I think I'm slowly turning into Martha Stewart!! :help: :lol:

Seriously, I got a wild hair when I was grocery shopping last week & bought some bread mix....today I'm trying my hand at making some home-made bread!!

The bread mix was for either a bread machine OR by hand, so I did it by hand (seeing as I don't have a bread machine any more). Was quite satisfying, I must say....and not hard at all. I was in fear that it wouldn't rise like it was supposed to, but it did and then I got to PUNCH it down....now it's in the loaf pan doing the second rise...and then into the oven... :drool:

I'll let y'all know how it comes out...if it works, I might just make our bread rather than buying it....alot more healthy, I'm sure!

I used to bake bread all the time! Lazy me has slacked off alot, too. If I bake bread again, it'll be brown bread. Mom has this recipe that I need to get.

Deb, don't punch the dough down too much, it'll turn out hard. Like they say, ya gotta luv yer bread! Just knead it down lovingly. :D A friend of mine takes her frustrations out on her bread dough...she turns out with baseballs! (when she makes buns instead of loaves.)

I love baking bread. It smelly soooo good and tastes great. My husbnd thought I should make bread instead of buying sliced bread ---I don't wanna!!! Its a treat and I don't like doing it all the time.

Well....I kneaded it alot (but just followed the directions on the box), but when time came to punch it down, I just gave it one punch, & it fell right away....then I plopped it into the pan & let it rise again....

It's done, sitting there cooling off....it rose really well, smells really good...when it gets a little cooler, I'll cut a piece & let y'all know....

It wasn't hard at all, I'm pleasantly suprised....

sounds good. ummm.. What is a bread mix? Is it like a cake mix? I always make mine from recipes..I have never heard of one..

This is EXACTLY what I made...sourdough...I also have their Country White mix waiting in the pantry. Even tho it says "Bread Machine Mix" on the box, it has directions on the back to make it by hand...

It's got the flour mixture plus the yeast packet....just mix all that together with water, knead, etc & you're good to go!

How involved is it to make bread from a regular recipe?

Measure out your flour, yeast and whatever ingredients--Mix, knead, rise, and cook..Pretty easy. Sounds like the mis is just all your dry ingredients already measured out for you..

Yep....I think that's the only dif...with the mix, you mix the dry yeast in with some of the bread mix, then add your water, then the rest of the dry mix...can you share an easy recipe? If you've got one handy....

I don't have one right now, but I will probably be making some this weekend...i'll put on here by then..

no hurry....I'd appreciate it whenever you get a chance!! :wave:

Here's a recipe I usually follow....

Air Buns (I can see the guys having a laugh at this thread, btw. ;) )

1 pkg. yeast
1 tsp. sugar
Soak in 1/2 cup water for 10 minutes

9 cups flour
2 tsp. salt
1/2 lb lard (1 cup)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp. vinegar
4 cups water

Make a well in the flour, add remaining ingredients. Stir with a spoon until it forms a mass that leaves the sides of the pan. Knead by hand until smooth and elastic, a rather stiff dough adding a little more flour if necessary. Set to rise in a warm place until almost double, then punch down. Repeat once more, twice is even better. Form into buns the size of an egg, set in pans, cover and let rise until very light. Bake in 400 F oven for 25 minutes.

I use my breadmaker all the time. Now that I'm trying to cut back, I'm going to have to stop. I love home made bread.