Names have been changed to protect the innocent...and my husband...and me...but not the dog. His name is Dexter.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Recipe Swap Wednesday-Homemade Bread

Mmmm....don't you just love homemade bread?! The smell. The taste. The feeling of Domestic Goddessness. Perfection.

Over the past couple of years I've slowly been turning into a hippie earth mother and decided to make my own bread, but lacked the fabulous recipe needed for success. My neighbor, who is a bread making goddess, took pity on me and shared with me her recipe. The recipe she gave me was for four loaves (cut down from six) and with my short attention span, I sometimes had problems. Also, it drove me absolutely batty trying to get the loaves to be equal. It actually got to the point that I considered weighing each loaf in order to make it even. And then, as I was trying to figure out where to store four scales, I realized that I would be crossing a boundary of stable mental health that I didn't really want to cross. Since then I have halved the recipe a couple of times and now have a one loaf recipe that does not require any dividing. I've never made it in a bread maker, but I think it would work just as well. If anyone takes pity on me, reads this blog and tries the recipe in their bread maker, please let me know how it turns out. For future reference and all. And because I'm nosy.

So, here it is.....

Homemade Bread
Mix together:
1/3 cup warm water
1 tsp. yeast
1 tsp. sugar

Add and mix together:
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 cup sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. oil (or 1 tbsp. + 1 1/2 tsp.)
1 cup warm water

Add and mix together:
3 cups flour (I use 1/2 white and 1/2 wheat flour....see above hippie earth mother reference)

Cover and let rise to about double the size. (I'm not sure if this is what you're actually supposed to do, it's just what I do.) Punch back down. (I use a wooden spoon because I don't like dough on my hands.) Let rise again. Transfer to bread pan and let rise to as big as you want it. Be careful not to let it rise too much because it will collapse and make your bread look funny. Not that I've ever done that or anything. Bake at 350 degrees for 31-33 minutes. I do 31 minutes.

And then you can enjoy your wonderful homemade bread. And make someone else clean up since you just slaved making bread. This is also great for pizza and with wheat flour that totally makes it a healthy meal.

And in case anyone wants to play and post a recipe on their blog today, here's a handy dandy Mr. Linky that will link people to your fabulous recipe. Or it will remain blank and I will spend the rest of the day feeling just a little loser-ish. No pressure though. ;o)

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I probably won't be posting a recipe today, but I hope leaving a comment will help you feel less loser-ish. :) I'm so happy you posted a yummy bread recipe and reading about the scales cracked me up. We all have our OCD issues. I can't wait to try your yummy bread recipe for myself.

3 Bay B Chicks said...

The title that you added to the Wenda button made me laugh. Thank you!

Another day, another great, great recipe on your site. What fun! Is there anything more wonderful than freshly baked bread on a winter's day?

Umm, no.

-Wenda

Kristina P. said...

I ruined bread in bread making machines. Bread making scares me.

Amber said...

I've got the best bread recipe ever- it even turns out great with 100% whole wheat. PLUS- it only rises once so from start to finish it's about an hour and a half.

http://dinnertimeagain.blogspot.com/2008/11/how-to-make-great-homemade-bread-its.html

Michelle said...

I love homemade bread, but I have never attempted to make it. I may have to try your recipe! Is it idiot proof?

Carrie said...

I just bought yeast since I was craving homemade bread, now I have a recipe to use it up! Thanks.

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