Potato Corn Chowder with Hearth Bread

Today is one of those cold and rainy fall days so I decided some warm, comforty soup sounded right for dinner. My husband made the meal even better with some delicious homemade bread!  Both recipes are below.  We baked the bread in a dutch oven instead of on a cookie sheet.  If you use dutch oven, you can ignore the instructions about the baking stone and the pan of water.

Potato Corn Chowder

1 Tbsp butter
3 cups diced potatoes
2 cans creamed corn
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup onion
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp flour dissolved in 1 Tbsp water

Combine all ingredients except milk, cheese and flour in a large soup pot and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.  Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Simmer for about 10 minutes or until thick. Makes about 6 servings.

Rose Levy Berebaums Hearth Bread from the back of the Gold Medal Bread Flour Bag

3 1/3 cups bread flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 1/4 tsp yeast
1 1/3 cups water
1 tsp honey
olive oil

In medium bowl, stir together flours, salt and yeast. Stir in water and honey.  Place dough on lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and springy but still slightly sticky.  Add a little flour or water as needed.  Lightly brush oil inside on a large bowl.  Place dough inside the bowl and turn to grease all sides.  Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place about an hour or until dough has doubled in size.  Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or lightly sprinkle with cornmeal.  Gently push fist into dough to deflate. Flatten dough and shape into round ball.  Place on cookie sheet.  Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise in warm place for another hour until dough has doubled in size again.  Place baking stone on lowest rack in oven.  Heat oven to 475 degrees.  Carefully cut an X shaped slash on top of the dough. Spray with cool water. Place cookie sheet in oven on baking stone.  Place 1 cup water in shallow pan on another oven rack.  Bake 10 minutes reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees.  Bake an additional 20 minutes or until bread is golden brown and skewer in center comes out clean.  Cool completely on baking rack.