The Simple Joy of Baking Bread

I started baking our bread several years ago because any kind of store bought bread would cause stomach issues for me. My own homemade bread doesn't cause those problems. It is healthier of course because I know exactly what is going in there - whole wheat flour, yeast, honey, water, oil and salt. No strange preservatives or ingredients!

For a long time, I made bread completely by hand because I don't have a stand mixer. Oh how I learned to respect the hard work of the generations before us. Kneading bread for 10 minutes by hand is a workout!

Recently, a friend of mine decided to get rid of her bread machine that she had never used. I really didn't know much about bread machines, but when I found out it would knead the bread for me I gladly took it off her hands!

I have an Oster brand machine. It's not a high end machine but it does a great job and has really good reviews on Amazon.

I don't like the shape of the bread when it is baked in the machine, so I let the machine just do the mixing and kneading. After the kneading is done, I sprinkle a little wheat flour on a clean tea towel and shape the dough on it.

I shake the towel out and cover the dough with it while it rises. (about an hour)

The finished product before it is sliced and put in a bread bag. I used a serrated knife and a bread slicing guide to slice it evenly.

 

 

 

I really enjoy the whole bread making process - the wonderful smell that fills the house as it's baking, the pretty golden loaves falling perfectly out of the pan and then slicing it up for my family.

The book that came with the bread machine really has some great bread recipes. I made the french bread from the book and it was wonderful.

I'm so thankful to have my new bread machine. I really had no clue what I was missing!