Saturday, January 9, 2010

Wacky Weather!

Well, my hubby rushed back to Florida to avoid the snow and cold weather, but guess what?

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We got some kind of crazy winter precip this morning!

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It looks a little more like sleet but it was enough to keep all of us Southerners inside.

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We’re enjoying the day though and I’m  making my famous Focaccia bread today to go with lasagna and green beans! OH MY!

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 Photos from the beautiful mountains of NC earlier this week!

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And here is a photo of a little heart I have been working on...adding some metallic thread, sequins and beads. I told Diane K. that I would show her my crafty project this week! Of course you’ll want to click HERE to go to her blog and see what beautiful things she’s making.

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My girlfriend, Lila from Indigo Pears sent me the Susan Branch newsletter and I went to the website and enjoyed it so much I thought you might, too. Click HERE to visit Susan Branch.

Hope you’re staying warm and enjoying the weekend! I’m going to start a Thomas Perry book this afternoon!

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He’s one of my favorite authors!

Here’s the recipe for the

Rosemary Focaccia Bread

2 cups warm water        extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp yeast                  2 stalks fresh rosemary
4 cups bread flour         kosher salt to taste
2 tsp salt                        pepper to taste
In a large mixing bowl, mix yeast into warm water ( with  a tsp sugar), then mix in flour and salt. Blend with a spoon just until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Don’t beat! Cover, allowing the dough to rise, for approximately one hour and 15 minutes.
Brush a baking pan ( I use a cookie sheet or pizza pan) with olive oil. Pour half  the dough onto the pan, then gently brush the surface of the bread with olive oil. With your fingers, pull small holes throughout the dough.
Chop fresh rosemary. I use some fresh, some dried and thyme to sprinkle over the top, along with the sea salt and pepper. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 17 minutes. Turn the broiler on for just a minute to brown the top if needed.  Makes 2 flat loaves.

BYE!!! heart

26 comments:

Stacey said...

Yay! I was just thinking that I'd have to ask you for that recipe and then a little further down...there it is! Thanks!

That sleet looks all too familiar to us. Snow fell here on Dec. 24 and it's still in my yard. This morning it was 5 degrees. Now mind you, this is Oklahoma. It's not supposed to be this cold. :)

Vee said...

Yippee! I was wishing that there would be a recipe for the bread and it was right there at the end. And I will go visit Susan Branch...love here...and your little heart is very dear.

Anonymous said...

Diane, you did a Beautiful job on this!! Your friend will love it!

We saw in the Weather Channel this morning that some areas of FL had snow! Oh my gosh! What next! One has to laugh - global warming? Maybe the poles have shifted and you're at the north end now! ;-)

Here...we have snow too but it's been cloudless and sunny and beautiful all day. Went to Michael's and am home crafting now!

Enjoy your stitching!!

Hugs, Diane

Jenny said...

Yum, thanks for the recipe! I love Susan Branch. Her Willard newsletters are wonderful and she has a fan group on facebook, too! Stay cozy.

Boo-Bah AKA Iris said...

The recipe sounds reaaly good. I love focaccia bread with soup and salad.
Your heart is really pretty too.

Hugs
Iris

Unknown said...

That looks like some great foccacia bread. I will have to give that recipe a try. You might have seen the sandwiches I make using foccacia bread on my blog. If not. Go check it out. they are extreamly yummy.
Wow, very strange weather for Florida. Its colder there then it is here in Oregon on the coast. Wow. Sorry for your bad luck there.
Hugs my friend and bundle up.

Janet said...

The weather does seem to be a bit crazy right now! Stay warm! And thanks for the focaccia recipe. I love bread of any kind!

Lucy said...

That bread is so tasty and versatile. Whenever I make it, there's never any leftovers! Are you going to slather it and toast it too?

Barb said...

Diane, this looks so good. Thanks for the recipe.

This weather is highly unusual! Stay warm.

Barb ♥

Anonymous said...

My first time visiting your blog and you've made me hungry! :) That bread looks delicious. I love hot, warm, just out of the oven bread. Here in Oregon warm bread makes for a happy dinner.

I look forward to all your updates and visiting regularly - I signed on to follow.

Kaila said...

Send hubby back with the cold weather. Clearly, he brought it back to Florida with him.

Focaccia bread is one of my favs.

Stay warm!

JG said...

Oh, your Focaccia Bread looks sooo goood! I was very happy to see the recipe, because I was going to request it. Thanks!

Just looking at the bread helps me forget the frigid weather here in Western MA.

Brenda Pruitt said...

I'm so glad you posted that recipe! I was fixing to ask you for it before I got to the end. Heavens, get that car in the garage! My pond is still frozen. So worried about my yard birds. Diane K. never STOPS making pretty things. She's like a robot on full throttle!
Brenda

Velva said...

Hasn't the weather been insane? For the last few days, we have been waking up consistently to temps below 20 degrees-YIKES!!! I live in Florida ( like you but, further north). We Floridians don't do well with consistent temps below freezing (laugh).

What a great recipe for a cold day. Love it.

Draffin Bears said...

Hi Diane,

I make Focaccia bread too, it is yummy isn't it. Your looks delicious.
Looks so cold there, stay warm and enjoy reading your book and working on the heart ~ very pretty.

Hugs
Carolyn

Denise Tucker said...

Oh, I can't wait to make the Rosemary bread! Yum! Is it freezing up in the mountains. It's ice cold here in Greensboro!

Unknown said...

As the world turns, it seems we are all starting our own weather soap opera! We are having weird but wonderful weather in Washington. Normally we would be knee deep in snow right now and were a balmy soft wind 52 today. It's like the world turned upside down!~
I LOVE Susan Branch and I've been reading her newsletter "Willard" for years. I also have several of her books on love and cooking..so darn charming. I'm puttering today on my day off and moving gnomes around in my house. Some said they wanted a better view! `Smile`

Jackie said...

Thank you for leaving a comment on my blog!

It's hard to believe we are in Florida, with all of this cold weather, I had ice on my car this morning too!
BRRRR
Stay warm!
Jackie

Annalisa said...

oh My, the focaccia looks perfect!!!!
thanks for sharing this, :) so happy to see you've posted this!!

joyh82 said...

OMG that bread looks wonderful! Weather doesn't look so good though. Enjoy your book and Happy Blue Monday.

Beedeebabee said...

Hi Sweetie! The weather sure has been a bit crazy lately!...Your bread looks delicious, thanks for the recipe, YUM! Your photos are always so lovely Diane, and always bring a smile. I'm LOVING that little heart SO MUCH! Thank you also for the link to the newsletter! I'm off to check it out! xoxo Paulette

OldeAnniePrimitives said...

Hubby was in Florida all last week. Unfortunately, he didn't pack warm enough. Think he's glad to be back in the rainy Pacific Northwest! At least we're warm here! LOL!

Thanks for sharing the recipe...just LOVE Focaccia bread! ~~Annie

asouthernsunset said...

Your bread looks delicious and I can't wait to try it!! Thank you for posting the recipe.
Blessings,
Yaya

Lisa Lectura Creations said...

Hi Diane! Your focaccia bread looks so yummy! Thanks for sharing the recipe with us! You take lovely photos. And I just love your little heart! Keep warm sweetie!

Hugs,
Lisa :)

Twyla and Lindsey said...

Thanks for the recipe! It sounds wonderful! Enjoy your week! Twyla

Gooseberry Patch said...

Oh my, your focaccia bread looks fantastic! Thanks for sharing the recipe. :)