Friday Foto Friends

Friday Foto Friends!

That little silver body to the left

is Trudy looking for rabbits.

What once was, is no more. So sad.

Now big empty spaces to fill in.

What to do, what to do.

All of our knockout roses which were such faithful bloomers for the past few years had to go due to the distressing disease known as witch's claws! It was quite ugly what the disease was doing and there was no cure for it.  I will miss them.

"Well, I've never been to Spain, but I kinda like the music!"* Our grandson Brady will be in Spain in about six hours now with his soccer team! What an exciting adventure for these 10 year old boys. I'm sure they will have many tales to tell when they return. Brady is back row, second on the left.

Last night I re-heated the chicken tetrazzini a friend had made for us when DH was just home from hospital. I wanted some good bread to go with it and found this recipe for focaccia bread which promised easy and delicious! Wow! Was it ever! Easy, pretty, and the best I've ever had.

recipe

Easy Focaccia Bread Recipe with Garlic and Herbs

• PREP 1hr 20mins
• COOK 20mins
• TOTAL 1hr 40mins

Our focaccia recipe is very simple to make – no fancy equipment is needed at all. The secret to the best focaccia is a great tasting olive oil. Since there is quite a bit used, the bread really takes on the flavor. You don’t need to spend lots of money, just use an olive oil you love. For the herbs, we love a combination of thyme and rosemary, but you could use whatever herbs you love – fresh or dried. Or, omit the garlic and herbs all together and use plain olive oil instead.
A note on pan size: In this recipe we call for a 9-inch by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet. If you do not have this, you can use a 9-inch by 13-inch rimmed baking dish with taller sides.

Makes approximately 8 servings

You Will Need

1/2 cup (120 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 cup (235 ml) warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
1/4 teaspoon honey
2 1/2 cups (325 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

• Make Dough

In a cold medium skillet, combine olive oil, minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, and the black pepper. Place the pan over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes or until aromatic, but before the garlic browns. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and honey. Stir a few times then let sit for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of the flour and a 1/4 cup of the infused garlic-olive oil mixture. Stir 3 to 4 times until the flour has moistened. Let sit for another 5 minutes.
Stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour and the salt. Once the dough comes together, transfer to a floured board and knead the dough 10 to 15 times until smooth. Transfer to a large oiled bowl, cover with a warm, damp towel and let rise for 1 hour. (It’s best to let the dough rise in a warmer area of your kitchen).

After 1 hour, heat oven to 450 degrees F. Use two tablespoons of the remaining garlic-olive oil mixture to oil a 9-inch by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet. (See above if you do not have this pan size).Transfer the dough to the baking sheet then press it down into the pan. Use your fingers to dimple the dough then drizzle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of the garlic-olive oil mixture. Let the dough rise for 20 minutes until it puffs slightly. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool baked focaccia bread on a wire rack.

*Three Dog Night