Nifty Stuff

Nancy' s NEW BREAD BOOK--It's Here!

Kneadlessly Simple--Fabulous Fuss-Free No-Knead Breads
The easiest way ever to make delicious yeast breads—the doughs actually knead themselves! Nothing beats a loaf of fresh, warm-from-the-oven yeast bread. Now, using the most up-to-date,innovative methods, Nancy makes home bread baking amazingly easy, reliable, and convenient enough to fit any schedule. Her “kneadlessly simple” recipes minimize complicated steps, eliminate all kneading, and require no special equipment or baking expertise--see the video page for a demo. 
Crusty Bread--YUM! Here's one of the crusty pot boules from Kneadlessly Simple: It's featured now in a story in Fine Cooking-- click here.

Home bakers are offering praise too. Says Allen Brawer of NY City: "Thank you, thank you, thank you- for Kneadless book. I have spent 2 years trying to get kneadless bread right- original recipe, Cook's, rose b., hertzberg, many internet sites. Yours is the best. Made pot boule and it was fabulous. No mess, no clean, no knead, great bread. Try it and never purchase bread again."

Got questions on how this method works? Check out the Kneadlessly Simple FAQ on the Articles page. 
 
Personalized Holiday Gift Cookies

With Easter, Mother's Day, and spring wedding showers and kinds of other parties, consider making personalized cookies to celebrate the occasion. Here are some simple, edible tokens of affection that were a great hit with my grandchildren. Check out my recipes archives for a good sugar cookie recipe. Tips: Script is easier than printed lettering. Writing with icing is also easier on big cookies. And practice on waxed paper first!


Shooting a TV Show Segment

Here I am in my kitchen during the shooting of a segment that ran on a Food Network show "The Secret Life of...Gingerbread" last December.

The real stars of the segment are those soft and chewy gingerbread boys, which the production crew enjoyed scarfing down once the segment wrapped!The cookies were a Washington, DC favorite sold Sherrill's diner and bakery.

The recipe is in the cookie chapter of my most recent baking cookbook, The All-American Dessert Book. Check out the Dessert Book page for details and reviews of the book.


 Summertime is Time to Celebrate the Banana Split

The nation's most famous sundae, the banana split has been on the American scene since 1904. Several years ago I researched its quirky, interesting history for a story published in the National Public Radio "Kitchen Windows" column. To check it out and get the recipes for creating your own banana splits, go to www.npr.org and search on Nancy Baggett.

 
From My Kitchen Window--Bluebirds

There are lots of good reasons to have a big kitchen window--especially if it overlooks a woods. Here, in the dead of the Maryland winter, a pair of bluebirds came to brighten our day. They visited our bird feeder and perched in the trees just beyond the kitchen. This one, the male, is a breathtaking blue and russet. The female's coloring is similar but more subdued.

Old Kitchen/New Kitchen

Here's the "before" picture of my kitchen. Notice that in addition to changing the layout and cabinets I enlarged the window to take advantage of the view of the woods. (Now it's easier to watch the deer eating my hostas!)

Here's what my kitchen looks like today, after a major renovation. I not only replaced an old stove with a new Thermador, but added two wall ovens (to handle all the baking) on the opposite side of the kitchen. To read about the redo and see more pics, go to the articles page. 


 

 




Calling All Chocolate Lovers

Here's a pic of well-known chocolate maker Michael Recchiuti and me in his San Francisco factory sampling a new spiced chocolate ganache he's developing. Some of his unusual truffle ganache blends that I like the best--tarragon grapefruit and lavender vanilla. When you go to San Francisco, don't miss a visit to his stunning chocolate boutique at the Ferry Building.

 Ice Cream Makes a Patriotic Dessert

Did you know that ice cream was one of the founding fathers' favorite desserts? President and Mrs. Washington served it to Vice President and Mrs. John Adams. James Madison and his wife, Dolley, served it at his inaugural ball. Thomas Jefferson loved ice cream so much he brought a recipe for it back from France, and particularly enjoyed serving guests ice cream encased in hot pastry shells.


The ice cream sundae and other soda fountain desserts are unique to America, arising for the Prohibition era. Opponents of alcohol promoted soda fountains where guests could socialize with chilled carbonated water, then later flavored aerated water and, eventually, refreshing sweets. Sundaes and sodas were just several of the concoctions soda jerks invented that used the bubbly water and various fruit syrups. The term soda jerk came from the jerking action of the water and syrup spigots being operated.

The photos shows my Fourth of July sundaes, which feature homemade strawberry and banana ice creams, and homemade strawberry sauce and marshmallow topping, all from The All-American Dessert Book. The banana ice cream, which was inspired by one from the Inn at Little Washington is now posted on the website. 

 A Graham Cracker Cottage from The All-American Dessert Book

This fun-to-create edible cottage is from the Family Fun" chapter of The All-American Dessert Book. The book contains tips on making a Christmas- or Valentine's-themed cottage or a harvest or Halloween cottage like the one pictured. The recipe also provides diagrams, a royal frosting recipe, and a color photo of a shimmery "Winter Wonderland" themed cottage. Other recipes in the chapter include Maple Kettle Corn, a yummy, no-cook Faux Fudge, Indoor S'mores, and Brownie Bars-in-Jars.
Nasturtiums-Great for Patios, Great for Kitchens

Nasturtiums--sometimes classified as flowers and sometimes as herbs-- have long been treasured by kitchen gardeners. These old-fashioned plants boast both bright, cheerful blooms and a pungent, watercress-like flavor and scent. Both the leaves and flowers can be tossed into salads for added zip and glorious color. They can be added to herbed vinegars, too. Check out my August 2009 blog entry on making herbed vinegars for details.

Raising a Glass to the Arizona Sunset

Called an Arizona Sunset, this beautiful, refreshing cocktail is prepared with orange juice and a brightly-hued specialty food product from Tucson called prickly pear cactus syrup. The syrup is made from the reddish-purple fruits of certain native cacti; the flavor is faintly fruity and goes well with most citrus fruit. The secret to the two-toned look of the drink is in adding the syrup last and not stirring it in. It sinks to the bottom of the glass, then gradually infuses the rest of the juice with its color. For the recipe and details on obtaining (or substituting for) the syrup, see my Recipe Archives.

Queen Anne's Lace--Cousin of Carrots, Named for A Queen

Where I live Queen Anne's Lace is always a pleasing sign of summer. The wispy white wildflower adorning America's roadside is actually a wild carrot introduced from Europe. If you rub the feathery foliage of Queen Anne's Lace, this member of the parsley family will give off an herbal, “carroty” scent, and if you dig it up, you’ll see that the long, thin root resembles a very spindly carrot. It’s too spindly to bother harvesting for eating, but makes a fine kitchen kitchen centerpiece.

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Kneadlessly Simple

KNEADLESSLY SIMPLE

FABULOUS, FUSS-FREE NO-KNEAD YEAST BREADS

Baking Breakthrough: If You Can Read, Measure and Stir, You Make These Yeast Breads!

Find at Amazon.com

For years, countless home cooks have shied away from baking their own bread because they were intimidated by the expertise required, the mess involved and of course, all the kneading. Now, with Nancy Baggett's revolutionary new Kneadlessly Simple method, even complete novices (including kids) can bake bread easily, economically and with no kneading or kitchen mess.

The secret is in Baggett's countertop rise approach, which allows the yeast to grow slowly and develop the same full, satisfying flavor of traditional bread, but without any kneading. (The bread actually kneads itself!) The technique calls for minimal ingredients, often mixed in one bowl with one spoon, eliminating all the mess of traditional bread recipes. She uses the approach to produce all kinds of breads, from Whole Wheat Boules and English Muffin Loaves to Raisin Bread and Caraway Beer Bread. With this innovative new method, anyone who can read, measure, and stir can now make delicious, fine-textured yeast bread. It also builds in great flexibility, so even the busiest home cooks can now fit yeast baking into their schedules.

This book differs from others on the same subject because Nancy Baggett is an experienced food writer who understands home baker's needs. While techniques by other experts may sound similar, they still involve messy dough handling and many require mixers, mixers or food processors. Baggett's technique is the simplest and most foolproof one yet, yields superior breads due to her countertop rise method. (See some of the bread & learn more here.)

From the Inside Flap
Savoring a loaf of fragrant, warm-from-the-oven bread is one of life's great pleasures. Now you too can experience the joys of home-baked bread—without all the hassle and mess of traditional bread recipes. Taking recent advances in slow-rise, no-knead bread making to a whole new level, award-winning cookbook author Nancy Baggett serves up seventy-five of the easiest, tastiest bread recipes ever developed.

Baggett's recipes involve no complicated procedures, no special equipment or baking expertise—and, of course, no kneading. The secret to her method is in the science: During a long, slow rise, the doughs actually knead themselves, and at the same time, develop superior flavor. Many of the recipes require no hand shaping, and all include a "KS (Kneadlessly Simple) Quotient" that explains exactly what's involved. With one bowl, one spoon, a few simple steps, and minimal kitchen clean-up, you'll be on your way, even if you've never baked bread before.

Inside, you'll discover terrific recipes for every taste and occasion. Enjoy loaves with the aromas and textures of today's best artisan breads—crusty Rosemary Focaccia, Ciabatta and Baguettes, plus buttery Brioche and other European classics. Savor all-American favorites like San Francisco–Style Sourdough and Cinnamon-Raisin Bread. Stay healthy with Hearty Multigrain Boule, 100 Percent Whole Wheat–Honey Bread, and Gluten-Free Faux Rye Bread. And indulge with Panettone, Spiced Cranberry Orange Coffeecake, and other sweet breads. You'll even find recipes for bread-making kits you can give as gifts!

To make sure every bread turns out perfect, Baggett provides detailed advice on ingredients and techniques as well as step-by-step instructions for each recipe, including a range of rising times that you can select to suit your schedule. She also gives you in-depth troubleshooting tips and explains how to convert favorite old-fashioned bread recipes into no-knead versions. With a whole chapter of "Easiest Ever Yeast Breads" to get you started, along with sixteen pages of tempting color photographs, Kneadlessly Simple is all you need to create fuss-free, artisan-quality breads in your own kitchen.

Advance Praise for Kneadlessly Simple

"Nancy Baggett has brought all her considerable baking and teaching skills to the table in her newest book, Kneadlessly Simple. Bakers always knew that making bread was fun, but now, with Nancy's help, it can also be surprisingly easy. She really gets the artisan principles of slow-rise bread baking and has created an easy method that will work for home bakers of all skill levels."
—Peter Reinhart, author of Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads: New Techniques, Extraordinary Flavor

"Nothing beats the flavor and texture of good homemade bread, especially when it's made from a no-knead, no-fuss dough and it rivals the best artisan bread you can buy anywhere. That's just what Nancy Baggett gives you in Kneadlessly Simple—an adaptation of all the most up-to-the-minute methods for producing outstanding bread with little effort—you'll love it!"
—Nick Malgieri, author of The Modern Baker


Fleischmann’s Yeast Gives Kneadlessly Simple a BIG Thumbs Up

The Fleischmann’s Yeast test kitchen has tested some Kneadlessly Simple breads; distributed some of the recipes to their consumers; and followed up with a survey to see how their customers liked the breads and method. Here’s some of the exciting news Fleishmann’s had to say in a recent press release:
“Nancy's latest recipe book, Kneadlessly Simple, is devoted to an extraordinary No Knead bread making technique that allows anyone to become an accomplished bread baker, because the technique is extremely simple and foolproof.”
Keith Dierberg, of Fleischmann's® Yeast Marketing, added:
“For many years, people have been telling us that they would love to make homemade bread but felt they lacked the expertise and found the whole idea of scratch bread baking intimidating.
That's why we're so excited…. Hundreds of thousands of consumers are already using this technique to make homemade bread and 17.5% of those are people that never made homemade bread previously. Our research shows that 98% of the people that have made these recipes will continue to make them, and of those using the technique, over 80% are increasing their total bread baking significantly.

These recipes and new technique appeal to both current bread makers and importantly, overcome the barriers people claim as to why they have never made bread before, making bread baking something that everyone can do with total confidence of success."

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Kitchen Lane Featured Videos

More Videos:

View Kneadlessly Simple - AM Arizona TV News Feature

View Channel 9 Holiday Segment

View Mini Clip - Cookies, Cakes and Desserts

                         View Daily Cafe Video

                         View Food Network Video

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Cobbler - More American than Apple Pie

by Nancy Baggett

Despite the old saying, "more American than apple pie," Americans can’t really claim credit for pie; English settlers brought recipes for it with them. However, we can take full credit for the old-fashioned fruit dessert called cobbler. It was created here in the late 18th or early 19th century, around the time that baking soda became available and cooks began using it to puff up their doughs. One of the first mentions of "cobler" was in Mrs. Lettice Bryan’s 1839 cookbook, The Kentucky Housewife.

In a recipe called Peach Pot Pie, she commented: "Peach pot pie, or cobler as it is often termed, should be made of clingstone peaches, that are very ripe, and then pared and sliced from the stones." At the end of the recipe, she added: Eat it warm or cold. Although it is not a fashionable pie for company, it is very excellent for family use..." While cobbler is indeed a fine dish for families, all the company I’ve served it to has also been thrilled with this succulent, richly flavored homespun treat!

The best recipe for peach cobbler I've ever eaten was one baked for me by Jean Jennings of Mountain View, Arkansas. Her recipe is one of 150 I collected and feature in my latest cookbook, The All-American Dessert Book. For more on the book and some recipes, see the Nifty Stuff page, my recipe archives, and the Dessert Book page.

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Hot Stuff - Hot Fudge History

Real hot fudge sauce is different from ordinary chocolate sauce in that it’s made like old-fashioned chocolate fudge. In fact, hot fudge sauce is just a fudge that never sets! Cream or milk, sugar, and butter are slowly boiled down until slightly thickened and light caramel-colored. This boiling-down process not only gives the sauce it’s great gooey texture, but also contributes that special "fudgey" taste to the chocolate.

It’s a good bet that the first hot fudge sauces resulted from early fudge failures. Fudge-making—a traditional American activity—started catching on at several New England women’s colleges in the late 19th century. Sometimes, when the mixture wasn’t cooked enough, it wouldn’t set and had to be eaten with a spoon. By the 20th century, people began deliberately undercooking fudge so they could serve it warm over ice cream, often on banana split sundaes or other soda fountaion treats. Today, hot fudge sauce recipes almost always include corn syrup, which contains anti-setting properties that prevent fudge from turning into candy regardless of the cooking time. Click here for my hot fudge recipe; it's from my All-American Dessert Book.

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Tips on Holiday Entertaining

There’s enormous satisfaction in holiday entertaining. It gives the gift of your hospitality, as well as memories guests may treasure for years. But entertaining requires advance planning and attention to detail.

Over the years, I've hosted some major events in my home--including a rehearsal dinner party for 60 people before my son's wedding and a high school reunion buffet-mixer for 85 former classmates. If you’ll be entertaining during the holidays, here are some suggestions that have worked for me:

The Planning—

Especially during the holidays, invite guests early and take into account that not everyone may be free to attend.

If you’re hiring help or renting equipment book well ahead; these services are in big demand at holiday time.

Start putting the house in order—literally—as soon as a party date is set. Get jobs like window washing, carpet cleaning, and small repairs out of the way.

All the party prep that can be done ahead should be done ahead: Wash the glasses, polish the silver; press the table linens; or for an informal event, buy the paper plates, napkins, cups, etc. Also, stock the bar, and prepare and stash dishes that can be successfully frozen.

The Food—

If guests must either eat standing up or with plates perched on their laps, menu items should pass the fork test—that is, they can be eaten with only a fork (no knife).

Plan to serve nearly all do-ahead dishes, so readying food won’t take too much time away from hosting. Remember to calculate how many dishes will need warming at one time and be sure there is enough oven space. Likewise, take into account refrigerator space and thawing times. (Large casseroles take a surprisingly long time.)

Curb inclinations to do fancier dishes than you can confidently prepare; your nerves will thank you.

Include enough meatless dishes that vegetarians can devise a meal. (It’s also a good idea to include low-carbohydrate and low-fat dishes for dieters.)

Make point of emphasizing variety. This gracefully accommodates guests’ various likes, dislikes and dietary restrictions without their having to make requests (or not eat!).

Presentation—

Whenever possible, feature homemade dishes rather than purchased platters. If time is too short for much cooking, intermingle purchased items with homemade dishes, and at the very least arrange purchased foods in your own plates and serving bowls. Not only does this convey the impression that you went to some effort, but it avoids the charmless deli-tray and take-out tub look.

Make the food look festive. Choose colorful recipes and serving pieces, and garnish abundantly. Go beyond the old stand-by’s like parsley sprigs, pickles and stuffed olives.

Decorate platters with vegetables such as multi-colored pepper rings or strips, red onions, radishes, radicchio, red cabbage and curly kale leaves, and fruits such as grapes, orange, kiwi, and star fruit slices and berries.

Arrange the food on the table so it looks attractive and is readily accessible to guests. Add interest by varying the heights of dishes with pedestals and trivets. For a buffet it’s better to serve from a smallish table. A large table with items sparsely spaced looks skimpy and may also requires guests to reach in too far. For more than 25 people, have two serving lines. Otherwise, some folks will be finished eating before others even reach the table.

Here are some great desserts to serve for the holidays: New York Deli-Style Cheesecake,  Cranberry-Cherry Crumb Bars, or   Banana-Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake with Chocolate Glaze.     

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Feature Stories

Cookbook and Food Writing Stories
3 Steps to More Compelling Culinary Prose
5 Things to NEVER Say to a Food Editor
Introducing the Recipe--3 Big Dos and Don'ts
Home Testers Rated My Recipes--and Some Failed!
Whadaya REALLY Think About My Recipe? When Brutal Honesty Helps
You Did WHAT to My Recipe? Sad Tales from the Food Writer Files
Food Writing Lessons I've Learned the Hard Way
When is a Recipe "Good Enough" for Publication?
What Editors Are (Still) Looking For
The "Oops" Factor in Recipe Testing
Everything I Don't Like and Nothing That I Do Like
Ms Grammar Lady's Rules for Punching Up Your Prose
Protecting Yourself from Plagiarism
If You Just Need a Meatloaf Recipe Will Any Old Cookbook Do?
Dos and Don'ts for Cookbook Writers
Tips on Writing Tasty Recipe Intros
Culinary Verbs that Sizzle
What Do Literary Agents Do?

Better Food Blogging Stories
Life's a Feast Host Jamie Schler Shares Her Secrets to Blogging Success
Culinary Blogging 101

Shopping and Product Stories
Holiday Foodie Gift Ideas
Gifts for Foodie Dads
Maple Gifts from Vermont

Personal Stories
Losing My Favorite Cooking Friend

Supermarket Daze (Looking for Stuff & Never Finding It!)

High Cholestorol Warning- My Personal Story Part 1

High Cholestorol Warning- My Personal Story Part 2
Memories of Julia Child

Questions You've Wanted to Ask Me-- Or Maybe Not

Food and Ingredient Stories
 
Choosing the Right Apple
Apple Orchard Visit with my Grandkids
Cookie Exchange Tips
Cranberry Harvesting
Cranberries
Decorating Technique for Rolled Cut-Out Cookies
Finding Missing Tableware the E-Way
Holiday Entertaining
Kids' Cookie Baking and Decorating Party
Kitchen Makeover: From Blah to Ah for This Cook
Kneadlessly Simple FAQ's -- The Secrets to Breads that Knead Themselves
Maple Harvesting Season in Vermont
No-Knead Bread Phenomenon--Try It & Stop Missing Out 
No-Knead Pot Breads--How to Choose the Right Pot
Decorating Autumn Leaf-Shaped Cookies with Icing

Culinary History

Cobbler History
Concord Grapes
Cranberries
Hot Fudge History
Pumpkin and Thanksgiving History
S'mores--Early 20th Century Girl Scout Tradition

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Kitchen Makeover: From Blah to Ah for This Cook

 Several years ago I had my fairly roomy but inconvenient, dreary and dated 18-year-old kitchen gutted and built the workspace I'd always wanted. (See the "before" pic below.)

The experience was stressful and disruptive, but I did end up with the functional “cook’s” kitchen I'd coveted for years.

Of course, I wanted a more convenient place for testing. But it also had to be attractive enough for an occasional photo shoot, like the recent one for a story for Country Gardens Magazine. (That's when the pic below was taken; the story will run next summer.)

Now, looking back, I'll still really happy with how my make-over came out. I love the ample counter and storage space, and the generous kitchen window that provides both lots of natural light and a great view.

Here are some tips I learned:

Think about how the space will be used. I'd always felt my space was wasted so began by coming up with a new floor plan. First and foremost I wanted a center island; it actually rotates, btw! I also decided to move the range to the same wall as the sink, reposition the refrigerator to the bottom of the U, and add two supplemental stacked wall ovens to accommodate all my baking to the right side of the U. (These are visible in the far right of the bottom photo.) To be sure this arrangement would really work, I mentally walked through it repeatedly, opening imaginary doors and cooking and baking imaginary recipes.

Consider what extras really matter to you. I wanted to maximize storage space so decided on cabinets that reached to the ceiling. Yes, they necessitate keeping a stool handy (I planned a spot for it right in the kitchen) to access items on the top shelves, but now I finally do have a place to stash everything. Although under-cabinet lighting is often viewed as an extra, I considered it essential. A serious cook needs good lighting and this is the most effective way to illuminate wall counters. I had wanted a bump-out bay window over the sink, but when I learned that it would need more wall space and would mean one less storage cabinet, I gave up the idea. Instead, I decided to maximize the woodland view and natural light with a counter-to-ceiling window--the largest standard size we could fit.

Do your homework when selecting your materials.  Laminate counter tops didn't appeal not only because they showed too much wear and tear (especially cuts and burn rings), but because I wanted a fresh, more contemporary, natural look. I eliminated butcher block from consideration because it absorbs grease and moisture and has to be oiled periodically. I drooled over gorgeous marble and limestone tops in a local showroom until I learned that drool--or any other moisture--can watermark limestone and even marble. So I focused on the less porous, more practical granite. This stone isn’t impervious to moisture either--a refresher coat of sealer may need to be wiped on every few years--but this seemed a reasonable maintenance demand considering its overall toughness and beauty. For me, another big plus of granite was that it’s great for rolling out pastry doughs. 

I'd found ceramic tile durable, attractive, and easy to maintain on kitchen walls in a previous home, and decided on it again. (It’s also preferred as a safety feature for walls right behind professional-style gas stoves with high-BTU burners like mine.) Having had wood, ceramic tile, and vinyl flooring in heavily trafficked areas of other houses, I also knew ceramic tile was the most durable flooring option and, in the right color (not white!), the easiest to maintain. Plain cream or white shows every smudge and crumb and needs nearly daily washing, but a heavily mottled or flecked off-white one with a low-gloss surface (not slippery when wet) lends a light, bright look but without requiring excess maintenance. It’s hardness means that ceramic tile flooring is also harder on the feet, but it's important to wear comfortable, thick-soled walking shoes while working.

I'm grateful I don't have to face renovating again, but also very glad that I did. What a pleasant place to spend my days cooking and baking. ###

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Featured Recipe

Easy Oat Bread

From My New Book

Kneadlessly Simple:
Fabulous, Fuss-free, No-knead Breads

Oats always seem to have a comforting, low-key flavor, and this bread does, too. The straightforward, easy recipe can be made with either honey or molasses and produces two homey, nice-to-have-on-hand loaves. (I always stash one in the freezer for later use.) Attractively flecked with bits of oats, the loaves are slightly soft and make excellent toast and sandwich bread. Dajana, who recently made this bread and said it helped her yeast baking fear, posted some great step-by-step pics of it on her Baker's Corner website here. Or see videos of Kneadlessly Simple bread making here or here.  Or take a look at a whole gallery of breads in the book--from sticky buns, to seeded breads, to rustic whole grain breads here.

If you're looking for my Crusty White Pot Boule (it's my own improved version of the one first published in the NY Times), click here. Or try another crusty, artisan-style loaf from Kneadlessly Simple, my rustic Crusty Seeded Pale Ale Boule here .

5 1/2 cups (27.5 ounces) unbleached all-purpose white flour or white bread flour, plus more as needed
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats or quick cooking (not instant) oats, plus 4 tablespoons for garnish
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Scant 2 3/4 teaspoons table salt
1 teaspoon instant, fast-rising, or bread machine yeast
1/4 cup clover honey or light (mild) molasses
1/4 cup corn oil or other flavorless vegetable oil, plus extra for coating dough tops and baking pans
2 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons ice water, plus more if needed

First rise: In a very large bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour, oats, sugar, salt, and yeast. In a large measuring cup, thoroughly whisk the honey and oil into the water. Thoroughly stir the mixture into the bowl, scraping down the sides until the ingredients are thoroughly blended. If the mixture is too dry to incorporate all the flour, stir in just enough more water to blend the ingredients; don’t over-moisten, as the dough should be slightly stiff. Brush or spray the top with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. If desired, for best flavor or convenience, you can refrigerate the dough for 3-10 hours; this is optional. Then let rise at cool room temperature for 12-18 hours.

Second rise: Vigorously stir the dough. If necessary, stir in enough more flour to yield a hard-to-stir consistency. Generously oil two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pans. Sprinkle a tablespoon of oats in each; tip the pans back and forth to spread the oats over the bottom and sides. Use well oiled kitchen shears or a serrated knife to cut the dough into 2 equal portions. Put the portions in the pans. Brush or spray the tops with oil. Press and smooth the dough evenly into the pans with an oiled rubber spatula or fingertips. Sprinkle a tablespoon of oats over each loaf; press down to imbed. Make a 1/2-inch deep slash lengthwise down the center of each loaf using oiled kitchen shears or a serrated knife. Tightly cover the pans with nonstick spray-coated plastic wrap.

Let rise using any of these methods: for a 2- to 3-hour regular rise, let stand at warm room temperature; for a 45-minute to 2-hour accelerated rise, let stand in a turned-off microwave along with 1 cup of boiling-hot water; or for an extended rise, refrigerate, covered, for 4 to 24 hours, then set out at room temperature. Continue the rise until the dough nears the plastic. Remove it and continue until the dough extends 1/2 inch above the pan rims.

Baking: 15 minutes before baking time, place a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 375 degree F.Bake on the lower rack for 50 to 60 minutes, until the tops are well-browned. Cover the tops with foil. Bake 10 to 15 minutes more until a skewer inserted in the thickest part comes out with just a few particles clinging to the bottom portion (or until the center registers 208 to 210 degree F on an instant-read thermometer). Bake for 5 minutes longer to be sure the centers are done. Let cool in the pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn out the loaves onto racks and cool thoroughly.

Yield: 2 medium loaves, about 12 slices each

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Kitchen Lane News - Current Calendar

Dec. 7, 2011--Two of Nancy's cookies were featured in the Washington Post food section's holiday cookie story. You can check out her Cranberry Orange Zingers here, and Peppermint Chocolate Mountains here. Bonnie Benwick, the food section deputy editor, tweeted that the Zingers were one of her favorites.


October 3, 2011--Nancy spoke on "America Baking Ephemera: An Entertaining Look Back at Baking in America," at the Home Baking Association annual conference in Stowe, Vermont.  Below is a fun bit of ephemera she found; see more here.


July -August--Nancy's feature article called "Savoring Herbs," appeared in the current issue of Eating Well magazine.

June 30--Nancy hosted a photo crew from Country Gardens magazine in her kitchen and garden. An article on "Cookies for a Summer Garden Party" will appear in the summer of 2012. In the pic Bob Stefko is photographing some fresh edible flowers that can be used for cookie garnishes. For more pics and highlights from the shoot, go here.

May 20--Nancy Speaking at Blogher Food, Atlanta, May 20, 2011
Nancy will be helping bloggers from around the country improve their culinary prose. In this hands-on workshop participants will practice techniques, sharpen writing skills and even explore how to find and strengthen their own culinary voice. The conference is nearly sold out, so hurry if you want to attend.

Oct. 11--Nancy Speaking at Home Baking Association Conference, Palm Springs
Nancy is taking a break from talking about baking at this year's gathering. She will be talking about using Twitter and Facebook to connect with fans and consumers and bringing members up to date on what she learned at Blogher Food.

Oct. 9--Nancy Speaking at Blogher Food, San Francisco, 2010
Nancy will share her cookbook writing tips on a panel for food bloggers called
"Have You Got a Cookbook in You?" The conference has been sold out for months.


No Events Scheduled for Summer, 2010--Nancy is on Deadline for Her Next Cookbook! Stay Tuned for More Details Soon!

DC-Area Foodies--You're Invited! Feb. 27, 2010, 8:30 am-5:30 pm
Join Nancy Baggett and 40 other speakers for tastings, cooking classes, workshops.
For: The 7th Salute to Gastronomy Symposium
Presented by: The DC Chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier
At: The Universities at Shady Grove, Rockville, MD
For Information / Registration: http://www.lesdamesdc.org/

Nancy Baggett's story and recipes titled "How to Make Your Own No-Knead Breads," appeared in the February, 2010, issue of Vegetarian Times.

Feb. 14, 2010--Nancy to Talk about Valentine’s Sweets
Topic: “The Evolution of the Romatic Heart Symbol and Favorite Valentine’s Flavors”
Members Meeting—The Culinary Historians of Washington
Sunday, February 14, 2010, 2:30 to 4:30 pm
Bethesda-Chevy Chase Services Center
4805 Edgemoor Lane, Bethesda, Maryland

Nancy's story on "Pot Roast with Red Wine a la Julia Child," appeared on the Washington Post allyoucaneat food blog here in January, 2010.


Nashville Alert: Nancy will be appearing on Nashville's popular "Talk of the Town" on Tuesday, Oct. 7. If you're in the viewing area, tune in to WTVF-tv around 11 am and watch her make an easy, but yummy no-kead bread. The recipe wil be available, too.


Nancy's story on "Fresh Takes with Fresh Herbs," appeared in the Washington Post, Aug. 26, 09.
Read the Article Link to Recipe

Nancy will show how to made her breads at the Olney Farmer's Market (MD) on June 7, at 11 am; stop by for a sample! On May 31, she made her Great Granola Bread and Double Chocolate Honey Bread on Baltimore TV-11; click here:
http://www.wbaltv.com/video/19615680/index.html
http://www.wbaltv.com/video/19615609/index.html


Interested in Hot Cross Buns for Easter?
Nancy showed the Baltimore Sun how to make them in a step-by-step video. Click here to view video. Link to Recipe.


Nancy Bakes on NPR Radio
Nancy made a crusty bread during an interview on NPR on Sunday, Mar. 22. To obtain the recipe and pics and hear the story search No Need To Knead: A Simple Way To Bake Bread : @ NPR.org.


For a Kneadlessly Simple video of Nancy making bread, go to:
http://www.developmentspace.net/kitchenlane/arizonaam_vid.html


For a recent story on Nancy's bread and a yummy looking pic go to:
http://www.finecooking.com/item/8861/a-baker-in-knead


You can sign up for Nancy's free newsletter, tips, and recipes at: https://app.e2ma.net/app/view:Join/signupId:49815


NEW BOOK News--Nancy lauched her new bread book with a multi-city satellite media tour on Tuesday morning, Feb. 3. She appeared all around the county on tv shows showing how to make yeast bread using her amazing new "kneadless" way but if you missed her, see her demo and some of her breads by clicking on the video above. If you're curious about how the method works, click on the Kneadlessly Simple FAQ on the Articles page.


Jan., 30, 09: Kneadlessly Simple is now available at booksellers everywhere. It's on sale at Amazon.com. Nancy's latest book features a revolutionary new method that let's you make great yeast bread without any kneading or other bread-making expertise, and almost no kitchen muss or fuss. Check out the Kneadlessly Simple page or the Reviews page for more info.




Kitchenlane Fall '08--Check out Nancy's recent commentary (and recipe) on enjoying s'mores and homemade marshmallows on NPR's All Things Considered-Weekend http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94144409 And stay tuned for more commentaries in the future.


Kitchenlane Summer '08--Check out Nancy's commentary on cooling off with snowballs on NPR's All Things Considered-Weekend http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92976006


Kitchenlane Fall '07 News--Be sure to tune in to the Food Network on Monday evening, Dec. 3, at 8:30 pm to see Nancy as she invites a film crew into her kitchen and shares the secrets behind Sherrill's famous chewy-soft gingerbread cookies. If you miss the show, titled "The Secret Life of Gingerbread,"you can catch it the following week, on Dec. 10, at 10:30 pm on the Food Network.


Nancy also shows off holiday sweet treats from The All-American Dessert Book during an appearance on Retirement Living TV's "Daily Cafe" show around noon on Wednesday, Nov. 28. The bars-in-jars recipe demonstrated on the show is the one currently featured as recipe of the week on this website.


For a new, easier way to make yeast breads, take a look at Nancy's story and recipes in the Nov. 28 Washington Post Food section, or visit the Post on-line.


In mid-September, Nancy attended the Home Baking Association annual conference, where she capped off the President's Dinner with a talk called "Iconic American Baking Brands--History and Hype."


Kitchenlane Summer '07 News--Nancy's article, photo, and recipes on the banana split were published in June on the National Public Radio website. Check them out at www.npr.org; the search on Kitchen Window; then, banana split. And Nancy's story on s'mores (yum!) appeared in the Aug. 1 issue of the Washington Post Food Section. Nancy has also just completed a tv segment in her kitchen for a Food Network show that will air later on this year. Stay tuned for the details!


Spring '07 at Kitchenlane--After a relatively quiet winter spent revising her co-authored One Pot Meals for People with Diabetes cookbook (due out soon), Nancy is in the public eye again. In mid-April she appeared on a panel in Chicago at the International Association of Culinary Professionals conference. The presentation was called "The Cookie Chronicles;" cookies, of course, are one of her favorite topics! Then, in May, Nancy demonstrated some great seasonal desserts--a strawberry-rhubarb betty and a gorgeous "very berry" trifle from her All-American Dessert Book--on WUSA Channel 9, in Washington, DC.




November and December were busy at Kitchenlane. Nancy dropped in via satellite to TV stations in Denver, Memphis, Minneapolis and other cities around the country to show off her Lemon-Filled Coconut Triple Layer Cake, Hazelnut Honey Caramel Bars, and Homemade Peppermint Bark and to offer holiday baking tips and recipes from her All-American Cookie Book and All-American Dessert Book. She also demonstrated how to make holiday stained glass cookies in an appearance on Washington D.C. CBS station WUSA Channel 9 and participated with Washington Post food editors in an on-line q & a chat with readers seeking cookie baking advice.


January '07 by Nancy Baggett: Check out Nancy's "Chocolate Gems" story in the January-February issue of Eating Well magazine. Nancy serves up recipes for Chai Chocolate Pots de Creme, Mini Molten Chocolate Cakes with Mocha Sauce, and Chocolate Covered Berry Marshmallows (great for Valentine's Day!). She also offers guidance on choosing and working with chocolate.

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