I'm not sure there is anything in this world I find more delicious than good, homemade bread. My family eats homemade bread, almost exclusively. But I'm not a crazy woman; I use a bread machine. I run my bread machine 3-4 times a week making different loaves. I fill the machine with traditional bread recipe ingredients and let the machine do all of the kneading work for me. After the end of the "dough" cycle, I take the dough out and cook the bread in a regular ol' bread pan in the oven. My freezer is filled with bread mixes that I make up in bulk, then to start a loaf I only have to add liquid to my mix and turn on the machine. Easy Peasy!
With my local store carrying bread that is in the $4 per loaf range, homemade bread equates gigantic financial savings. I make a few different kinds of bread, but I'd like to share with you the very easiest bread recipe you have ever seen. The resulting loaf is very homemade tasting with a fresh, yeasty flavor. It is fantastic for toast and my favorite is to use this for grilled cheese sandwiches.
Easy White Bread Recipe
1 1/4 c warm tap water
1 1/4 tsp yeast
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbs sugar
3 1/2 cups All Purpose FlourMix first four ingredients in bread machine pan and let them rest for 5 minutes. Start bread machine on "Dough" cycle. Slowly pour in flour. At end of cycle turn dough out onto floured surface and knead for a minute or two, if it is sticky knead in enough flour to make dough smooth and elastic. Place in greased bread pan and allow to double in size while your oven is heating to 350 degrees. Cook for 25 minutes and cool on baking rack.
This recipe can be made without the machine. After mixing initial ingredients, knead it by hand for 5 minutes then allow it to rise for 20 to 30 minutes. Repeat process once before allowing final rise in pan.
That's my two cents!
