We Cook Here: Baguettes

For those who don't know me, I am a gal who could live on bread alone. A few years ago I started making my own and realized they aren't that hard. This is a VERY EASY recipe for baguettes and I promise if you will try it you and your family will be glad you did. Hopefully the pics will help, but call me if you have a question along the way.
This recipe is from the Williams-Sonoma Complete Entertaining Cookbook, which my mom gave me for Christmas a few years back (thanks, mom!)

(This makes 4 good loaves, so if you don't like bread quite as much as I do, just half it, but I will say it freezes well and you'll get twice the food for the same effort.)

1 TBSP. active dry yeast
2 1/2 c. warm water (110 degrees)
6 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 TBSP. salt

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water in the bowl of an electric mixer (or a large bowl). Gradually add the flour and salt and mix with the paddle attachment to combine (or beat with a wooden spoon). Change to the dough hook and knead on medium (or knead by hand on a lightly floured board) until the dough is smooth and elastic.

(If you are doing this in the mixer mix for at least 5 minutes before adding any flour) This will generally take about 10 minutes of kneading and I usually end up adding 1/2-3/4 c. flour to make sure it doesn't stick. Transfer to an oiled bowl and cover with a towel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch down (lightly press to get rid of most of the air - not the time to take out frustrations on the dough),

cover (I use a big Tupperware That's-a-Bowl, which has a lid, but I also lay a sheet of plastic wrap over the top of the dough before putting the lid on) and refrigerate overnight.
Three hours before you need the bread, remove the dough from the fridge and allow it to rest for 1 hour. Cut it into 4 equal sections (pizza cutter or sharp knife) and shape each into a baguette.

(The way I do this is to form a rough rectangle, hold the short end of the dough and let it hang in the air to lengthen the long ends to about 8 inches.

Lay the dough back on a lightly floured table and fold the two long ends in to slightly overlap at the center. Gently squish the seam together and flip so the seam side is on the counter. Gently roll the dough to lengthen it to about 14-inch lengths).

Put on baking sheets sprinkled with corn meal (I put two on each tray). Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 425 (if you have convection...use it now).

With a sharp knife cut diagonal slashes in the top of each baguette. Lightly mist each loaf with water (use a spray bottle or pastry brush) and put in the oven. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. (Spraying the bread with water gives it that yummy crust, so about every 2 minutes for the first 10 minutes, open the oven door and spray some more water on each of the loaves).