Making Easy Bread

[KK4AMI]

I'm practicing for Thanksgiving. My wife has to work, so I'll be doing most of the cooking. Good smelling bread always encourages a good appetite. I'm trying a couple of loaves of "No Knead Bread" now so I know which one I like the best. So far I'm lovin' the results of my practice. This stuff is great. I've tried it with wheat, bread and all purpose flour. I'm baking the stuff in an old early 1900s Aluminum Dutch Oven.

PS- Who said baking your own bread was cheaper than buying a loaf from the store? I think flour is pretty expensive.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/di...tml?ref=dining

[K7SGJ]

Since I retired a few years ago, we have yet to buy a bread product from the store. I make our bread, muffins, rolls, and all that stuff. I make two loaves a week, and especially like potato bread, egg bread, Rye, and French Baguettes. Hell, I love them all. We usually buy our bread flour at Costco. It is really inexpensive there. Although it is a 25# bag and would last a long time for most, it doesn't last more than a month or so around here. Have fun with the bread making, and be adventurous with unusual recipes, or experiment with your own design. And BTW, you are right. Nothing smells better than bread or cookies baking. I'm making pumpernickel today. Yum..............

[KC2UGV]

Since I retired a few years ago, we have yet to buy a bread product from the store. I make our bread, muffins, rolls, and all that stuff. I make two loaves a week, and especially like potato bread, egg bread, Rye, and French Baguettes. Hell, I love them all. We usually buy our bread flour at Costco. It is really inexpensive there. Although it is a 25# bag and would last a long time for most, it doesn't last more than a month or so around here. Have fun with the bread making, and be adventurous with unusual recipes, or experiment with your own design. And BTW, you are right. Nothing smells better than bread or cookies baking. I'm making pumpernickel today. Yum..............

You should see if you can get a competitive flour price from local farmers. You usually can, and it might be cheaper than Cotsco even, and higher quality.

[K7SGJ]

You should see if you can get a competitive flour price from local farmers. You usually can, and it might be cheaper than Cotsco even, and higher quality.

I would, but the only mill nearby is in Tempe. The old Hayden Mill that has been closed for many many years. Not much wheat around here that I know of, but I do buy oats, rice, and other grains in quantity and grind them with the grinder attachment for the Kitchenaid. It works quite well. Every so often, we also make dog biscuits out of what ever flours we have. They really like them, especially the rice/oat with peanut butter ones. The spoiled bastids.

[KC9ECI]

Made this one the other evening.

1 can of beer, 3 cups of bread flour, 1 tablespoon yeast, 1 of flax seed, 2 of olive oil, pinch of salt.

40 minutes first rise, punch down, 30-40 minutes on the 2nd in the pan. Give it 3 slices diagonally across the top with a very sharp blade and a light dusting with flour and bake 35-40 minutes around 375f.

[KK4AMI]

Made this one the other evening.

1 can of beer, 3 cups of bread flour, 1 tablespoon yeast, 1 of flax seed, 2 of olive oil, pinch of salt.

40 minutes first rise, punch down, 30-40 minutes on the 2nd in the pan. Give it 3 slices diagonally across the top with a very sharp blade and a light dusting with flour and bake 35-40 minutes around 375f.

Wow, I can smell it from here. Do you put the beer in it, or drink it as your making it? :)

[KC9ECI]

I should have said 2 beers, one for the bread, one for the baker.

Almost forgot, when the oven is hot, right after you put the bread in, take a measuring cup with a couple tablespoons of water in it, splash it on the side of the hot oven and close the door. A little humidity in a bread oven is a good thing.

[kf0rt]

What's the kilowatt-hour per loaf quotient on that?

Looks pretty superb here.

[KK4AMI]

You should see if you can get a competitive flour price from local farmers. You usually can, and it might be cheaper than Cotsco even, and higher quality.

We aren't in Kansas Toto. The only thing they seem to grow in this part of Virginia pertains to livestock feed, wine making, apple pie or recreational smoking! Only wish we could go to a farmer.

[KC9ECI]

What's the kilowatt-hour per loaf quotient on that?

Looks pretty superb here.

Rate here is a bit more than .10 per kilowatt hour so with warmup time and bake time, I'm probably spending between 20 and 30 cents per session.