CHRISTEPHI

Crazy bread is one of my favorite breads to make.  It's versatile and forgiving.  It makes a great accompaniment to dinner or a perfect afternoon snack for the kids.  And it's hard to mess up! Add 1 cup warm water to a small mixing bowl.  I use water that is just slightly warmer than body temperature -- warm enough to wake up the yeast, but not so warm that it'll kill it. Stir in 2 teaspoons sugar and stir to dissolve.  You can use white sugar, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, anything that'll "feed" the yeast. Sometimes I mix some parmesan cheese into the dough too! So yummy! Sprinkle one .25 ounce envelope of yeast over the water.  Or if you're like me and buy yeast in bulk, use two heaping teaspoons.  Stir the yeast into the sugar water and allow it to rest about 10 minutes until the surface is foamy. Meanwhile, measure out 2 cups of flour into a large bowl.  I use bread flour, but all-purpose will work.  Or try substituting wh...

I once read that every room should have something living in it.  And I do love houseplants!  There's something so magical about a green, thriving thing sharing your space.  There are also  all kinds of benefits to having houseplants.  But that only works if you don't murder your plants. I am a plant murderer. A once-beautiful dracaena tree. I can't count the number of once thriving houseplants I've destroyed over the years.  Overwatering.  Underwatering. The blame doesn't lie entirely with me.  I water them when I'm supposed to.  I even give them plant food sometimes.  But I've never lived somewhere that has the right conditions.  We only have northwest and southeast facing windows.  They're small windows and only rarely get any direct sun shining through them.  All the windows have deep roof overhangings and they all have UV coating that blocks the sort of light plants love from entering. The ficus, or Rubb...