by Amazon.com.

I love Food & Wine, it's a magazine I have been subscribing to religiously for 4 years now. In addition to their monthly publication, they also offer a cookbook anually highlighting the best recipes from the prior year. This is awesome, and a gift I have given often to friends and family for Christmas and birthays. The book for 2011 is offered for a bargain price of $21.24. If you have someone in your life whom likes to cook, it is a sure-fire awesome gift.

http://www.amazon.com/Food-Wine-Annual-2011-Cookbook/dp/1603201807/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1332873757&sr=8-8

I was first introduced to Fine Cooking back in 2007. From day one, I was hooked. It is my favorite cooking magazine, and many of my all-time favorite recipes come originally from this publication. I really cannot recommend this enough; it revolutionized the way I look at food and cooking in general. At $29.95, it will be one of the best gifts you buy yourself all year long.

http://www.amazon.com/Fine-Cooking/dp/B000WPCN2G/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1332875793&sr=8-15

Here is the recipe for my grandmother's ah-mazing crusty french bread. I have baked 7 loaves in 3 weeks (5 given away to neighbors, 2 kept in house and devoured). I hope your family will enjoy this!!


Nan's Crusty Bread

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon yeast
1 1/2 cups water
**I always add a couple T chopped rosemary, lemon zest from a medium sized lemon, and a small handfull of guryere. Orange zest, cranberries and walnuts also seem to be a favorite around the holidays :)

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and yeast. If you opt to add herbs or other ingredients, do so now. Add water and mix until a shaggy mixture forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 18 hours. In a pinch I've only set it aside for about 12, but generally try and stick to 18.
Heat oven to 450 degrees. When the oven has reached 450 degrees place a cast iron pot (dutch oven) with a lid in the oven and heat the pot for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, pour dough onto a heavily floured surface and shape into a ball.(it will be very sticky initially.) Cover with plastic wrap and let set while the pot is heating. Remove hot pot from the oven and drop in the dough. Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes remove the lid and bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool as to desired temp (I usually give it about 15 minutes, I like it warm) Enjoy!!