Homemade Bread (using a bread machine)

 

Is there any better smell than bread baking? Well, maybe but admit it – this smell is wonderful.  As it is baking, you can almost taste the melted butter on a hot slice of homemade goodness.  I’ve had a bread machine for a number of years and while it’s underused every time it is, it makes me want to use it every day.  This is one of my favorite bread recipes to use it the machine, it’s a simple white bread.  When making this bread yesterday for our Thanksgiving meal, I totally forgot to take a picture of it as I was still getting everything else ready.  I thought, no big deal, I will just take a picture of a few slices later.  Ha! I sent a few slices back to college with one daughter (along with other leftovers) and the rest of the bread was enjoyed as a snack that night.  Big fail on picture taking.  Just know, it was good!!  Below the recipe is a few tips to get the most out of your homemade bread and your machine too.

 

There are “must do” rules when using a bread machine and trust me, you’ll know if you didn’t follow them.

 

Four Golden rules to successful Bread making

Ingredients  for a 1 ½ Pound Loaf:

Water, 80-90° F 10 fl oz (1 ¼ c)
Bread Flour 3 ⅓ c

Butter or Margarine 2 tbsp

Dry Milk 2 tbsp
Sugar 1 ½ tbsp
Salt 1 ¼ tsp
Active Dry Yeast 2 tsp
-or-
Bread Machine Yeast 1 ½ tspDirections:

 

In bread machine baking container, add the ingredients in the order listed above.

 

Water first

Butter – cut up the 2 tbsp into four pieces and place one in each corner

Evenly add the flour – tap the container lightly to settle the flour

Sprinkle the next 3 ingredients over the flour

Make a little well in the middle of the flour and then add your yeast. just in this well.

 

Bake according to your machine’s directions.

 

Tips:

Slicing Bread

 

In our house, the bread doesn’t make it long enough to store beyond one day (and that is stretching it!)