highalttransplant - we aren't going to be able to make you happy today and I understand why but please don't go looking for problems where none exist either. The real problem is that you jumped into a recipe you didn't understand upfront and then, rather than postponing it, you went ahead. And then when msdonnie and annie gave you the proper instructions within just a few minutes, you disputed their advice and went ahead and did it your way rather than follow their advice. We have all been there and done that and yes, it is frustrating, but it serves no purpose to blame or question the validity of the recipe or the assistance offered by the other posters. For future reference, understand that needing to make extra brine for a recipe has absolutely nothing to do with the safety of the recipe or whether or not it should be trusted. Extra brine may be needed for any number of reasons beyond the recipe author's control - the size of your cukes, the size of the slices, the way you fill the jars, the way you measure, etc. etc. etc. And making an additional batch of brine, as it is called for in the recipe in use, does not alter the safety of the product in any way. It is just more of the same stuff. This need has been discussed here often and is discussed at NCHFP and last I looked in the front section of BBB etc. books. And unless it is a recipe you have made before and so know that extra brine will be needed and made a note to yourself about that, it is not a batch you make ahead to have on hand. You fill the numbers of jars that you can, seal and process them, keep the rest of the pickles hot in the pan and whip up a second batch of brine in another pan then fill and process those jars. These are all things that are learned with experience and patience but we learn best when we own up to our own screw ups and move on. Dave

Trudy, I'm not sure what you mean by Artisan bread, but my interpretation is a bread that is made with high quality flour (white/whole wheat,etc...) yeast and/or sourdough, salt and water. (as opposed to mass produced breads with additives). I start most of my breads the night before by making a biga, and a slow longer rise makes for a loaf with a much better developed flavour than a quick rise bread. I bake all my breads on a stone, free form, not in a pan. You don't need a dutch oven to bake bread. And you can add whatever you want, such as roasted garlic, cheese, olives, sundried tomatoes, seeds, or even nuts and raisins. Ann

Most quick bread recipes will call for the traditional 9"x5" loaf pans, OR standard size bread pans - 8-1/2" x 4-1/2" - according to the recipe instructions. These pans are not interchangeable because they do not hold the same amount of batter. I personally don't like 9x5 pans for quick breads because the large slices tend to split when being cut into thin slices, and the serving sizes of the breads baked in a 9x5 pan are generally much larger than I'd like to serve. I use a pan called a Danish Loaf Pan (also called a Tea Loaf Pan) that holds the same amount of batter as the 9x5 pan but is 12"x4". The longer, narrower loaf is much easier to cut into easy-to-manage playing card size slices. You can also cut very thin slices and they will hold together nicely with the narrower breads. Using the Danish Loaf Pan, the quick bread also bakes in 25% less time than when using a 9x5 pan. You can also use this pan for 2-pounds of yeast bread dough if you would like small bread slices for serving sandwiches. Once again, it's easy to slice the bread into very thin slices. It's also a nice size to use half the loaf and freeze the other half of the loaf. I also like to divide a quick bread recipe into smaller pans (7-1/2"x3-1/2" or 5-3/4"x3-3/4" or 4-1/2"x2-1/2") and use these loaf pans for holiday gift-giving sizes, or when I want to use one and freeze the rest. Quick breads can be baked in a wide variety of pans, including Bundt pans, muffin pans, mini-loaf pans, springform pans, disposable aluminum foil pans, 1- and 2-quart fluted tin molds with clip lids for making steamed breads, coffee and soup cans..... The rule of thumb is to fill pans no more than half to two-thirds full, leaving room for expansion. If you are substituting another shape, make certain the pan holds the same volume of batter. You can do that by measuring how much water each pan/container holds. If it's a springform pan, then measure how much rice it holds since a springform pan won't hold water. Adjust baking time accordingly if altering the pan size from the original recipe. I wrap quick breads tightly in plastic wrap (no plate). If freezing, I wrap them in plastic wrap and then wrap them in foil. I think acidic ingredients, as well as nuts and fruits in quick breads tend to react to foil and get a metalic taste, so I never use foil directly in contact with the quick bread. I think you'll get the same texture using a Tupperware storage container that you get when using your wrapped plate method. You have too much air circulating around the quick bread, which quickly dries the bread out. A close wrap, such as plastic wrap around the bread loaf itself, will solve the problem of all the moisture in the loaf migrating to the crust of the loaf and then expelling into the Tupperware container. -Grainlady

Here one that I used to make all the time, but haven't for a few years. If I remember correctly it took about an hour and a quarter to bake. Quick Vegetable Bread 1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach 1/2 cup grated carrots 1 green onion 2 1/3 cups all purpose flour 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1 cup milk 1/4 cup oil 1 egg 2 tablespoons sliced pimento Preheat oven to 350°. Butter an 8"x5" loaf pan. Chop the spinach. Grate the carrot. Chop the green onion. In a large bowl, combine flour, 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, baking powder, salt, thyme and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, oil and egg. Stir the milk mixture, chopped vegetables and pimento into the flour mixture until all ingredients are just moistened. Spoon batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean, about an hour. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely. Courtesy of First (June 1993)