Garlic French Bread

I've always been intimidated by bread recipes. They seemed to have all this complicated kneading and rising and special ingredients... and patience. I know my skill set, and I just didn't think I had what it took for bread.

But perhaps it was the stress piling up at school, the desire to prove myself wrong or the simple fact that I am just a bit of a glutton for punishment... I tried bread.

And you know what? I can do it. Without a bread machine (especially since mine met an untimely demise in my move).

And so can you. So easy.

And freaking delicious. So freaking delicious.

Try. Immediately.

Garlic French Bread

adapted from allrecipes.com

1 tablespoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup margarine
1/2 cup minced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon minced parsley
2 tablespoons margarine

 photo by Jessica Y.

Deliciousness swirls through the inside of this amazing (and easy) bread.

1. In a large bowl combine the yeast, sugar, 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1 1/2 cups of the flour. 
2. In a sauce pan combine the milk, water and 1/4 cup of the butter or margarine until 110 degrees F (38 degrees C). Add milk mixture and vinegar to the flour mixture and blend at low speed of the mixer until moistened. Beat at medium speed for 3 minutes.
3. Stir in 1 1/2 cups additional flour to form a sticky dough. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead adding 1/2 to 1 cup more of flour until dough is smooth and pliable. Place dough in a greased bowl and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume.
4. Punch down dough and roll into a rectangle shape about 16x8 inches.
5. In a saucepan heat the onion, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, parsley and 2 tablespoons butter or margarine until butter or margarine is melted. Spread over the dough rectangle and starting from the 16 inch side roll the dough up tightly like a jelly roll.
6. Place the bread seam side down onto a greased cookie sheet and let rise until doubled in sized.
7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
8. Bake bread until golden brown about 20 to 30 minutes. Brush hot bread with melted butter and sprinkle with chopped parsley.