Asiago Cheese Bread

I decided to try to make this bread today. Mostly to use up the asiago cheese in my fridge before it went bad. I was a bit nervous since the last time I tried to make bread, well, lets just say it tasted okay, even if it was a bit on the dense side. So to my utmost joy, this bread not only looked like the picture but also tasted fantastic!! So for any of you asiago cheese bread lovers here is the recipe. It is so simple even I could do it.

Ingredients:

3 3/4 Cups flour
1 (2 1/2 ounce) envelope dry yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 1/4 cup milk
2 tbs butter cut up
1 1/4 cup shredded asiago cheese
1 large egg

Directions:
Combine 1-1/2 cups of flour, yeast, salt, and pepper. Melt butter in milk to 120-130 degrees. Stir milk mixture into flour. Mix until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of cheese.

Gradually stir in about 2 cups flour to make soft dough. Knead in mixer or by hand until smooth and elastic, adding flour if needed. (I added another 1/4 cup)

Oil large bowl, add dough, turn to coat. Cover with clean damp towel and let double. (It may take 2-1/2 hours, must be the cheese)

Punch down, form into 2 long thin loaves. Spray baking sheet, sprinkle with cornmeal. Or use baguette pans. Place loaves on pan, let rise covered until doubled. (about another 45 minutes). Preheat oven to 375

Slash dough with serrated knife. Brush with lightly beaten egg and sprinkle top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. You can add basil and/or parsley if desired. Bake 30-35 minutes till done. cool on rack.


***************In other news****************

There is a hole in the floor in Ryan's room. This hole does at least have a vent cover on it, but the cover is not secured. I imagine that the previous owners put it there to try to get the heat from the fire place to move upstairs. It doesn't work well if that was their intent. What it does do is provide curious little boys a way to throw objects down to the basement. Audrey's boys where so helpful showing Ryan that the cover could be removed when they were here visiting last. He has had a marvelous time seeing what he could stuff down the hole. At first it was just an occasional toy, but recently he has been throwing things down on a regular basis. (He spends a lot of time in time out for this offense.)

Today I was unloading the dishwasher when I heard Ryan say: "Mom....Mom....MOM!!" As I walked down the hall toward his voice I asked him if he was doing something he wasn't supposed to be doing. His response, "Yeah!" As I turned the corner to his bedroom I saw half of his body sticking out of the floor. He was clinging onto the carpet trying not to go the rest of the way through. Apparently half way through he decided that maybe this wasn't the best idea, so he called for help. Thank goodness he did.

For those that want to know why I don't have a picture, I figured it was more important to save him from breaking both of his legs then risking him being able to hold on long enough for me to go get the camera. So here is a picture of him later today showing off his muscles. I couldn't get clothes on him until he wanted to play outside, then he at least agreed to put on shorts.