Lisa Zahn

The Unusually Unusual Farmchick pointed out in the comments that my link to the No-knead Bread recipe in the last post is a bit hard to find. Thanks for noticing that! (She has a really cool blog, by the way.) So, here's the link again: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html?_r=1&oref=slogin . From this recipe link, you can also link to a video of Mark Bittman and the bread's original baker, Jim Lahey, demonstrating how to make the bread. It's fun to watch. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, can make this bread. The hardest part is measuring out 3 cups of flour. Can you do that? I thought so! And no, you don't need to go out and buy one of those lovely cast-iron pots. But it's a great excuse. And if you can find one at a really, really good deal like I did, how can you possibly resist? Oh, and here's another link to the Not Martha blog , in which people make comments and give variations on the bread recipe. Also worth checking out.

Sorry to say I am still a bit "cruddy" though much better than before. It didn't help that Rose was up puking much of last night. Poor, poor child. We're not sure why. The sausage she and her brother ate for dinner? But Eli wasn't sick. Just the leftovers of the flu? Who knows. But we didn't get much sleep. And here we all are home with the sickies again. Ack! But, enough about that. It's time to move on. I did manage to bake some of the famous "No-Knead Bread" as shared here by Mark Bittman of the New York Times . I've seen it in the paper, on Martha, online, everywhere. I decided I had to try it. And lo and behold, it turned out amazing just as everyone says. And it really is easy, if a bit awkward flinging wet dough around, onto towels and into pots, etc. But the bread was so, so worth it. I was attracted to the recipe because the dough is actually fermented for at least 18-20 hours. I know that the long fermentation process makes wheat ...

Thanks everyone for wishing us well here. I still feel like there's a wad of cotton stuck in my left ear and I'm not much up to creative writing, but I wanted to post something. I know you can't possibly love our cat as much as we do... but I thought you still might like these photos of her very delicately playing with a balloon...

I read Crunchy Chicken's blog every day. She has a great new project going. You can see the new widget for it on the left. Seen the latest Proctor and Gamble ads about them sending pads and tampons to girls in Africa in order to help them stay in school? Well, it's a great idea. Lack of adequate monthly supplies may be one factor keeping African girls out of school, though from what I've read here and here there are many factors that make it difficult for both boys and girls in Africa to stay in school. Still, I applaud P&G for bringing up this topic. A big problem is, there are no proper sanitation facilities for throwing the Tampax and Always away (not that there is in the US, either). According a NY Times article , the company is also building bathrooms and small incinerators near each one for the girls to burn their products. But what's in these products? Well, quite a bit of plastic. And we all know burning plastic sends toxins right into the air. The air that ...

Just wanted to post a quick note. I'm too sick to do anymore than this. This is the worst flu ever, but then I'm sure I say that whenever the flu comes around. It's been many years since I've had it so it's hard to remember. Kids are finally on the mend, still coughing though. I'm still having major head/sinus pain and a slight fever. Day four now. I would not be sitting up at all were it not for double-dosing on Advil. Yes, I gave in to drugs, but that's just until I can get to my chiropractor tomorrow. Sick=Ick! George said half of Rose's class missed school on Thursday and Friday. I guess we know where this thing came from... Picture is of the front door of our house. The swag I made from the spruce in our yard and a coat hanger, after seeing the directions in Martha's mag. We'd love to welcome you over, but I don't think you'd want to come in right now!