Well, it's been a minute since I last posted here. As time dragged on and I did not blog, it felt more and more unlikely that I would, unless something very special happened to drag me out of my blogging lethargy. ***Enter COVID-19***

Like the rest of the world, I've done quite a bit of baking in the last 6 weeks. I'm still working full time, but I'm mostly working from home instead of commuting one hour each way to my job. This has really opened up a lot of extra free time aka baking time in my schedule! Normally I keep most of my baking projects to the weekends, but now I'm able to bake pretty much any day. If I have a dough that I need to pull out of the fridge a couple hours before shaping, that's no problem when I'm working from my kitchen! I love it.

In light of the extra baking time in everyone's schedules, I've compiled a list of some of my favorite recipes to make. I know that many baking supplies are limited or hard to find right now (I had to UPS some yeast to a friend in California a few weeks ago because she was running out and couldn't find any anywhere!), so I've done my best to be mindful of that by suggesting potential substitutions where possible. I'm including a lot of different recipes aimed at different kitchens so that hopefully everyone can find a recipe on this list that they have all of the ingredients and kitchen equipment for right now.

A special note regarding bread flour: There are several recipes in this list that call for bread flour. Bread flour has a higher protein content (usually 11.5-13.5%) than all purpose (AP) flour (usually 9.5-11.5%). Rustic, lean doughs will almost always call for bread flour because the higher protein content allows for a chewier, strong dough. However, I've been unable to find bread flour anywhere in my area in over a month. In recipes that call for bread flour, if you're lucky enough to have some, use it! If not, AP flour is a suitable quarantine substitution (but try the recipe again with bread flour once it's available!). King Arthur AP flour is the best substitution because it has the highest protein content (11.7%!) of any AP flour brand. If possible, use unbleached AP flour rather than bleached for breads - the beta-carotene in unbleached flour contributes to a better flavor and better aroma. Bleached AP flour is great for cakes, cookies, and pastry doughs.

Without further ado, here are my quarantine recipe suggestions. Happy baking!

If you own a dutch oven and love a good crusty bread, then you should make Jim Lahey's insanely popular No Knead bread. Chances are you've already heard of or even made this bread before. It's a classic for a reason - it's easy, there's not a ton of hands-on time, it's delicious, and you feel like a fancy bread genius when you pull it out of the oven.

• Where to find the recipe: I've actually posted an adapted version of this recipe before - find it in the second half of this post.
• Special equipment needed: dutch oven
• Potential ingredient substitutions: see special note about bread flour at the top of this post
• My notes: Like most lean doughs, this bread tastes the best by far on the day that you bake it. A day or two after baking, it makes a great toast. After a couple days, your leftovers can be turned into amazing rustic croutons, breadcrumbs, or a delicious panzanella! 

If you've already bested the Jim Lahey recipe and are looking for a new challenge, or if you've always wanted to make baguettes but feel intimidated, then you have to try Peter Reinhart's recipe for pain à l'ancienne. This bread has the flavor, crumb, and crackliness of a baguette without the fear of not shaping them correctly. The instructions are long, yes, but read through them before you freak out. Reinhart goes in depth on each step to make it easier and clearer for you. It's actually one of the simplest bread recipes you can make, and the payoff is incredible.

• Where to find the recipe: It's on page 192 of Reinhart's book The Bread Baker's Apprentice. It took me a little while to find it on the internet, but I finally came across it posted on this forum. There's also an updated version from a different Reinhart cookbook posted on Epicurious. The Epicurious recipe uses a totally different method of producing gluten development (stretch and fold vs kneading) which I've done in other recipes, but never this one. I've never tried this version of the recipe, but I am sure it's also delicious!
• Special equipment needed: a baking stone is ideal, but if you don't have one, you can put an upside-down baking sheet in the oven while it's preheating, and then slide the loaves and parchment paper onto it to bake. Sliding the dough directly onto a preheated pan helps with oven spring. A bench scraper is also quite helpful for shaping the dough (if you don't have one, they're cheap and useful in many recipes. I have two and I use them all the time).
• Potential ingredient substitutions: see special note about bread flour at the top of this post
• My notes: This recipe is a tried-and-true favorite for me. Per the notes I've scribbled in the margins of my cookbook, I first made it in 2014 and have been baking these loaves regularly since then. It's a fairly forgiving recipe - I've added too much water before for an overly wet dough and it still turned out delicious. Just make sure your water is ice cold and you don't skip the overnight fermentation - it's crucial to the flavor and gluten development.
  Similarly to the Jim Lahey dough, these taste the best the day they are baked. To reheat the following day, wet your hands and lightly pat them all over the baguette before placed it in a hot oven for a few minutes. The loaf will reabsorb the water and have that delicious just-baked freshness.

If you're craving pie but you're quarantined in a small household and all the gyms are closed so you really don't need a whole pie, then Stella Parks's apple turnovers are for you. Can you tell I'm a big fan of Stella's recipes? She is probably my most trusted baking source, and she definitely didn't let me down with these turnovers. I just made them for the first time last week and I was absolutely blown away. Honestly I'm not really an apple pie fan (shocking, I know), but I LOVED these turnovers. They are inspired by McDonald's apple turnovers and they have a deep apple flavoring thanks to a special ingredient - freeze dried apples - which you grind up and add alongside fresh apples for a doubly strong apple flavor.

If you've used this time in quarantine to make a sourdough starter (or if you already had one!), then I have to share one of my favorite sourdough recipes: Potato, Cheddar, and Chive Torpedoes! This bread is delicious plain or toasted with butter, or as part of a savory sandwich or (omg) as an extra-cheesy grilled cheese sandwich. I haven't made this recipe in a while because I don't usually keep a starter going for more than a few months at a time. I made this recipe a lot when I was in college, and one of my housemates enjoyed it so much that she traded me a textbook I needed for a batch of these loaves!

• Where to find the recipe: It's on page 278 of Reinhart's book, The Bread Baker's Apprentice, or you can find a blog post featuring it here.
• Special equipment needed: a baking stone is ideal, but if you don't have one, you can put an upside-down baking sheet in the oven while it's preheating, and then slide the loaves and parchment paper onto it to bake.
• Potential ingredient substitutions: See special note about bread flour at the top of this post. I've made the recipe without chives and thought it was good, but the chives really elevate the flavor. If you can get your hands on any, I highly recommend including them. One ounce of chives is a lot, but don't skimp on them. You could try substituting green onions as well, although they don't have as strong of a flavor.
• My notes: I haven't made this recipe recently, but based on my notes in the cookbook, I made it a lot in 2013 (lol). Here are some of my notes at that time: The recipe says to bake the bread for 35-40 minutes, but I've never baked them longer than 25, sometimes about 20. Baking time will really depend on size and how accurate your oven temp is, but for recipes like this, always go off visual clues over recipe times. They should be nicely browned, but not burnt. I've also noted that it's important to roll the loaves up very tightly around the cheese so you don't have gaps in slice. My final note was to not add too much potato water at the beginning of the kneading process, but to knead for several minutes and let the water hydrate the flour before adding additional water.

• Where to find the recipe: It's on page 50 of Stella's cookbook, Bravetart: Iconic American Desserts, and I also found it on this blog. The blog link is for the regular cookies. To make the coconut white chocolate variation, stir in 6 oz (2 cups) shredded coconut and 6 oz (1 cup) finely chopped white chocolate into the dough right before scooping it.
• Special equipment needed: food processor - a high-powered blender will also work (I often use our small Ninja for this recipe)
• Potential ingredient substitutions: you could substitute regular peanuts for the honey roasted peanuts, but I would recommend dry roasted either way.
• My notes: I notoriously overbake cookies. It's something I'm working on, and I've improved, but am still prone towards. If you're like me, pay special attention to this instruction from the book: "Bake until the edges are firm and just barely beginning to brown but the cookies are still puffed and steamy in the middle."

If you're thinking of making curry and you need something to accompany it, you have to make naan. If you're never made fresh naan before, it is going to delight your socks off. It is SO good and SO easy. I am serious. Even if you're not having Indian food, you should still make it, and then eat all of it straight. I'm going to share the recipe I've always used, but I'm sure there are about a million recipes out there that are just as good or better. This is just the first one that I found the first time I made naan, and I've never strayed from it.

• Where to find the recipe: As I mentioned, there are a lot of recipes out there. This is the only one I've ever tried - it's pretty simple and I've always had success with it. You can find it on this blog.
• Special equipment needed: A cast iron skillet is preferred to get a nice char, but you could try it with any heavy nonstick pan you have.
• Potential ingredient substitutions: If you don't have plain yogurt, you could sub in sour cream, buttermilk, or probably even plain milk. The anise seeds are optional - I add them for look and flavor, but it will be completely delicious without.
• My notes: I like to finely chop or microplane some garlic and add it into the melted butter before brushing it onto the finished naan for a subtle but tasty garlic flavor.

If you want to make a special treat for your dog too, then make homemade dog treats! This is one the easiest, and in my opinion, most rewarding things you can bake. Sure, whipping up a batch of homemade croissants gives you a deep sense of satisfaction and pride. But seeing the look of soul-level adoration on your dog's face when you offer him one of these homemade dogs treats also feels pretty dang good. Additionally, it's really hard to mess up the recipe because dogs will eat and love them no matter what. One note of caution - I've seen a few recipes for dog treats that include bacon. While I think we all know any dog would vote for that, apparently greasy human foods like bacon can cause pancreatitis, especially in smaller dogs, and your dog may end up in pain at the vet. Since I've only made these treats for other people's dogs, I decided to err on the side of caution and skip any recipes with bacon in them.

• Where to find the recipe: This is the recipe I use. I received positive feedback from 11 out of 11 dogs that I used as taste testers!
• Special equipment needed: Bone-shaped cookie cutters are very cute, but not necessary.
• Potential ingredient substitutions: This recipe is very forgiving. You could grind up oats and sub them in for the whole wheat flour. You could probably even use white flour. Use a different nut butter in place of the peanut butter. Use applesauce instead of eggs. Use squash instead of pumpkin! It's all good.
• My notes: When adding the flour, start with about half of it and then add the rest a half cup at a time. I didn't have trouble adding it all in, but I saw many people commenting on the recipe that they found it was too crumbly with the full amount of flour. Also, the baking time on this recipe is really a guideline - it depends on your desired crunchiness. A softer treat is nice for older dogs, while young sprightly dogs may enjoy a very crunchy treat.

And that's it for my quarantine baking list - for now! I hope you've found this list helpful and that you're able to try out one or more of those recipes. As you may have noticed, I mentioned two bakers a LOT - Peter Reinhart and Stella Parks. They are two of my favorite sources for recipes and I can't recommend their books enough. I know we all have enough cookbooks already, but these are worth the addition to your shelf. Peter Reinhart's book The Bread Baker's Apprentice was foundational to my knowledge of baking. I bought it back when I was just starting to have a deeper interest in the science of baking, and I've read it cover-to-cover multiple times. If that sounds weird to you, the first half of the book isn't recipes, but instead goes over everything from breaking down the three main components of a wheat berry to explaining the 12 stages of bread baking. BBA is a wonderful book, and one I reference often.

Stella Parks's book Bravetart: Iconic American Desserts only came out a few years ago, but it's quickly become a staple for me. Stella is well known in the baking world for her deep knowledge of the science and the whys of baking, and also for responding to almost any recipe-related question you post on her instagram. Her book contains not only a lot of awesome recipes, but she also gives you a rich history of how the recipes came to be in their current state. She researches and traces them back as far as possible to their first publication and tells the story of how they changed over the years. It's really fascinating, and makes you appreciate you baked goods even more. Either of these books would be great reading during quarantine (or anytime)!

If you try any of these recipes and have questions, PLEASE let me know. These are some of my most favorite and often baked recipes. I hope you love them as much as I do, but if you run into a snag, I'd be happy to troubleshoot. Happy quarantine baking, my friends.