Working leather is really satisfying and fun. This owl is my fourth piece, after making a mask and two cuff bracelets.

Mt. Hood hikes in January and Dublin Ireland adventures in February and motorcycle rides in March, here I come…. These bad boys are as rad but way more high-tech than my 20 year old Doc Martens, with Gore-Tex lining and Thinsulate padding.

No-Knead Bread Recipe for Dutch Oven
à la Mark Bittan

[Flour (dry ingredients) – I like the Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Hearty Whole Grain Bread flour, to which I add 1.5 tsp salt, 1 tbsp herbes de provence and up to 1 cup of oat bran. Bob’s Red Mill other flours are great too.]

1. Dissolve yeast packet in (mix-specified liquid of water or milk) that’s warm (110 degrees F) and let stand for 5 minutes to foam. Have all remaining ingredients at room temperature.

2. Put dry ingredients in large mixing bowl (can use a stand mixer if desired).

3. Add yeast-water mixture plus mix-specified wet ingredients (like 2 eggs/.75 cups egg whites, .25 cups oil/butter and 1 tsp cider vinegar).

4. With mixer on low to medium, blend all ingredients until smooth. Turn mixer higher and beat 15 seconds until mixture thickens slightly.

5. Cover dough with plastic wrap and put in warm place (75-80 degrees F) to rise for about 60 minutes.

6. Heat dutch oven (with lid) in 420 degree F oven starting about 30-45 minutes into the dough rising.

7. Smack down dough after the 60 minutes. Let sit another 10-15 minutes.

8. Grease the dough ball and put into the dutch oven. (Careful, it’s hot!)

9. Bake 20-23 minutes covered (maybe any tips medium brown, overall light brown)

10. Bake 10-12 minutes uncovered (about as dark as seems right)

11. Remove from oven and cool bread in pan for 5 minutes. Remove to cool on wire rack. Cool completely before slicing, if you can stand it.