Garlic Breadsticks With Sea Salt

Sometimes I feel like I can do things, and sometimes I feel like I can't. Do you ever feel like that?

Some days I wake up and think, I can't believe it's raining AGAIN! Then I weigh the relative merits of staying in bed, going through my to-do list (clean this, clean that, go to work, watch T.V.) and find it thoroughly bores me. I realize right now that my most lucrative employment option is child care (and believe me, I love the kids, but this after a master's degree I put my soul into? Bit of a drag, really). My apartment is small and occasionally moldy (normal in Oregon - landlords say don't call us unless the spot is more than a square foot). I am forced to conclude that my life blows and is boring, and the best solution is to roll over and go back to bed (good thing I only work in the afternoons right?).

Other days I wake up and, after noting that it is yes, raining again, I find myself absolutely certain that I am destined for great things. A little farm house with chickens and apple trees? Sure! Paris? Why not? A published book and a home decorated with paintings and textiles made by yours truly, or selectively purchased from esteemed talented friends and associates. Making money off of doing something I like? Why not! The sky's the limit! And a small brood of well-groomed children and a happy husband to boot! This is my destiny!

Today I feel the latter, and it's wonderful. The respective worlds of cooking, art, blogging, fashion, writing, and etc. seem open to me, just ready for me to dive in. I'm volunteering at the Humane Society, signed up for art classes and approaching the prospect of natural childbirth with new confidence (thanks Ina May). Lucky me right?

Just wish I could control which days I feel which way!

So check these out, they are THE garlick-iest breadsticks you will ever try! The crumb of the bread was oh so soft and chewy, the buttery coating was pungent and warm.

Maybe add a LITTLE less sea salt to the coating though - and believe me, coming from me that advice means these breadsticks were SALTY INDEED!

Perfect for dipping in one last thick, winter soup...a preview of things to come...

Oh and p.s. what ch'all think of my new header? Christmas present courtesy of My Friend Libby. It pays to have talented friends! This blog may be seeing construction from more than one of them soon (this is what happens when a non-techy person pursues a techy hobby - again, thank heavens for talented friends).

Garlic Breadsticks With Sea Salt (taken from Cheeky Kitchen, one of my favorite food blogs of all)

Ingredients:
1 packet (or 2.5 tablespoons) yeast
2 cups very warm water
1/4 cup sugar
3 cups flour
1 stick butter, melted
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon sea salt
2 tablespoons grated parmesan
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Add the warm water to a large, glass or plastic bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top, then the sugar. Stir slightly and allow to sit for 15 minutes. (The mixture in the bowl should now be foamy. If it's not, you might want to start over. Your yeast could be bad, or the water not hot enough to activate the yeast).

Stir the flour into the mixture one half-cup at a time, adding just enough to make the mixture soft, pliable and not too sticky, but not so floured that it becomes a heavy hunk. Knead it until the dough becomes elastic.

Pull a round of dough into your hands (about the size of a small apple). Roll it into a long, thin rope, fold it in half, then twist the two sides around each other to form a 4-5 inch long breadstick twist. Place on a baking sheet that has been covered with parchment paper. Once all of the dough in twisted, you can bake it right away (if you're in a hurry), or allow your breadsticks to rise for 15-30 additional minutes (doing so will yeild softer, lighter breadsticks).

Place breadsticks in the preheated oven, allow them to cook for 5 minutes, then turn the heat up to 400 degrees and bake them until golden brown, about 7-10 minutes more.

As soon as you remove your breadsticks from the oven, mix together the melted butter, garlic powder, sea salt, and grated parmesan. Drizzle over hot breadsticks. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately.