French Bread

I absolutely love bread, so for anyone else that loves bread, here's an easy recipe for French Bread. This recipe yields two loaves (which my husband and I ate in like a day!). 

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon yeast
4 Cups flour
1 Tablespoon salt
1 2/3 Cups warm water
1/4 Cup cornmeal (optional)
1 Egg (optional)

Directions:

- Pour yeast in a small bowl and add a little warm water to proof the yeast.

- In a large bowl, mix flour (I like to use self-rising flour for my breads) and salt. Add yeast mixture, then stir in warm water. 

-Flour a clean counter surface and knead bread for 5 minutes. Let dough sit while you wash (with nice and hot water to warm the bowl) and dry the bowl. Next, knead the dough into a ball and place in the still warm bowl. Cover and let rise for 2 hours.

I just use an old plastic grocery bag to cover mine :)

-After dough has risen for 2 hours, knead for 5 minutes. Cover again and let rise one more hour.

-Next, knead dough down into a ball again, and cut dough in half. Form each half into the shape of a loaf.

-Grease a cookie sheet and place loaves on it. Then, cut diagonal slits in the top of each loaf.

-Preheat oven to 350 and bake for 30 minutes.

**This next part is optional. I like my bread with the cornmeal sprinkled on it but if you choose not to, just keep the bread in for another 5 minutes.**

-While bread is baking take the egg and pour the egg white into a small bowl.

-When bread is done baking, take a brush and brush egg white onto the tops of the loaves. Then sprinkle the cornmeal onto the loaves.

- Bake another 5 minutes. Let bread cool and then enjoy! Simple and delicious :)

Next on the bliggity blog: Either Molten Lava Cake or Apple Crisp with Spiced Caramel Drops....anyone that actually reads this have a preference? Which should I make next?