The invention of no-knead bread revolutionized bread baking in my house. The (what felt like) hours of endless kneading, collapsed loaves and lumpy crusts went straight out the window and a whole new, less stressful method was ushered in. With this new technique, even with a toddler careening around the house, I could finally make a delicious loaf of bread any day of the week.

I know it might seem a little silly to get so worked up about something as simple as bread, but a good loaf is enough for several days of meals. It can be used for everything from our morning toast to lunchtime grilled cheeses to garlic bread alongside spaghetti. Best of all, the simplest version of this recipe is made with natural ingredients that are both healthy and budget-friendly.

Once I got comfortable churning out loaf after loaf – it was so easy! – I started playing with the flavors. Sometimes I would add citrus zest, other times herbs and, on a few occasions, dried spices. Last year I got particularly bold and added in some sundried tomatoes and chopped basil. With a last minute mozzarella crust I realized it tasted just like my favorite summer salad! Since I have plenty of basil in our freezer from last summer I even still make this all the time in the winter.

To make this perfect for naptime baking I usually start the bread after my daughter is asleep for the night and bake it the next morning during lunchtime. Alternatively, I start it in the morning and it is ready to bake by dinnertime, only needing to be handled once or twice during the day. No matter which way you do it I guarantee it will work brilliantly and you too will become a bread baker in no time.

Tomato, Basil & Mozzarella No-Knead Bread
3 cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
1 5/8 cups lukewarm water
½ cup roughly chopped sundried tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
¼ cup shredded mozzarella

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, salt, tomatoes and basil. Add water and stir until all ingredients are blended. The dough will be very sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 12-18 hours, or until the size has almost doubled and the surface it dotted with bubbles.
2. Remove dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured cutting board. Sprinkle dough with flour and fold it over itself once or twice. Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap, allow to rest for 15 minutes.
3. Flour your hands and quickly shape the dough into a bowl. Coat the cutting board very generously with flour and place it seam side down on the board. Dust the top with flour and cover it with a kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size and does not readily spring back when poked with a finger. This takes about 2 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 450 and place EMPTY 2 ¾ qt. cast-iron (I use a Le Creuset) pot in the oven. Allow to warm in the oven for 30 minutes. Then, remove the pot and brush the inside with olive oil. Transfer the bread dough from the cutting board and place it in the greased pot. Place it in the oven with the cover on it and allow it tbake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes remove the cover and allow it to bake for 15-20 more minutes, or until the loaf is browned. Then sprinkles on the shredded mozzarella on top of the loaf and bake until melted. About 2 minutes. Remove pot from the oven and place on a wire rack. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Then, remove the loaf and allow to cool completely.