One of those magical evenings

Taken by our dear friend Rick

Eating dinner of steak, sauteed kale and apples, and homemade seed bread.  Resting on the couch embroidering and listening to some good old 45's on this lovely jukebox.  Receiving the warmth of a puppy curled up on my chest and occasional sweet kisses from my husband. 

Giving you a little magic from my evening to make one of yours special.

Homemade Seed Bread
Adapted from The River Cottage Family Cookbook

Dry Ingredients:
3 cups all purpose white flour
1 cup amaranth flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 packet or 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
1 handful of sunflower seeds (or any seeds you have on hand)

Wet Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar
~1 1/4 cups warm (110F) water

butter or olive oil for greasing pan

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl until combined.  The original recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of salt and I'm considering reducing the salt even more.  In a glass measuring cup spoon in olive oil and sugar and then fill with warm water to just over the 1 1/4 cup mark.  Stir well.  Pour the wet ingredients a little at a time into the flour mixture stirring after each addition using either a spoon or your hands until it's a slightly sticky dough.  I found it easier to use my hands towards the end.  Flour a work surface and knead dough on surface until it's smooth and bouncy, about 10 minutes.  Shape the dough into a ball and place back in the bowl.  It is not necessary to wash the bowl.  I rubbed a little olive oil in the bowl and then turned the ball in the bowl to help prevent a crust from forming on the top of the dough.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel.  Allow the dough to rise until doubled for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  After rising punch down dough. Place dough on floured work surface and kneed 10-15 times.  Shape dough into a fat sausage.  Place in greased bread pan.  Set oven temperature to 475F. and bake for 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to 400F and bake for another 10 minutes.  Take the pan out of the oven and gently lift and turn the loaf upside down in the pan.  Put in oven again from another 5 to 10 minutes to brown the bottom.  Tap the base of the loaf, if it sounds hollow it's done!  I love this baking method.  It makes for a pretty loaf of bread.  I typically start checking for doneness after 5 minutes and then every 1-2 minutes after that if it's not done yet.  This bread tastes very earthy and rustic to me, great for fall!

Sorry I didn't get a picture of the bread, could not resist diving in and devouring it before a photo could be taken!